While I was out in the garden doing battle with the dastardly brambles which are near to winning the battle with the Japonica aka quince, I could hear outdoor activities going on in the local primary school which is next door to the cul-de-sac where we live. Yesterday I think it had been sports day, announcements, screams and cheers, great excitement, but today it seemed like an outside disco, loud music, children’s voices, and a really annoying tannoy. Obviously, at this time of year it’s coming up to the end of term, and end of the school year for these primary children. It’s a time of transition for all them, the youngest ones will not be the youngest in September when they move up a year, the oldest ones will be at a different school, no longer the oldest but once again the littlest. There are bound to be different emotions for various reasons – maybe they are pleased to have a different teacher, maybe they are very sad to leave the teacher who has guided them over the last three terms. For those changing school it must be an even greater mix of emotions, and for some, great anxiety.
The school year starts in September, so for those children born in that month they will be the oldest, and almost a year older than the youngest child in that same academic year – which for primary school kids can be quite significant! I was born in January, so I was eleven and a half when I left my lovely primary school and the wonderful, kind and loving teachers. I can’t now remember how I felt, I think excited because I was ready to move on academically and socially, I think I looked forward to meeting new people, making new friends. There was what was called the leavers’ assembly, a different assembly from the daily ones we had throughout the year. I think there was a particular hymn that we sung but I can’t now remember what it was.
I think there were six of us from our little school who moved on to the same secondary school together, and wonderfully I am still in touch with three of those girls. Our secondary schools were all single-sex, so no more boys in our classrooms. We only had women teachers, unlike at primary, and there were hundreds more girls in the school, and the oldest ones were eighteen nearly nineteen some of them! Fortunately my dear older cousin was already at the school, and I knew she’d look out for me if I needed. The new school seemed vast, and so much moving around, to different places, different classrooms, and different teachers for every subject.
I was so fortunate with our first school, so lucky to have had such a wonderful time there, and received such a marvellous education, a great grounding for moving into senior school, and, I think, it has served me well ever since!
My featured image is of our leaving photo from Milton Road Junior School in Cambridge.
Lois Elsden 