Today was my first day at my second placement. Upon arriving at what I believed to be the school I was confronted by what looked much like a modern housing estate.

I was most reassured, given that I knew I was looking for a Catholic School, to spot a stained glass window depicting that champion of sheperds, Jesus Christ himself. In some ways you could say that he shepherded me towards the school. However in a great many other ways you could argue that this role was played by the signposts.

As someone who hasn't so much as stepped inside a church for a good four or five years I was quite alarmed when at the staff briefing they started saying the Lord's prayer. I looked down and sort of tried to move my mouth in sequence with everyone else. I was petrified that I would be 'found out' and everyone would point at me and cry out "Heathen!" Thankfully this didn't happen.

The contrast in the pupils from my previous placement was fairly significant. For a start they were all wearing blazers, which was yet another surprise as I thought they'd been uninvented twenty years ago. Secondly I don't think I saw any fake adidas. Well, it's just not a school without some two stripes.

Already I miss my old school, and found myself wondering why no fifteen year olds were scowling at me. It wasn't the same.