Leaving school, growing up, moving on

It’s Dot’s last day at primary school today. This morning we attended the year six leavers’ assembly and all of the children, mums and dads were affected by the emotional atmosphere in our little village church.

Each child had a part to play – Dot and her friend sang a duet and they did it beautifully; there were readings, a hymn, presentations, a song from The Tempest (their school play) and tears…

There will be a lot more tears to come I’m sure as after leaving the church all of the year six pupils were headed back to class to gather friends’ autographs and have their shirts and t-shirts signed by everybody in the school. Then, tonight, they have their leavers’ disco – dancing, sweets, running around and more tears…

I don’t know where the past six and a  half years have gone! Only yesterday I was dropping her off in the reception class for her first day. Only the day before that my mam was dropping me off at infant school for my first day – I can still remember so clearly the moment she left me in the classroom with the rest of my class and my teacher; my name was called for the register and I just sat there silent, refusing to answer I was so shy…

I’ve just been to school to collect Dot and amazingly, no tears! They all seemed happy – covered in pen of course from signing each others’ shirts – and excited about the disco tonight.

I mentioned the school play a moment ago. It was The Tempest and it took place outside last week – in a tempest. The first time I saw a teacher push the rain off the makeshift stage roof with a mop, I thought it was part of the play. It wasn’t, it was the weather. We all sat and watched, and the kids performed during a downpour that lasted the entire 90 minutes. We must be mad.  Dot was a star sailor and here she is, back home afterwards, happy to be warm again.