Open Evening at school. For those without children, this is the time when prospective students and their parents and carers come to the school to look around and hopefully put us down as their first choice. School placements around here are done on a postcode lottery, affected generally only by sibling or family relations at the school.

As the only functional Food Technology teacher in the largest school in the town, it falls to me to get little fingers sticky making meringues and drawing shapes with spun sugar. I made many small children happy and gave them sugar rushes so they could get through the Head's speech.

My helper's were awesome: they worked well with the kids, did the washing up, didn't burn too many batches of sugar, and were generally lovely.

On the other hand, I spent 12 straight hours in my classroom. not moving around the school, not walking to or from anywhere. 12 hours, in a room approximately 20 feet long. And by the time I left the school building, I realised I would be back there in less than 11 hours time.

I understand that many people work long and longer hours, but dear god if I see that classroom again I think I'm gonna cry.

Also, in preparation for open evening, I constructed 7 corridor displays, 4 classroom displays and 2 whole walls of giant paper cut fruit and vegetables. This is much more than any other member of staff.

And now, I'll sleep.