Of late it seems that I'm not actually teaching my pupils and providing them with a stimulating learning experience, merely getting them ready for the next big test. My primary focus is on my year elevens and getting them through their final GCSE exams. It's a highly stressful time for all concerned. There's the not insignificant matter of actually making sure they understand the material they will be tested on but also finalising entering them for Higher or Foundation. In essence this was decided long ago, but moving someone onto Foundation now is a last minute bolt-hole to avoid any disasters. For any of my group it should provide a reasonably safe C grade, which is what most of them are after anyway.

It is highly worrying how focused we have to be on testing around this time of the year. No one likes the idea of teaching to the test but we have little choice when it comes down to the crunch. I don't think our pupils would appreciate having really fun lessons and then failing their exams.

All the stress then boils over into your other lessons. My year eights immediately followed my year elevens and I was in a bit of a mood with them at the start and less patient with them than I should have been. It was a lesson of two halves as I reminded myself to be positive and that praise is far more effective than nagging.

We do far too much testing with other year groups too. Our year nines are doing their big exams right now and it seems like such a waste of time. They were in the Sports Hall yesterday afternoon doing a Geography exam. One of the pupils I teach put her hand up and asked if I thought she'd written enough for ten marks. I told her that I didn't know and she shouldn't worry because it's just a test.

When we were collecting in their papers the same pupil asked if I could write the name on the front because she didn't know how to spell it. I paused as I wondered whether she was taking the proverbial. 'I mean the teacher's name, it's hard to spell'. I was relieved as for a moment I thought she didn't know how to spell her own name, and I told her so.

I can't wait to get to the end of June when everything slows down and we can refocus on actually teaching.