After chipping away at them throughout last term I seem to have managed to get my pain-in the-neck year tens on task and working. It took many detentions and alot of 'I'm sure your plans for the weekend are fascinating but I'm really not interested in hearing them' but we appear to be going in the right direction.

Unfortunately my supposedly nice year tens are taking up the mantle of pissing me off big time.

Pupil A: 'On no, we've got him again!'

Followed up by: 'I'm going on strike' and a bit of a wander around the classroom.

Pupil B is flicking bits of rubber onto the overheard projector, I politely suggest that he might be better off not doing so.

B: 'I'm not! Why is it always me?'

Me: 'Firstly, I saw you. Secondly, I do not appreciate you answering back'

B: 'I'm not answering back!'

Priceless.