I have just read the SENCO blog and I can really empathise. This week seems to have been a killer for staff, pupils and parents alike. Waiting to drop off the children, the parents are all talking about how they can’t wait to have a break from the drop off/pick up routine (I know that I have had enough of nagging about cleaning teeth, getting dressed, putting on shoes etc). At the end of the day, at least one child per classroom greets their parent with either tears, a strop or a stamping of feet (or, in Milly’s case, a mixture of all three!). And the teachers all look drained of every ounce of energy, although they are battling on with smiles on their faces!
As a parent, you hear about what is going on in the last week of term and may be tempted to think that it is a bit of a ‘jolly’ for the staff – music competitions, sports day, final assemblies etc. Yet, if you look more closely, the usual teaching and learning is going on and all of these extra things need organisation of their own. And, of course, the children are tired and grumpy too.
Our Kindergarten and Reception children had their sports day today. Unfortunately, the rain started about ten minutes before kick off. It drizzled while the children each completed one race, then the Head called off the remainder of the event. Of course, the rain stopped about ten minutes after the children had gone back in! When my own little one wasn’t racing, I watched the staff and was impressed by their enthusiasm as they herded the children to the start line, collected them at the end and jollied along those who had not won a sticker. And, of course, once the rather damp parents had disappeared, the staff was left to deal with the tidying away of the sporting equipment and chairs and the disappointed children.
