I've officially passed my NQT year. People keep asking me how it feels to have made it through but I wasn't really sure at what point it happened anyway. Was it when I had a meeting with the deputy head? Was it when my mentor signed the assessment form verifying that, yes, I do meet the required standards for QTS? Was it when a butterfly flapped its wings somewhere in the South Pacific?

Whichever I'm now heading towards the end of this year feeling much more confident around the school. Yet more people are congratulating me on my year nine's SATs results and I'm not even scared of the senior management anymore. Okay, maybe a little, but not the crippling stammering fear I had at the start of the year. These forty-somethings don't look quite so old anymore and boy do next year's year sevens look tiny.

And I think people are noticing the change in me too. The head of English commented that I looked different in briefing yesterday morning. Well, it was a non-uniform day but I don't think that's quite what she meant. I think the main difference was that I didn't look like a little kid anymore. So it's official: I'm a 'proper' teacher now.

Just need the leather patches on my elbows now.