It's the time of year when many of the School Direct Team are asking themselves the very same headline question:   'Stage 3 - Already?!!' 

Where did the year go?  How did those nervous new recruits of September become the confident, poised, and most definitely professional teachers they are today?  Well, the answer as always is through a great deal of hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication on the part of trainees and trainers alike.  And dare I say it, the old adage that 'time flies when you're having fun', or in our trainees' case, having fun but also working flat out!

Stage 3 began at the end of April and will go on until the end of May when our trainees will leave us for the last two weeks of their course, for a chance to try something different as part of their final, enhanced, placement.  Still, before they bid farewell to their current school and their 'rookie' status, there is still a lot of teaching, not to mention job applications in the pipeline.

Several of this year's cohort have secured jobs and all the rest are progressing well with their applications, so we wish them every success, not only with passing their final stage with flying colours but also in securing that all-important first teaching job.  We know they will do it.

In the meantime, as a team, we have to start planning next year's course and no doubt, it won't be long before we're asking that question again, 'Stage 3 - Already?'.