My Dorothy moment: What have I done? The shock of my life
Filter coffee from an iPad to a jar of instant …. if you can find it.
I always knew that it was going to be a HUGE transition from TV producing to primary school teaching. The days of early lunches, endless cups of coffee and lengthy chats at the water cooler would all be banished to the archives. My days would now be regimented, with loo trips, phone calls and coffee breaks all confined to micro-moments of time.
As part of the Teach First programme, I spent four days in my new school towards the end of the summer term. It was a couple of weeks before the long summer holiday and around eight weeks before I would be joining the school in September. The four school days were invaluable, and on the very first morning of my very first day, I had my ‘Dorothy moment'. Like Dorothy knew that she wasn't in 'Kansas' anymore, I certainly knew that I wasn't at ITV anymore.
Team Lorraine sees Britney on tour ... and her cut-out
Having worked at ITV for almost 12 years, I was very used to the ITV way. The plushness, the quality, the space and the resources. ITV introduced me to a new set of workplace values and expectations, which quickly became my own. The sense of awe and wonder that I once felt when I entered Television Centre gradually disappeared as I became accustomed to my 'new normal'.
Christmas 2010 at the ITV Tower, South Bank
ITV’s fully-stocked modern kitchens are a far cry from a primary school’s staff kitchen. An array of Twinings teas and the choice of coffees, on tap from an iPad, were just another part of my day-to-day at ITV. In comparison, this kitchen was basic and felt more like a youth hostel or a punishment. I think the realisation of just how luxurious my working environment had been for the last decade really hit me at this point. I'd left behind the comfort and lux of the private sector, and this really was 'Education Education Education'. I found a jar of instant coffee in the cupboard, and the next task was to try and find a teaspoon. After the first sip of the black stuff, I realised that my taste buds had quite clearly been spoiled over the years. I made a mental note to bring in my own coffee and maybe even my own teaspoon :).
The impact of seeing the kitchen for the first time might have been made worse having just visited the toilets. I got the shock of my life when I realised that there were just three loos for the whole of Key Stage 1. Gulp. And yes, we were doing the Ally McBeal thing, with males and females sharing. At ITV, I had a choice of modern, self-contained cubicles with hand cream and a little more privacy. I told myself that it would be just fine, but I was really thinking, 'Oh my goodness, what have I done?'
Mornings must always be the most manic time of day for every school receptionist. Trying to get a visitor to correctly sign in and take their photo is never an easy task either. This was definitely not a bright and airy TV Centre reception, with multiple carefree faces ready to greet me. It was tiny, and it was busy. Is there time for a tour? I don’t think so. I know that all of this is by no means unique to the school that I was at. School budgets go on teaching and learning, and that's exactly how it should be.
