u/Pretend-City6652

I start at a new school in September after what felt like a very long ECT1 year, and honestly… I really needed these six weeks off.

I’ve actually managed to properly switch off and I’m enjoying the break, but now we’re getting towards the end of August I can feel that teacher guilt starting to creep in…

Should I be going into school? Should I be setting up my classroom? Should I be getting everything ready? Am I leaving it too late?

I know realistically I’ve still got two weeks until September and plenty of time. I’m planning on going in at some point over the next couple of weeks to start sorting the classroom out and getting myself organised… but part of me also just wants to squeeze every last bit out of the summer before the madness starts again 😅

I think after ECT1 I’m also trying to get better at accepting that the holidays are actually holidays. I don’t want to spend the final two weeks slowly drifting back into work mode when I could still be enjoying time with my family and doing things I won’t have nearly as much time for once September hits.

But then there’s that little voice saying everyone else has probably already been in and their classrooms are completely finished 😂

Anyone else in the same position? Have you been into school yet? When do you normally start going back in and getting your classroom ready?

Hi all,

I’m not really a gamer, but I’ve always been a massive Football Manager fan and have been looking for something similar for cricket.

Cricket Management 26 looks exactly like the sort of game I’d sink hours into, but I’m on a Mac.

Are there any plans for a native macOS version, or is Windows going to be the only platform?

I’d buy it straight away if it came to Mac.

So between teaching and family life I’ve managed to binge Seasons 1–4 over the last month or so. I deliberately avoided spoilers and this subreddit until I finished it a few days ago.

Overall I’ve really enjoyed it. Season 1 especially was brilliant. The concept of the town hooked me immediately and there are still so many mysteries that make me want to keep watching.

That said… I don’t have the same attachment to the characters that I’ve had with other mystery shows like Lost. I really wish they’d used flashbacks to people’s lives before they arrived. Lost did that so well… it gave every character so much more depth and made the present-day scenes feel far more important because you genuinely cared whether they survived.

Apart from Boyd, Jade, Victor and Donna… I don’t feel massively invested in many of the others.
Fatima is probably the best example. Great actress… but honestly I just couldn’t bring myself to care about the whole >!pregnancy!< storyline. The payoff with >!Smiley returning!< was brilliant, but getting there felt like a bit of a slog.

I also think the show leans a little too heavily into creating new mysteries before answering older ones. By the end of Season 4 I was hoping we’d have at least some concrete answers to the questions we were asking back in Season 1…

>!Where does the electricity actually come from?!!<

>!Why do the monsters only come out at night?!!<

>!Where do the animals come from?!!<

>!What’s the deal with the motel sign but no motel?!<!

>!Why does the road loop?!!<

I don’t need every answer yet… but it’d be nice if a few of those original mysteries were starting to click into place.

Don’t get me wrong… I still think this show has the potential to be something really special. The atmosphere, the premise and the mystery are fantastic. I just think stronger character development would take it from a really good show to an all-time great.

I’m really hoping Season 5 clarifies most, if not all, of the remaining mysteries. I’ve also only just started reading this subreddit and I’m loving the theories so far. I’m working my way through the older posts to find the best ones from the past few months.

With England set to have a new Test coach, we’re inevitably heading towards a clash of priorities.

In 2027 we’ve got a home Ashes series and the ODI World Cup in the same year. No matter how well the coaches get on, there will be conflicts over player availability, preparation, workload and what gets prioritised.

If you could only have one, what would you choose?

For me, it’s the Ashes every day of the week. The Ashes is the pinnacle of cricket. Winning another ODI World Cup would obviously be brilliant, but if I had to pick one, I’d take beating Australia over anything else.

Just wondering whether most fans feel the same, or if it’s a more mixed bag?

Men (and ladies, I guess)…

I’m about 100kg of love, so I knew I’d sweat. Fine. I accepted that.

What I wasn’t prepared for was my arse cheeks and arsehair creating their own tropical microclimate. It’s just a constant damp patch. Every time I stand up, it feels like I’ve sat in a puddle.

Nobody tells you about this when the weather forecast says 30°C. They bang on about sunburn, hay fever and staying hydrated, but nobody mentions the relentless swamp arse.

Please tell me I’m not the only one suffering through this.

Is anyone else getting a bit fed up with every Test turning into a soap opera?

At Lord’s, Ollie Robinson took seven wickets and most of the discussion somehow became about Ben Stokes.

Now Daryl Mitchell plays one of the innings of the series, New Zealand win a Test series in England, and within hours the headlines are all about Stokes’ retirement, Bazball, McCullum and Key.

It’s becoming exhausting. There always seems to be another narrative overshadowing what actually happened on the pitch.

Can we just appreciate the cricket for once?

Weirdly, I’m more interested in what happens over the next 12 months than what happened today.

