My current worries….

As I chatted to my mum on the phone last night I found myself getting more and more worked up about not having received my DBS through yet. I feel like it’s spoiling my summer to some degree, it is always at the back of my mind. It was received by DBS on 18 June, which will be a whopping 7 weeks on thursday! When I read that other people got theirs back within a week this really doesn’t help! Mine is stuck at stage 4. This is the police. I called DBS who have an automated message saying stage 4 can take up to 60 days to complete. The fact that there is an automated message suggests that this is common, but it still frustrates me. I spoke to an actual human who told me that for me, 60 days takes me to 23rd Aug. She said if it isn’t done by then they can push the police to actually do it which can take a further 10 days. This takes us to 2nd Sep! Ahhhhh! I want to scream.

I phoned up my uni who seemed to have never come across this situation before but just said to keep them informed.

I am annoyed because I was initially told that my current DBS check would suffice, having being done through the same local authority that I will do my School Direct placement with. Had I been told this wasn’t the case back in November 2014 when I was offered the place, this could all have been taken care of last year!

So now I am worrying about money too. I am reliant upon the grants and bursaries that I qualify for, but I suspect that until I receive an unconditional offer, these finances will remain on hold.

These worries have replaced my old ones…..about balancing being a good mum, good wife and good trainee teacher……for now!

And so it begins!

Well here goes! As I write this, my children roll around playing and laughing on the floor and this gives you a good idea of how my blogging style will be influenced!.

I am about to begin my PGCE year via the School Direct route with a specialism in Early Years.

So who am I? My children call me Mum, but to my husband, mum, brother, other family members and friends I am known by my first name, and when in work I’m known very often as just “Miss”!

So, my blog will show how I balance and juggle whilst wearing all my different hats!

The title “Please can I talk?” came from my 7 year old daughter. I was mulling over some ideas and explaining I wanted a phrase that was used by the children I work with, by my own children and by myself.

I had thought of “I need the loo” but then she called out “what about Please can I talk?” and I knew it was the one! After all, aside from everyone using this phrase in the correct context for this blog (and then there’s the children that think it but would never dare to voice it!) it is also exactly what the blog is….a place for me to talk.

I begin my School Direct placement on 1st September. I will be placed in the reception class of a single form entry primary school with a high percentage of EAL children and I will stay there until Christmas. In addition I will attend training every week during the 1st half term of term 1 and 2. I will build up to teaching 60% of the class as soon as possible which is very exciting. And I will only have to attend uni for a total of 12 days over the year. With 2 assignments in total.

My previous job titles are wide and varied and go in chronological order as follows: waitress, sales assistant, nursery nurse, overseas children’s holiday rep, porter, nursery practitioner, deputy nursery manager, nursery manager, deputy nursery manager (again) children’s centre support worker, teaching assistant.

I did go to Uni as an 18 year old but the course was changed in the summer before I began, from a BEd to a BA and it really wasn’t for me so I find myself trying again almost 20 years later!

It turned out that completing my Early Years Leadership degree whilst working and raising 2 children was more my style and I succeeded in obtaining a First! So I’m hoping that success follows with the PGCE too!

Thanks so much for following my blog and allowing me not only to talk, but to be listened to! I hope I can find time to update it once I get in to school.