Surviving Your First Christmas in Primary by @MsHJS

Name: MsHJS
Twitter:  @MsHJS
Sector:  Primary
Subject:
Position: Assistant Headteacher
5 Bits of Advice About: Surviving your first Christmas in Primary

1. Visit Poundland and invest in a Christmas hat. You will need it either for the Christmas dinner, party or as a reward in the classroom.
2. Xmas is great fun but also incredibly busy. Identify the key tasks- who do you make cards for, does every child need a party hat etc and plan them into your timetable.
3. Children love Xmas but they also like structure, so don’t abandon all the routines you have worked so hard to embed. Keep the focus on teaching until the very end of term.
4. Don’t buy presents but give a laminated photo of the child or similar. Cheaper and easier.
5. If you receive gifts, open them with the kids so that they can tell their parents that you like them, but make it clear to others that the only gift you need is a smile.

The Christmas Meal by @oldprimaryhead1

Name: Brian Walton
Twitter name: @oldprimaryhead1
Sector: Early Years,Primary,Secondary,Special school
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Headteacher
What is your advice about? Christmas Meal

1: You are tired… It has been a long dark term. ‘Christmas’ and ‘Christmas meal’ are not to be confused.

2: This meal may be in the dodgiest joint in town. Don’t Judge. It is Christmas. That COULD BE Champagne in another life.

3: Don’t go for the 3 for 1 deal… stick to the roast or veg option.

4: Don’t sit with the hard-core-late-night-hit-the-club-lot… unless you are a certified alcoholic.

5: By the time you have recovered know that it is 2016 and you are back to work. Time has no meaning during this break.