Chapter 4
Chapter Four
‘Do you think we’ll find out what’s going on now?
’ Gemma leaned against the doorframe to Annie’s classroom, her notebook clutched to her chest. She’d spent the day trying her best not to worry about the suits who had watched her assembly and between that, dealing with three incidents of children wetting themselves, four scraped knees and a bout of sickness, of which she was still wearing said sick spray across the lower legs of her trousers, Gemma was ready for home and could do without this staff meeting.
‘I certainly hope so. I’ve got a stack of assessments to update tonight, which I would have forced myself to get done over the weekend if I’d known this meeting would be called.
’ Grabbing a notebook and pen, Annie switched the lights off before joining her at the door.
‘I’m quite honestly kicking myself for spending so long at my sister’s house yesterday rather than making a start. ’
‘They’ll get done. You need to have a life too, remember.’ As soon as the words escaped Gemma’s mouth, Annie raised her eyebrows so high they met her hairline, and she laughed. ‘I know, I know, I’m a fine one to talk.’
‘Exactly.’ Annie nodded curtly as they began walking down the corridor.
‘Become a teacher, they said, it’ll fit perfectly around having your own family.
Yeah right, great if your kids actually go to sleep at a decent hour, allowing you to do the marking, planning, resourcing and assessments then, but if they don’t… ’
‘We’ve got what? Thirteen weeks’ holiday, though.
’ Gemma grinned as she teased her. Everyone knew that wasn’t true.
Well, everyone who taught, anyway. Annie’s four children usually accompanied her into the school during the holidays.
The older two helped with display boards and labelling books, drawers and pegs, whilst the younger two ran around seemingly making more mess than thirty children.
‘Ha, oh yes, the holidays.’ Annie laughed as she pushed open the door to the corridor leading out of the Early Years department. ‘So, what do you reckon? Bertie will have turned up and be taking the staff meeting to tell us he’s stepping up as head?’
‘I guess so.’ Gemma shrugged. That was the most plausible explanation, but something just didn’t sit right, hadn’t all day.
After seeing the group of people from the academy trust in the hall during her assembly, she’d spotted them on the playground whilst collecting her class after lunch, and a couple of them had also popped into her classroom and milled around for what felt like an hour, but which had likely been only ten minutes or so.
Of course, Tania had been delighted and had rushed up to her as soon as they’d stepped foot outside to declare that the ‘cute one’ would be perfect for Gemma, and she should quit her job right then and there and pursue a career working with him at the trust. Gemma shook her head, she really shouldn’t have told Tania what her type was.
‘You don’t sound convinced?’
‘I don’t know. It’s just been a weird old day, what with that impromptu visit from the trust. Don’t you think?’ Gemma glanced at her watch. They had precisely five minutes until the meeting was to begin. Plenty of time to grab some caffeine. ‘Coffee?’
Annie held up her travel mug and shook it. ‘I’m already prepared.’
Gemma laughed. ‘How on earth have you had time to get yourself a coffee? The kids only left ten minutes ago.’
‘Umm, this one is from lunchtime. It’s stone-cold but still full of the good stuff, aka caffeine.’ Annie shrugged.
‘Fair enough. You enjoy your iced coffee, I’m going to grab myself a hot one.
I need something if I’m going to endure a two-hour meeting.
’ Gemma yawned. Little Alfie had been so unsettled last night that she’d only managed two hours of uninterrupted sleep at a time.
Still, it was to be expected, this was the first time he’d ever been away from Hannah and, being a rescue dog with an unknown history, it was no surprise he must be worried Hannah wouldn’t return for him.
‘I’ll see you in there then. I need the loo before, anyway.’
As Annie rushed off to the ladies’, Gemma pushed open the door to the small staffroom. She wasn’t particularly surprised to see a queue had formed for the kettle, and taking a mug from the dishwasher, she joined it.
‘Hi, Gemma. How’s your day been?’ Lydia, whom she’d taught alongside in Year Three a couple of years ago, turned to her.
‘Oh, you know,’ Gemma shrugged. Lydia hadn’t yet had a stint in Early Years, and she didn’t want to worry her by talking about how she’d been thrown up over and had to deal with urine-soaked clothes.
She knew how aghast she’d have felt if someone had told her the same before she’d actually experienced the year group.
