ONE MONTH IN
Sunset is now at 5pm!!!!! 🥳
// MOWDEN HALL //
A day in the life…
One of the things at Mowden I’m most grateful for is the variety in what fills my day. Most mornings start with the school minibus run – wheels up at 6:45am. The grounds staff drive, and I’m there for “crowd control”. Two kids use the service. The range of discussions I have with the grounds staff never fail to disappoint.
If I’m not on the bus, I run ‘breakfast club’, looking after the little ones who get dropped off early. It’s always breakfast and a show!
Early periods of the day see a lifeguarding session or two – with a mix of in-water sessions and on the side of the pool, teaching everyone to swim. It’s nice to exit the building after a lifeguarding session, as the water is kept at a minimum 30ºC, with the pool centre being even warmer. I’ve been able to walk the 50 metre journey to the main school without a puffer on a few times now!
Then I spend the hours either side of lunch coaching football (not soccer), netball, and hockey in ‘games’ lessons. It’s often my job to play a game with those not scheduled for a fixture that week which is always quite nerve-racking. They become different beasts when I play alongside them!
The whole school attends lunch in the main dining hall. I’m opting for the ‘salad bar’ every meal now as otherwise I’d be lucky to consume more than one vegetable every other day. These Brits love a brown plate. The kids think baked beans are vegetables.
In the evening lessons I work either as a teaching assistant or in pre-prep. This often involves being read to and/or helping students who need additional support in the classroom. Year 5 English are currently rehearsing for their upcoming performance of ‘Peter Pan: Non-Flying Edition’.
The school day officially ends at 5:15pm but nearly everyone stays a further hour partaking in a range of ‘activities’ (extra curriculars), whilst I staff the school office and take phone calls.
Dinner comes next, another very brown meal. I have made a few Hetty salads that are in my fridge ready to go, which are far more everything for the body!
After dinner we run ‘gappy games’ with the boarders. Despite our efforts planning a range of fun activities, this is exclusively football in the gym. The kids then go up to the boarding house for their evening routine, staggered by year groups.
I will then either accompany a year group to put them to bed (no earlier than a 9:30pm finish), or lock up the entire school – a school is beyond creepy in the pitch dark without the kids!
Then I sleep. I’m always out like a light within minutes of making it to my room.
Finally, my first pay check has entered the bank account (phew!), meaning I can now start planning some travel in the holidays. If you have any suggestions, please drop them below/contact me! I have so much time to fill, and want to see as much of Europe as possible.
Happy February everyone :)
