Four years ago, as an academic historian with a recently-acquired Secondary History PGCE, I was striving to satisfactorily deal with the many challenges faced by all NQTs in their first appointment. Among many other things, it was the sheer pace of the school day and the practical issues of lesson delivery that I felt caused the most exasperating problems. In particular, the subject materials that I had zealously produced to stimulate and facilitate my pupils’ learning were regularly subject to irritating temporary loss, wastage, the need for constant additional speedy reproduction and updating. Many a class was slightly delayed and a lovingly-crafted lesson plan changed when pupil and teacher materials disappeared, were forgotten or needed amending despite the best efforts of all involved in the teaching and learning process. Informing absent pupils of what they had missed, without disrupting lessons or preparation time, proved especially problematic.