Detention Diaries

Who am I? And, what’s the point?

Hi there! I’m Dan, a 36-year-old secondary school music teacher from the north of England. I work in a school located in a very deprived area, and I’ve been here for almost 10 years. In that time, I’ve worn a few hats: Head of Year for about 6 years, and now, Head of Faculty. It’s been a wild ride, to say the least.

These days, I’m involved in all sorts of exciting stuff with the senior leadership team and my teaching crew. As Head of Faculty, you’re juggling everything from the day-to-day grind to the occasional battle with obstacles like funding, behavior, extra workload, and—let’s face it—staff wellbeing. Sometimes it all works out, sometimes… not so much!

Now, let’s talk about the personal side of things. I’m a proud dad to two amazing little humans: a 6-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy. My eldest has autism and attends a mainstream primary school. She faces her own challenges but is incredibly happy, energetic, and she somehow manages to put a smile on my face every single day.

Oh, and I’m married to an art teacher—also at the same school (yes, we’re that couple). We actually met there, so it’s not as tragic as it sounds. Honestly, we love working together.

Right now, I’m at a bit of a crossroads in life. I’m taking stock and asking myself, “What do I want to do, and why am I doing it?” Funny story, I sort of fell into teaching. Before this, I was trying to make it as a DJ, living the low life in Ibiza for a few years. But eventually, I returned home with my tail between my legs and I needed a “real” job, so I trained to be a teacher—despite being told I couldn’t because of my lack of formal training. Against the odds, I landed this gig, and here I am, almost 10 years later.

I’ve loved every moment of it, but lately, I’ve been feeling a bit disconnected. Is it the school, or is it education as a whole that I’m falling out with? Don’t get me wrong, the kids are great, but it’s the barriers—funding issues, workload, behaviour, etc.—that seem to always get in the way of doing what we love: teaching!

So, why am I here? I’m here to share my life as a teacher, talk to others in the profession, and advocate for change—especially in SEND education.

Stick around, hit subscribe, and join me as we try to build a community for change!

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