First of all, it’s a sad day. Whatever you think of Stokes’ captaincy or Bazball, he’s been one of England’s greatest cricketers and has given us some incredible moments.

… But now the focus shifts… New captain. Stokes gone. McCullum and Key under pressure? Does Bazball evolve or disappear altogether?

The decisions made now could define whether England are ready for the 2027 home Ashes or whether we’re heading into it in complete transition.

If you were running English cricket, what would your first move be?

Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy. He seems like a top bloke, and we all know he can bat.

But behind the stumps? I’m just not convinced.
That dropped catch today was another chance that simply has to be taken in Test cricket…. Those are the moments that change matches.

People were quick to criticise James Rew last week, but it was his first Test. He looked nervous and missed a couple of chances, which is understandable on debut. Looking back, it almost feels like that performance made Jamie Smith’s keeping look better than it actually is.

I’m guessing Foakes is out of the equation now…

Is anyone else looking at next week’s forecast and wondering how we’re just expected to crack on as if everything’s normal?

38°C. In UK classrooms. With no air conditioning.

I’m genuinely struggling to understand how this is considered safe. The classrooms are already uncomfortable once they get into the high 20s. Add another 10 degrees and we’re expected to teach a full day, keep 30 children engaged, and somehow maintain standards as if it’s just another Tuesday.
We close schools because of snow and ice, yet teaching in what will basically be an oven is apparently fine.

I know people will say, “Drink water” and “Open the windows”, but when it’s 38°C outside, all you’re doing is letting more hot air in.

Are schools actually doing anything to adapt, or is everyone just expected to get on with it?

Are we really just expected to carry on as normal?

Are there any former teachers working in the Civil Service?

I’m curious what the jump was like and what sort of roles you moved into.

I’m currently a primary teacher after making a career change from the travel industry a few years ago. There are parts of teaching I genuinely enjoy… but I’ve found the workload, scrutiny and overall pressure much greater than I expected.

I’ve got a new teaching role starting in September and fully intend to give teaching another year before making any decisions, but I’m interested in understanding what other options might be available in the future if I decide the profession isn’t for me long term.

For those who made the move:
- What’s role did you move into?
- How transferable were your teaching skills?
- Did you have to take a pay cut?
- How did the work-life balance compare?
- Do you regret leaving teaching?

Just interested in hearing people’s experiences.

Thanks in advance 😄

Hey guys, I’m an ECT1 in a primary school and I’m really struggling with the mindset side of teaching at the moment.

I came into teaching as a career changer. In my previous career, feedback existed, but it was usually balanced. If you did a good job, people would tell you. If something needed improving, they’d tell you that too. I generally felt confident in my abilities.

Fast forward to term 6 of ECT1 and I feel like a shell of the person I was when I started.

I’m in a school that has been under a lot of pressure this year. We’ve had Ofsted and there has been a big drive from leadership/trust to raise standards across the school to get that good result every head/leadership wants. I completely understand why. I want to improve and I genuinely want to become a better teacher.

The problem is that it feels like all I ever hear is what needs improving next. Every observation, book scrutiny, learning walk or conversation seems to generate another list of things to work on. I rarely hear what is going well.

Over time, I’ve found myself becoming anxious at work. I second-guess decisions, worry about being observed, and spend far too much time thinking about what I’ve missed. I’ve gone from being a confident person to someone who feels like nothing they do is ever quite good enough.

I do have another teaching job lined up for September, so I’m not looking for advice on whether to leave this school. My question is more about mindset.

How do experienced teachers deal with constant feedback and scrutiny without letting it destroy their confidence?

How do you separate “I need to improve this aspect of my teaching” from “I’m not a good teacher”?

And for anyone who has changed schools, did a different environment make a significant difference to how you felt about teaching?

I’d really appreciate any advice because at the moment I feel like I’m surviving rather than enjoying the job.

Thanks everyone

So, I’m an ECT in primary and I honestly don’t understand how this is sustainable long term, especially for teachers with young children of their own.

We’re technically paid for 32.5 hours a week, yet most teachers I know are doing:
- early mornings, late evenings/ weekends
- buying supplies themselves
-evidence gathering
- admin
- planning
- marking
Etc

I was listening to Mr P last night and he said modern teaching has changed massively. It’s not just teaching anymore, it’s constant paperwork and proving/evidencing everything you do.

And honestly, he’s right. I’ve worked outside education for 10+ years (this is a career change) and I genuinely don’t think people outside teaching realise how much unpaid labour goes into the job.

I’ve got children under 5 myself and I physically cannot do school work every evening after dinner, bath and bedtime. So instead I go into school ridiculously early to try and keep evenings for family life.

But even then it still feels impossible to stay on top of everything. And I get judged by other staff for having to prioritise. The workload/admin/emotional exhaustion side of it feels relentless.

Has teaching always been like this or has the culture changed over time?