You CANNOT be serious?

Well, yes, I am. You've clearly guessed that I recommend that the efficient teacher does the same business that I described in the last post for EVERY event in the Department Calendar.

That might sound like a lot of work, but if you think about it, it takes less than a minute to assess each event. Year 11 Assessment 1?  Don't have any assessment material? Then add 'Prepare assessment material' four weeks before the school deadline, add 'Do Year 11 Assessment' three weeks before the deadline and add 'Mark Year 11 Assessment' two weeks before the deadline. Of course, these dates and tasks might  not be appropriate - they will vary from teacher to teacher. And hopefully, there are some school deadlines which just won't apply to you.

When the efficient teacher has done this (whew....) they can do two things:
- firstly, they can see when their REALLY busy weeks are. For example, they may find that they need to prepare assessment material for Year 8 in the same week as they are marking Year 10 tests and getting ready for Open Evening and giving oral exams to Year 11. Better not invite guests round that week, and maybe start looking for some Year 8 assessment material right now.

- secondly, they are NOT going to be caught by surprise. In the example below, some generous soul has put two assessment deadlines immediately after the Christmas vacation. How many teachers will cruise back to school, look at the notice board and think 'Holy Shit and Happy New Year to You Too'. The efficient teacher, though, has given her student the assessments before Christmas, and marked 'em already.