As another academic year draws to a close, colleagues across the country begin their familiar ritual of packing away. Displays come down, cupboards are emptied, books are sorted into neat piles of "keep" and "recycle", and long-forgotten resources finally find their way to the bin. There is something deeply satisfying about clearing physical space, because not everything needs to be carried into a new year.

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed a good break and allowed the heat wave to slow you down a little. So here we are, entering that unique time of year when the day-to-day pace of working in schools starts to delineate a little: some timetables remain filled with normal responsibilities whilst also becoming adorned with ‘special additions’ such as transition events, sports days, celebration assemblies, planning meetings for next year…

I’m a few days late with my reflections this month because I’ve been busy moving house. We’re now the proud custodians of a 350 year-old farmhouse which has the potential to be beautiful, if we manage to crack on through all the jobs on the list! And it’s got me thinking about the part we each play in shaping history.