Week at Witchford

Well, back in June I signed up for a whole week at Witchford Village College. That meant 5 very early starts. But at £110 a day you can't turn it down. Theoretically I was covering for a PE teacher going on a course. However, the school got news of an OFSTED visit (like ERO in NZ). With the exception that the school gets between 2 and 5 days notice. So there was a change of plans. Lorna didn't go on the course and I spent most of the work perfecting my invigilation skills! Not at all exciting but I was quite ill at the time and the work wasn't taxing. Didn't even involve alot of talking which was good.

Happenings that week included:

• a man practices golf at a park near the bus station. In the city (Cambridge) with signs prohibiting you from doing so many things it seems strange that practicing golf in a public park is permitted. I guess at 6.30 am not too many people are in danger of being hurt!
• the student saying "thanks, darling" as a collected his exam paper in.
• another students requesting a glass of water in the middle of an exam.
• watching a maths exam with about 150 students, more than half did not have the required equipment. Who would have thought that a calculator, pen, compass, protractor and useful might be required in a maths exam?
• two sisters murdered in Stretham (a village between Cambridge and Witchford). There was some chance these girls attended Witchford. Police patrolled the school gates to ward away any unwanted media attention.