The end of the academic year always feels a bit like New Years Eve – I don’t mean in the sense of partying because its also  the start of the holidays – but in the sense that it feels like the end of a chapter, and before moving on to the next one I like to digest what has happened. It takes me a few days to wind down and I find myself reflecting on the last 9 months and this weekend has been no different.

Professionally, our school has had a superb year: Our students managed to break all previous records in terms of exam results – for the school but also within the town – this led to the school being the most improved school in England (having been previously National Challenge) and then shortlisted for TES Secondary School of the Year. Our current cohort is tougher than last years was and everyone has pulled out all the stops to try to maintain the results … we’ll just have to wait and see what happens in August. The scary thing is we potentially have “Daybreak” in school on results day doing the whole student opening results thing, but more about that closer to the time. 

Personally there have been events I’d wished hadn’t happened like the loss of my dad but that is getting easier  to deal with, and overall the highs have outweighed the lows. JustMaths was formed and I have been genuinely touched by the response. I would go so far, as to say I have been humbled, and those that know me will find that astonishing as I don’t do “humble” very well. In fact, I can almost hear the nods of agreement as my friends and colleagues read that statement. Seriously, I am humbled by the response we have had to the resources, the Top 40 and the visits many of you have made to our school. 

My message to maths teachers everywhere: “I salute you! You rock!”