Secondary School-teacher Mums, your advice please!

[Brookville]

I've accepted a post starting in January so it's not ideal: starting half way through the year, right before exams. I'll have all key stages by the looks of things and am hoping to just come in 3 days but that's yet to be finalised. I haven't worked since 2010 and have been SAHM to my 2 children under 3.5. Still trying to source a childminder and am conscious that there are only a few weeks to get them settled in. DH is supportive but works long hours and is away a lot.
Any advice on what I should be prepared for would be gratefully received!

If you can afford i, get an extra days childcare for prep. Also consider starting them a couple of weeks earlier than you do, so that you can prep.
Is whoever you are taking over from available to fill you in before they go on leave.

Yes All I'm hoping to go in a few times before they break up and that also gives my children a chance to settle. The extra childcare day is an excellent idea. I'm worrying about fitting in GCSE controlled assessments and A Level marking on top of all the planning. I used to end up doing stuff at the weekend (before we had kids) and that was after quite a few years experience. Am hoping that because I simply will have to get it done in a more condensed block of time I will do it more efficiently now...

I work full time and have a two yr old, I find that most of the time we cope fine. But at the point of marking and reporting , about three weeks at the end of semester ( am in Oz) I am basically unavailable, and DP has to pick up a lot of the slack. We also have a cleaner once a week. This helps so much, as it means weekends are a lot less hectic.