School Days

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new chapter in Jasmine's life as we find out where she will be going to school come September.

I am nervous!

I want her to have the best possible start...

I know we are fortunate to be getting free education at all.

But I want our first choice!

I am concerned by the lack of schools in the area.

There are not enough to adequately cater for the huge numbers of children.

Intake at all primaries has gone up vastly this year.

Our third choice school had an intake of 60 children at Jasmine's age two years ago.

This year, it will be 90.

Their outside space has not grown to match.

All three on our list have had to build extensions to accommodate reception students in recent years.

It is a worrying time.

Not knowing how well our children will adjust to their new learning environments.

Jasmine has, I feel, been slightly spoiled by nursery.

The wealth of equipment, the home-cooked meals, the attention!

She is accustomed to a ratio of 1:8.

Oh, how vastly different this will now be.

I am hoping that she will not feel lost in a crowd.

She is bright, beyond doubt.

She will prosper academically, within a nurturing classroom.

Who knows what her fellow students will be like?

Will there be one who takes up the time of the teacher at the expense of the rest of the class?

We had one in middle school. 

One boy who dominated.

Misbehaved.

ADHD, they told us.

We must be patient.

We were bored, mostly.

Accustomed to spending our lessons copying chunks out of textbooks whilst our teachers dealt with the boy.

I want it to be different for Jasmine.

How I wish I had more control over it!

How I wish I was as prepared as she is.

For, despite being my baby; despite still being so small, Jasmine cannot wait to begin her school days.