Word of the Week - Welcome

I started a new job last week in a school. It's normal to start a new job at the start of term, but we were in Australia visiting our son and I didn't start till 3 weeks into the new term.

I met with my line manager on the first day and various other departments to go through school policies and to get my ID badge and sign into the safe guarding and health and safety training links. Had a tour of the school and on day 3 started shadowing and on day 5 went solo.

Everyone has been very helpful with codes for doors, behaviour policies, signing into school registers, helping me make safeguarding concerns and making sure I new about dress up day last week and including me in the photos.

I stumbled across two staff briefings, that I now have in my diary as regular events. Every Monday and Friday at 8.15am in the staff room and a woman photo copied the front pages of the school diary for me with the dates of after school meetings held monthly and when I've asked about anything I've been given the information I need to help me do my job.

But I've not actually been introduced to anyone, not formally. I've sat in the staff briefings, I've been in classes with teachers. I've introduced myself to the students when I've taken a class, and the odd person has asked me how I'm finding the job, but no one has asked me where I used to work, where I live or even if I'm married or have kids. Some staff members have introduced themselves at break time, others just walk in and sit down and haven't said a word other than 'morning' and just start talking about things as if I've been there all the time.

I'm an outgoing person and I have joined in with the odd conversation and I've mentioned that I used to live around the area 30 odd years ago, where I previously worked and that I have grandchildren. They're not a cliquey group, they just don't ask subsequent questions.

The students don't seem to be bothered either, they're not fussed about who I am, although they have been keen to tell me what they think happened to my predecessor. One student asked me if why I had a Birmingham City pen and proceeded to say Birmingham Shitty over and over and another asked me about my lanyard and I told them I'd done a sponsored walk and what it was for, but that was it.

I can't say I don't feel welcomed. I've just slotted into the existing framework for the time being.