Keep calm and carry on

Another stressful week in the life of the performing arts NQT – and a week where I’ve felt completely out of my depth. It’s been long, tiresome and filled with drama GCSE exams and rehearsals, overly vexed staff and even crucial staff members missing. 

So not only am I organising and taking cover for those teachers involved in the examinations, but also for our head of faculty who has been off work ill. At the same time, both studios continue to be occupied by said examinations, meaning further cover for the classes that would usually be occupying those spaces.

My frees have been eaten up by theory cover all week and my mornings spent rushing between admin, the computer, the printer and department staff to try and ensure everyone knows where they are meant to be. Transitions between lessons were spent acting as a terrible five foot three bodyguard of the performing arts studios, pointing to ignored A3 signs on the door that tell the students not to enter (and yet many still tried) and redirecting them to their relocated class.