How much work do you do over the summer holidays?

[Mysteriousgirl2]

I’m starting a new teaching job in Sept, after having had a break to raise children.

I’m feeling a bit unsettled and a bit worried now; I asked my HOD what her expectations were for me over the summer, and she replied that I just need to read some of the texts I’ll be teaching (secondary English)

In previous schools I’ve spent some of my summers working, writing scheme of works etc, but this summer I’ve felt a bit at a loss of what to do.

If I don’t do some planning now, won’t the first few weeks be utterly miserable? Or should I try and get as much rest to be fresh for the new term.

The first week or two is not too bad if you haven't planned loads. The first lesson tends to be admin and expectation setting, but we don't have any marking to do and no homework to collect in so the workload is fairly low. I avoid planning too far in advance because as you get to know the kids, you'll need to change things anyway and your might have resources in a shared location in the school. I'll work for about a week this holiday as a HoD with the admin and exam results analysis but I wouldn't as a class teacher plan more than day 1 at this stage.

I'm primary but I spent the first 2 days after we broke up in school sorting out my classroom. I've then spent about a week at home sorting the MTPs for the first half term.

I won't do anything else now until we go back on the inset days.

I don't think there is a right or wrong amount - just do whatever you want so that you feel ready to start in September. That could be preparing or having a good rest!

Secondary HoD here. I went into school for a couple of hours last week to check some orders that had arrived.

I will do a few days towards the end of the holidays bit haven't asked my team to do anything (we co plan and the first half term is sorted). I go on holiday tomorrow so won't be doing anything until I come back.

If you feel you want/need to, maybe plan the first week but I wouldn't do more than that because you may have to change things anyway once you know your classes.

I just try to get 2-4 weeks ahead ready for the start of term. No point doing more as so many things can change so would end up duplicating work.

I always try to have the first 2 weeks planned just to make life easier in the shock of back to school in September - and then just adjust things as I get to know my classes. My school expects quite detailed ppts for each lesson though so I'm mainly making those.

If you're starting at a new school, then it wouldn't be a normal expectation for you to write schemes of work or similar. Presumably they'll have those in place, and you just need to follow them.

More and more schools are also moving to shared resources, so there's less of an expectation to create everything from scratch. Have you been given access to the shared folders at your new school? What sort of level of resources are in them?

When I last moved schools, I was given access to everything and needed to familiarise myself with a new exam board etc that I'd be teaching, but there was no expectation to plan, as they had resources in place, and the expectation was that I'd use those at least to start with.

I'm primary but I do zilch. Holidays are for holiday things. Especially when changing schools!

Enjoy your summer 🌞

My school expects quite detailed ppts for each lesson though so I'm mainly making those.

Wow - is that common these days? The only time I've had to do that was for interviews. Not even Ofsted expect to see detailed lesson plans these days do they? My lesson plan is a sentence in my planner and nobody would ever ask to see it!

I went back to ft secondary teaching in September after a loooong time doing supply and bits of part time, OP. I would have just done a bit of forward planning - a few days' work - but I've also got a head of subject TLR for September, so I have quite a bit more to do (tweaking schemes of work, printing stuff for the subject teachers, starting to plan a residential trip etc). We've been away and now have guests this weekend, but I'll get working after that!

Read a few texts. Refresh. Recharge. Think of ideas for displays but no I don’t do much at all.

Nothing HAS to be done, it can all pretty much be done in September. We have shared resources so if I'm in a pinch I can just use something from the shared drive, although I've usually got time to adapt what there is. We don't have to write SoW or anything, they're already done. Now I'm back from hols I'll start reading some books on teaching that I've meant to read for ages, and I'll brush up a bit on a syllabus that I'm teaching for the first time in years. Your new school don't sound unusual, so be glad they're not like your old one!

Good grief why? Aren't you just reinventing the wheel? And don't get me started on the pedalogical questionability of PowerPoint, give me a whiteboard and pen any day! Honestly, I think I'd leave, I don't think I could work somewhere that insisted on something so time consuming yet so pointless.

Or pedagogical even!