So what does a head do all day? Cherry Diemoz of Breckon Hill Primary School in Middlesbrough describes a typical day from last week.

0820
Arrive in school, caretaker catches me in carpark to let me know about damage to grounds from unauthorised bonfire on Sunday night (particularly annoying that, because with a local basketball player I had dismantled said bonfire in the dark at 7pm the night before on the way back from taking a group of pupils to the match, and had hoped our young neighbours would have got the hint - CCTV showed it was already rebuilt and alight by 8pm!)

Drop stuff off in office, turn on computer and go walkabout in school to wish people good morning, admire displays, catch up on successes/concerns.

Call into breakfast club, chat to kids and teaching assistants, meet "walking bus".

Out into playground, chat to parents.

Bell goes, move to perimeter fence and hurry up latecomers, whose parents smile and promise to get kids in earlier next time (some hope!). Ofsted last time commented that too many dawdled up the path 10 minutes late - do they realise that often it's the kids getting the parents out of bed on time that is the problem (we provide alarm clocks to some of our older kids - though breakfast club has helped).

0900
Head back to office to be met by new Libyan family here to study at the university.

0905
Leave family giving details to clerk and head into Awards Assembly. Year 6 helpers have set out birthday cake and weekly prizes but want to know which of the Planet Suite it is this week. Armistice on Friday so opt for Mars.

0910
Best time of the day: a hall full of every shade of skin looking smart in school uniform. Note several of our Muslim girls wearing headscarves and wonder again just what all the fuss is about. As long as it's navy blue it is a part of our school uniform though it must be taken off for PE on health and safety grounds. Kids sing beautifully Let there be Peace on Earth.

0930
Get back to office for Core Group meeting with Vulnerable Children Services. Much better now that we're working in a more joined-up manner and the meetings can be held at school. Our mentor team makes parents feel more secure and supported than when they had to get to Social Services offices.

1015
Meeting with school bursar to discuss agenda and report for governors' finance committee on Wednesday. School balances looking good but very frustrating that we have had to really tighten our belts for the first half of the year as the additional money is so unreliable that we can't plan for it. So much for three-year budgets when six months has such a variation in income. Don't know what I would do without our bursar, the money coming into school so far this year is �1.34m (�30k additional since April budget). Keeping track of finances at that level is not a job for a head teacher alone. (How many small businesses would run a budget like that without an accountant?)

1115
Take phone call from local authority.. What are our arrangements for monitoring for legionella?

1130
Meeting with senior lunchtime supervisor. Could I have a word with one of the ladies who has taken too many occasional days absence and would I look at her letter to them, reminding of our policy for applying for leave of absence? - ready to give them at 12pm when they start work....

1200
Peripatetic special educational needs (SEN) teacher arrives with sandwiches for multi-disciplinary team lunchtime meeting in my office to discuss the progress of statemented, "action plus" and "school action" SEN pupils.

1300
Check computer for e-mails. Send half to local authority spam and attempt to answer rest. Architects want to add �10k to the cost of our build, for security anti-climb measures that they claim had not been in the original price. A local university would like to use our multicultural school population for a trial on childhood obesity. National College for School Leadership's "leading from the middle" new cohort would like me to confirm attendance at the coaching session, and someone from the BBC wants to know what a day in my life as a HT looks like.

1330
Make quick rounds of classes to see children settled after lunch. As usual good, calm working atmosphere. I am so lucky in the quality of behaviour management of our staff.

1345
Meet two past pupils from local secondary school doing research for their course on how technology has altered my working life. Can't believe how grown up they look!

Meet new nursery teacher about impending Ofsted and school self-evaluation form.

Quick meeting with assistant head teachers about any issues that have arisen over the day.

1600
Meeting at Teaching and Learning Centre with senior advisor and other head teachers about growing problems the drugs culture are causing in our local primary schools. Hear some horrendous tales. We have our problems, but some of the estates are incredible.

1730
Get back to school, more paperwork.

1830
Community Council executive meeting. Arrange to put on a display about the facilities we offer as an extended school at the next full meeting which we host termly.

1915
Head home! Do hope someone's cooked supper.