Bells and whistles

Muck-up day today. The last ever day of school for our top year students and there are certain traditions to uphold.

From Monday to Thursday of their last week, each day has a different dress-up theme. On Monday, Hawaiian, on Tuesday, pyjamas, on Wednesdays We Wear Pink, on Thursday, Old Skool Uniform and on Friday there is A Secret Theme chosen by the kids and it changes every year.  This year it was Under the Sea.  We had sharks, shark attackees, mermaids, lobsters, plenty of pirates, assorted fish, three men in a submarine and one girl in a skin tight gold bodysuit who'd come as the treasure in a treasure chest.  They ALL look fabulous, because they're young and happy. 

On the final morning of the final day all the Leavers assemble in the Village, all the littler kids and teachers and staff line the approach into school. At 08.15 the Leavers pour down the road on scooters and rollerblades, running hand-in-hand, blowing whistles, banging drums and tooting horns. They are clapped and cheered into school to assemble for photos, waterpistol fights and general mucking about til our brilliant management team thinks enough's enough and they are herded into final lessons.

Generally it's a very happy and harmless day. They're generally lovely, happy kids and everyone wishes them nothing but the best.  But it's a bittersweet day and many tears are shed.  And it's an exhausting day too.

2014