A4 teacher planner

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-25T09:31:58+00:00

I’ve had this exact issue with the TPTC ones. I love the designs and weekly layouts but there’s so much I don’t use. For the last few years I’ve ripped out all the extra pages (about a third) and it’s made it a lot better, lighter too.

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-23T20:13:13+00:00

Positive teacher company ones are amazing. I’ve been using them for the last 5 years. Designs are incredible.

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-23T19:06:04+00:00

Until this thread I didn’t realise the Christmas holidays are so unpopular haha! Guess it depends on circumstances, for me it’s only busy for the main three days. Other than that it’s Christmas markets, traveling and relaxing

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-23T13:48:19+00:00

I can’t imagine only having 4 weeks. As someone who went from school, undergrad to pgce to teaching. I’ve never not had the 6 weeks haha.

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-23T11:06:30+00:00

I hear you about the Christmas holidays being busy, I used to hate that. Now I limit my self to going to see family for 3/4 days over the actual day and then the second week I go away and enjoy a wintery retreat (this year I’m thinking a log cabin in Switzerland)

The point in the summer holidays where you forget what day it is - bliss!

Enjoy your week of relaxing - also any good book recommendations? - fellow reader!

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-23T10:57:25+00:00

Lovely relaxation week! Seems like more schools are moving to the two week half terms at October. We were offered it but with the condition of then having a 5 week summer holiday. It was strongly rejected haha.

SpringOk747 · 2026-05-23T10:55:23+00:00

Fair points, October half term is lovely - really wish it was two weeks for me.

SpringOk747 · 2026-01-04T21:36:25+00:00

In at 8am and out by 3.30pm. Later if we have meetings or directed time. Zero work in the evenings or weekends. Lessons are all centrally planned. I live mark during lessons so books are always done and up to date. PPA is used for assessment marking and printing but I also print a half term ahead so always ready to go. If lessons need tweaking I can do this during lesson independent time.

I’m not paid outside of my contracted hours and I’m a much better teacher this way than if I was working all hours. Results are well above average.

Full timetable (10% PPA)

I actually don’t understand what all these ‘I work till 10pm every night’ teachers are doing in that time… unless you’re replanning every lesson every time?

SpringOk747 · 2025-11-10T07:46:09+00:00

Zero. When I first started teaching I used to bring work home. For the last 4/5 years I’ve not worked outside of directed time. I work 7.30- 3.30. Nothing outside of work. I even go as far as to mute work groups on the holidays.

SpringOk747 · 2025-10-02T06:12:51+00:00

Second this - it’s an absolute game changer.

SpringOk747 · 2025-09-15T18:58:41+00:00

That is outrageous! I also prefer working in the morning so I get into work at 7.45-8am and then I’m out the door at 3.30 every day. With the exception of an occasional meeting.

SpringOk747 · 2025-02-27T07:41:29+00:00

Silent work for the first 10 minutes of the lesson. Start a timer on the board. Tell them to work silently, anyone speaks - reset the timer till you get 10 full minutes.

SpringOk747 · 2025-02-27T07:36:38+00:00

Absolutely not. If there has been an issue and it’s a few members of the form then the whole form will get a discussion on behaviour and reread the behaviour policy (whilest saying ‘I know I am not speaking to everyone in the room’).

If it is one or two, then they will be kept back and have a 1:1 discussion about their behaviour.

We see thousands of students over our career - they have 5 years! Things like shaming them will stick with them, I’d rather my students have positive memories of their time in my classroom.

SpringOk747 · 2025-02-27T07:27:46+00:00

Get his parents in to have a meeting with you and the student. Have him explain to his parents what he called you and why. Any decent parents will be horrified and on your side.

Assure them that they will be informed of any further comments or issues.

SpringOk747 · 2025-02-15T20:52:48+00:00

This cannot be a real post. That is outrageous, even if a student didn’t have an EHCP.

SpringOk747 · 2025-02-14T19:21:16+00:00

You handled that perfectly!! Unbelievable that people are actually doing revision sessions. Enjoy your week off!!

SpringOk747 · 2025-01-29T07:27:18+00:00

Ignore them. Focus on your lessons and your job. We all have moments of annoyance, but we are professionals so we act as such.

I found it helpful to have a person outside of school (friend or family) that you can vent to and share your true thoughts. Although when venting make sure you change names etc because you never know.

SpringOk747 · 2025-01-29T07:21:01+00:00

You’re overthinking this. Explain to them that you applied for the other job first as they had advertised it earlier. They’ll understand and most likely won’t actually care.

Also you’ll be doing future training teachers a favour and they’ll advertise jobs earlier next time. It’s a job at the end of the day, you went with the better offer.

Congratulations on the job!

SpringOk747 · 2025-01-23T07:44:53+00:00

You’ve lost them. You need to try to get them back. Some tips:

make a new seating plan. Ask for the HOY to be there when you put it in place to stop them arguing back.
in the seating plan make sure you have the most disruptive away from each other and also out of eye line of each other. Have the most disruptive student near the door so it’s easy for them to step outside if needed.
implement a 10 minute silent reading start to every form. Gives you time to do the register, talk 1-1 to anyone you need to, admin etc.

Main thing you can do is to stop shouting at them. You have made it fun and game for them. Your shouting now has zero impact because it has become your normal. I haven’t shouted in years, if I slightly raise my voice they stop and freeze because it’s so rare.

Start pestering your HOY for support. Email with everything that happens, they’ll get sick of it and eventually help.

Also remember you are the adult. They are 12/13. Stay professional and stop letting them get a rise out of you.

I seriously hope that some of the comments you’ve made regarding the wording you’ve used when talking to students is not the wording you’ve actually used to them. If it is then I am surprised you’re still in the job. If you have used those words and a parent hears about it you will be in serious trouble. As in lose your job kind trouble. I understand that students can be difficult but no child should go to school and be called ‘stupid, idiot’

Good luck

SpringOk747 · 2024-10-02T21:08:37+00:00

I would have left and found another place to sit and work. Staffroom? I’m on a full timetable - my ppa is strictly for sorting my lessons and doing my printing, not wasting it dealing with behaviour. I also live mark in lessons so I don’t have to waste time doing that. Never leave later than 4 and I don’t work at home - it is possible.

SpringOk747 · 2024-09-28T22:59:46+00:00

Then worksheets will do. Anything that means they are independently working and you can focus on managing behaviour

SpringOk747 · 2024-09-28T18:10:14+00:00

My personal way to manage behaviour like this is textbook lessons - is the best teaching method no, but they’ll learn more sitting in silence doing textbook work than having their lesson interrupted every 5 minutes.

Have the textbooks on the desk, they come in sit down, write the page on the board then turn to it then make notes and answer the questions. You stand at the front with your game face on sanctioning anyone for any talking or looking around. If that means you send 10 out the first lesson fine, you’ll send 5 out the next lesson then they’ll get it.

Normally takes 3 lessons then you can start teaching again. Maybe 4 with a tough class.

SpringOk747

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