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8.15

Arrive at school. I need caffeine, so I make a quick cup of tea while checking my emails and doing some photocopying for my lessons.

8.55

Registration. I have a year 11 tutor group so at the moment we are discussing A-level choices and college applications. They are just starting to realise that they are growing up!

9.10

I have my super-bright year 13s who are just getting their heads around Einstein鈥檚 theory of special relativity. The group is small and lessons are fairly relaxed 鈥� they鈥檙e at the stage where they could probably teach themselves.

10.10

On to my year 10 science class who, to be honest, have their minds on other things; playing professional football, what was on TV last night and whether Cheryl was right to leave Ashley Cole.

Of course there are moments of despair, but I love the challenge of proving that science is relevant, interesting and fun. Today, for example, we are looking at how materials used to make football kits have changed since the 1966 World Cup and I received the ultimate accolade of 鈥渂est science lesson ever鈥�. All it took was two football shirts, a YouTube clip and one hour of preparation.

11.10

Break time. Another cuppa and a biscuit consumed.

11.30

One of my few free periods this week, which I use to catch up on marking and to start writing end-of-term reports.

12.30

Off to the canteen for lunch.

13.20

I have my year 8s, who are doing project work on microbes and disease. They love finding gruesome images of infectious diseases on the internet!

Some people envy the fact that because I specialise in physics I tend to get a lot of GCSE and A-level classes, but teaching the younger years is sometimes the most enjoyable part of my week. They鈥檙e so excited by the subject and can devote hours to homework. The most impressive projects have been a model of a cell made out of jelly, sweets and a ping pong ball, and a fully revolving papier-m芒ch茅 model of our universe.

14.20

Registration.

14.30

I have a year 12 class for the final period. We鈥檙e lucky that physics is a popular subject at A level. The number of girls is lower than boys, but I鈥檓 working hard to make physics relevant to the girls in the lower years so they continue to study it at A level.

After school

I run a science club for year 8, which involves supervising an eclectic mix of students who are building a Mars lander out of Lego. Isn鈥檛 this the way everybody wishes their day ended?

联 receive 拢21,000 if they work outside of London, 拢24,500 for outer London and 拢26,000 in inner London Teachers qualified in subjects such as science, maths and technology could get a sweeter deal with the government鈥檚 scheme 鈥� up to 拢5000 bonus at the start of your second year of teaching.聰