The unexpected advent of a global pandemic and, in the UK, as part of the government response to control the spread of the virus, the closure of schools with just 48 hours' notice, meant many English teachers were faced with entirely new pedagogical, curricular and technological demands. This article reflects on the experiences of five English teachers in widely differing contexts, from both state (government funded) and independent (fee paying) schools, with diverse resource and demand, and explores how their classroom practices and understanding of teaching and learning were impacted by the imperative to move to online teaching. It also represents a snapshot of how these teachers' beliefs about English teaching were surfaced, and the commonalities of purpose and values that underpin their work make evident.