With weeks of holiday behind you, so many luscious meals, so much beautiful countryside, so many books and coffees, it’s hardly shocking that any of us are reticent to go back to the grindstone.

Why is it that, no matter how much you love the job, the night before going back to school is one full of nightmares?

I dream vividly.

That’s great the majority of the time when I’m flying through the air or meeting the Xmen but, when it’s a school nightmare, it’s less than ideal. When the most influential deputy head is sabotaging your lessons, you’re being expected to teach in a wheat field while the kids hide in it, you’ve been told you’re late to a lesson but you can’t find it, I’d give anything to be able to quell my last night nerves.

And, if I’m not having nightmares, I’m waking up every half an hour through the night worrying.

It’s like clockwork.

The strange thing about it is that I really love teaching. Once I’m back at my desk, organising myself for the day, and once I’m back with my classes, I’m happy. There are no nerves and there’s no anxiety. Usually I even find that I’ve really missed them…

So when I’m lying there unable to get to sleep or not wanting to fall back to sleep in case of another nightmare, what can I do? The only solution I have so far is to get through it and get in to work. I’m always fine then.

Perhaps thinking of all the colleagues I’m looking forward to seeing would help? Or getting everything organised and ready so that all I have to do is get up, wash and get dressed.

If you’ve got any magic bullets for this one, let me know!