First day of school

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Big week for the wee ones!

J started school on Tuesday! But G had to wait till Friday for her first day at nursery (pre-school).

The week had a difficult start as Mummy fell off a toy box during an tragic linen cupboard decluttering incident. A trip to A&E showed the foot wasn't broken, but painful nonetheless, meaning that we drove the very, very short distance to school and Mummy hopped and shuffled across the playground on crutches for the first few days.

But apart from that, everything has been all pretty wonderful so far! J's had two afternoons, then two morning sessions, and then tomorrow (Monday) he starts full time. The two and a half P1 classes (one is a combo P1/P2 class, but J is in a full P1) are called to the main door and line up in front of their teachers, then they all turn to wave at the mums and dads and march smartly in. (Yes, I did shed a few tears on the first morning, which I hadn't expected, but he went trotting in so happily, it was lovely!)

Fifteen minutes before the end of each session, and moving forward at the end of every day, parents are invited into the classroom for 'shared learning' where the teacher recaps with the class what they've covered that day, and wow, it's impressive! They've done a letter a day so far - s, a, t & i - each with a song and actions, they get homework to practice the new letters, and every night he's brought home a different prop - a paintbrush, chalkstick, whiteboard pen, laminated numbers. Watching MrsM, the teacher, in action is like watching a video game, she's so animated and the kids are all totally engaged, hanging on her every word. I'm in complete awe - long may it continue!

And poor G gazes at the door to her new nursery every day and says 'is it my turn yet?'!

Finally on Friday it was. She marched straight in, found her peg, her tray and her shoebox. Hung things up, put things away, walked into the classroom, straight over to a bath full of baby dolls, put on an apron and started washing them. Didn't look back. When I picked her up, the teacher said 'She's quite the thing, isn't she?' which I've been puzzling over ever since, but I'd like to think it's positive!

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