I had a couple of hours off work this morning to attend the leaver’s service at the infant school in town. Our middle girl has now officially left infant school, and will be heading to junior school in September.
Because W works in the school office, we arrived a few minutes before the army of parents, and I somehow found myself stood in the school hall on my own with nowhere to go while various teachers received gifts from children while fighting to hold their emotions in check.It must be strange to say goodbye to children you have invested so much of your time, skill, and effort in.
The leaving ceremony took place under blue skies and morning sunshine in the playground where we first saw the school three years agowhen our eldest was joining Year 2 for the first time.
I sat through the various songs, trophy presentations, and awards pretty impassively. Yes, there were some heart tugging moments, but I just about held it together. W didn’t. I suddenly noticed her unwrapping tissues from her bag, and sliding them up under her sunglasses.
Towards the end of the presentations, the head mistress presented each of the leaving year with a Bible, and wished them well. She called every single child out by their name to get their book, with no list, no notes, no reminders, and no prompting. Apparently she already knows the names of all of the incoming reception children for next year too.
How do teachers do that?Only our youngest is left at infant school nowseperated from her partner in crime for the coming year for the first time in her school life. We privately think it’s going to do both of them the world of good. Separation at lasttheir own friends, their own relationships, and their own stories to tell.
Before all that we need to try and think of things to fill six weeks with though. Summer is here at last.