‘It’s been busy, but fun. We managed to get the parachute out on the playground for PE when the rain stopped earlier. ’
Lydia glanced towards the window and the patter of rain against the glass. ‘It’s a shame the break in the weather didn’t stop for long. I’m hoping it does again before seven. It’s football practice tonight, and I don’t fancy standing around watching in that.’
‘I’m sure the app I looked at said it was supposed to be dry this evening, so it should do. How’s your day been?’
‘Strange, to be perfectly honest. We had those people from the trust wander in just after break, and they stayed until it was almost lunchtime.’ Lydia shrugged.
‘You know what it’s like when you have visitors, the majority of the class behave perfectly, but there’re always a couple who seem to thrive on the extra attention and play up more than they have done all year. ’
‘Ah, I can imagine who you might be referring to.’ Gemma grimaced. If she were correct, then they would be the two she normally had to speak to after assembly time.
‘Exactly.’ Lydia sighed as she stepped forward to the kettle and filled her own mug before pouring Gemma’s. ‘Never mind. It’s normally different people who visit each time, so I doubt I’ll ever have to look them in the eye again.’
‘Probably not. Besides, it’s not like they ever bother to give us any feedback anyway.
’ Gemma shrugged. She knew she was more than likely being overly harsh.
After all, just as the majority of the people who visited from the trust had never stepped foot inside a classroom, she herself had never stepped foot inside an office.
And they might have. There was a possibility some of them had even been teachers before.
Some of them. She just remembered overhearing one who had visited years ago when the school had first been absorbed by the trust, who had stated that they hadn’t any experience of schooling. Business, yes, education, no.
‘Umm, I did think that, but I’ve been wondering whether they’ve never left feedback or if it was Diane who didn’t pass the feedback to us.’
‘Ooh, that’s true. You might be right.’ It would make more sense, otherwise the entire idea of visiting would be a waste of time.
‘I guess we’ll find out when Bertie steps up as head.’ Lydia shrugged before taking the milk bottle from the person in front and topping up both hers and Gemma’s drinks.
‘Thanks.’ As they filed through the door, across the corridor and into the conference room with the other remaining teachers, Gemma took a sip of her coffee before looking up to see Bertie standing at the head of the large table.
So, he had emerged then. Pausing, she looked around the room.
It was packed as it usually was during staff meetings, but unlike every other week during their usual scheduled Wednesday meeting, the atmosphere in tonight’s impromptu gathering was animated.
People were talking amongst themselves, eyes darting towards poor Bertie, who seemed only too aware he was the topic of most people’s conversations.
‘Gemma, here.’ Tugging Gemma on the sleeve, Annie nodded towards the chair next to her.
Sitting down, Gemma placed her mug and notebook on the table in front of her and turned to Annie.
‘Bertie’s here.’ Annie nodded towards him and stated the obvious. ‘At least we know he’ll be stepping up as head now.’
Gemma nodded. It seemed that was likely. Especially now Bertie had shown up at the school again. Settling back against her chair, she positioned herself to look at Bertie as he began clearing his throat.
‘Could I have everyone’s attention, please?
’ Bertie’s voice rose as the hubbub and chatter in the room subsided.
‘Thank you. The first thing I’d like to say is to give you all my thanks for welcoming our visitors today.
I know their visit would have been a complete surprise, and you know how we like to give you notice for these types of things, so please note your welcoming nature has been appreciated. ’
‘Why were they here? I had two of them sitting in my classroom throughout my entire science lesson this afternoon.’ Adam, besides Bertie, the sole male teacher, tapped his pen against the table. ‘It’s fine, but if I’d known, I’d have likely chosen a calmer lesson to showcase.’
‘I had four in my class for over an hour.’ Lydia spoke up.
‘I apologise.’ Bertie held his hands up, palms forward, as the room quietened again. ‘As I said, this was not a planned visit. In fact, some things came to light at the end of the day Friday, and had we known how quickly things would escalate, you would have been notified.’
‘What things?’ Lydia asked. ‘And where’s Diane?’
‘Diane Norton has stepped down with immediate effect.’ As soon as those words left Bertie’s mouth, conversation erupted in the room again, and he was bombarded with question after question.
Yes, the information had been disclosed to the Senior Leadership Team during their early morning meeting but according to Annie they had been sworn to secrecy.
Not that that had stopped Annie from gossiping.
‘Why?’
‘Have they fired her?’’
‘What did she do?’