Returning to composite class after ML… help please!!!

[onthecroft]

Looking for advice please! I am returning to my primary teaching job full time after ML (financially necessary unfortunately) after having my 2nd soon and it’s giving me cold sweats just thinking about it! I’ve been qualified about 5 years and live rurally in Scotland so have always taught composite classes, it looks like I’ll be going back to a 1 teacher school, about 15 kids all different stages p1-7. I briefly taught here before ml so it’s not an entirely new gig but…. Eeek.
I do (mostly) love my job but have always struggled with time efficiency in my organisation and planning. This wasn’t such an issue before having kids but after having my first I found it hard to stay afloat and on top of everything and I’m worried about drowning now I have two at home. I just won’t be able to stay late every night or work a lot of weekends and evenings.
Wondering if you lovely people could help me out with any tips and examples to help me cope and achieve some sort of work life balance … I know it’s a tough one but one nearly every teacher with kids must face so… I’m after time saving strategies, routines, how your day looks, group learning, batch planning tips, encouraging independence, resource management… etc - anything gratefully received!
For info as my situation is a little unusual -
I am in Scotland so cfe, rural 1 teacher school (ie me ☺️)
the class is about 13 kids but ranging all stages between p1-7, some diverse needs and not much psa support (surprise surprise)
DH will be home doing daddy day care, this is what we have to do at present as I have the biggest earning potential hence why I’m full time (we looked at me dropping done days but not financially viable at present) - we don’t have much other childcare support.
Please send me any tips you can, all gratefully received!
Thanks in advance

I'm a secondary teacher so not much specific advice to offer, but I would say having your DH at home will make things much easier. My life was transformed when DH started working from home and he could put washes on during the day and cook tea before I got home. I felt like I was living the dream! Good luck and I hope someone with more relevant experience can offer their advice soon.

Wow OP!
I’m guessing there is a yearly/termly overview of how the curriculum is covered for this many ages all at once?
Can you look for a bigger school and move asap?

You will have to cut corners where you can - live marking, get the older ones to peer mark for he younger ones, use iPad/computing time for them to do something independently so you can do a little planning or catch up!

At home, DH will have to be really clear that he has to be on things and in charge of the cooking and cleaning - some days he’ll have to have them bathed and in pjs so you can just run in and read a story and give a cuddle. I leave before mine are awake in the mornings so I can get stuff done early.
If they don’t sleep through then get sleep training - I only just survive because they’ve been sleep trained and that wasn’t an issue!

Hats off to you as I can’t imagine having such an age range!

Thanks both - yes getting sleep sorted before I go back is high on agenda - learned that the hard way first time round… was still bf at night and then I was pregnant again … it was brutal
DH is really supportive with cooking etc, he will be on it but I really need to be making the most of time during school hours as he will need a break when I get home, plus I’m going to want to spend as much time as poss with the little ones as I can. Live marking a good idea -
think I’ll try and do v early morning starts in school get out of the door as quick as I can at 1530