It seems to have been a rather hectic four and half weeks at school as I try to help students prepare for exams. Next week is half term (great idea to have a week break in the middle of term, take note NZ) and when we get back all my classes have exams. The year 6s and 7s will be doing school exams and the year 8s have CE (Common Entrance) which will determine their senior schools. Large numbers of them are trying to get into places like Westminster, Eton, St Paul's etc. Around 80% of the boys will be heading off to boarding schools which is a very different culture from NZ. It does mean the pressure has been on to make sure that they perform to the best of their abilities but we are basically at the end of all that now and things should calm down. Working in the private sector has definitely spoiled me - classes of 8-14 students, mostly well-behaved, engaged parents, well resourced. It is rather incredible but it highlights the major class divisions still operating in the UK.
This week I've been to two job interviews which was relief to finally have some schools show interest. It has been quite a demoralising experience sending off applications and hearing nothing back. We are also getting very close to the end of the year and I am starting to worry that I may not get a job for September. The first school I went to was in Oxford, a private boarding school, and I decided it wasn't somewhere I actually wanted to work. Selling my soul to school during term time is not what I am looking for! You have to be involved in a sport, there are lessons on a Saturday morning followed by sport, and you have to do at least one night duty to 10:30pm a week in the boarding houses! The second school was in Colchester in Essex which was appealing but they rang last night to say I didn't get the job. Some prayer around this would be much appreciated as taking days off to go to interviews is stressful and I don't get paid those days!
I have managed some fun outings in the weekends with a day at Camden Market with Rawyin - I could spend my entire salary on vintage clothes here! I also went down to Clandon Park Estate where the house was gutted by fire in April 2015.
They have cleared the debris out, made it safe, and you can go in and have a look around before they start the restoration process. Incredibly fascinating! The Park also has a Maori meeting house as the previous owners were Governor General to NZ in 1892. William Onslow bought the whare in Te Wairoa after the Tarawera eruption, brought it back to his home in England, and there it is! Rather out of place in the English countryside. Unfortunately all the carvings had been removed for restoration so they just had a life-sized photo of what it looks like. Also went to the Royal Horticulture Society Garden Wisley which was a very beautiful botanical garden. We have been very lucky with the weather starting to improve and it is nice to see the sun again!
Some of you may have noticed that there has been very little happening on the acro front. This is because I injured myself over two months ago. Something to do with my collarbone/shoulder/pectoral muscles. I'm not allowed to do any exercise until I've seen the physio :( Been waiting for the referral letter for about a month now, oh the joys of the NHS...
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