First Day at School

After leaving Switzerland, we have had a really long extended Summer break.  In some ways I am grateful we have had the time to move, sort out the rented house, sort school uniform and shores, had a few visits from parents, in-laws, friends and time together as a family before the whirlwind of the school term starts.  But without a real holiday break away for anyone, it has been a tiring time too.

This year I have had it fairly easy.  My girls were so excited about their school uniform, it is the first time they have ever had to wear it.  I wonder how long it will take before the novelty wears off!.....  I ordered it online back on the 10^th August.  It said, ‘Order online before 13^th August, and you will receive your uniform in time for school start.’  So that was fine, I had made the deadline.  My mind was at rest that the top half had been sorted, polo shirts and sweatshirts with the school embroidered logo.  Now to sort the school skirts and trousers.  I naively went to Asda hoping that I would get something for both girls, however, Laura is already too big for standard size primary school uniform.  The secondary schools in Reading all wear black.  Damn, needed dark grey box pleated skirts.  I managed to get the biggest size for Alice, which fitted, and some black tracksuit bottoms for Lauras PE.  Next year will not be going to Asda for either of the girls as they will both be too big by then!  Asda in Lower Earley is a big supermarket,  it used to be my local store when we lived in the area before the girls.  I stupidly went on a Friday.  It was bedlam.  It was full of people with small children having meltdowns over the fact that they did not like the look of the school skirts.  My girls were probably a little mystified as to why they felt that way.  We tried on some skirts for Alice, and got 3 box pleat skirts and some trousers.   We managed to sort some outdoor shoes and indoor shoes and plimsoles at Clarks in Wokingham.  It is certainly nice to get proper width fitting back, that is something we just had to guess in Switzerland.  Another load ticked off the list.  Thankfully a visit to Malvern M&S with my Mother-in-Law, Mary, meant we could fit Laura out in 14 Year old grey skirts (they are a bit short in my opinion, but Secondary School girls like wearing them that way….nothing has changed!).  Mary waited patiently whilst Laura tried on different styles of trousers, and probably relived the days of fitting out Steve and my Sister-in-Law, Janines Uniform too J.

Last Friday arrived, and I became distinctly twitchy about the remaining uniform I had ordered online.  It had not been delivered. Several times I phoned them over 3 days, they were not answering the phone.  This was not good.  It was getting late in the day, and I ended up journeying out the megatropolis that is Camberley M&S and Tesco stores.  They are so huge you can lose your car very easily in the car park.  It was brimming full of mobile car wash trolleys all plying their trade for a fiver a throw.  With a big migraine, got round the stores to get a discount set of bottle green tights, a cardigan for both girls and some yellow polo shirts from Tesco.  I felt his was a little unfair to go in with all the other people who had left getting uniform right til the end, as I had been organized and ordered in time.  Instead, I had my mum running around Suffolk trying to find suitable tops, and me running around Surrey trying to find bottle green sweaters in time for today, 6^th September.  There were mums in a fenzy, scrabbling through Sale racks to get the last minute things they needed.  I got back to have lunch, sat down with relief that I now had everything.  The doorbell went.  ‘I don’t believe it’.  A large pack of school uniform gets delivered.  OK, now each of my girls have a polo shirt for every single day of the week!  The cardigans will do for next year if they have not grown much :-/…..  The girls excitedly put everything on and did fashion shows, walking up and down in their uniform and their shiny new shoes.

Now the house lies eerily quiet and empty for the first time in weeks, and I have the day to myself and some time to start sorting a new home for us all.  Both girls were excited about starting their new school, perhaps I am more nervous than they were this morning.  We arrived very early, but it enabled me to see what the parking frenzy would be like.  As 8.30am neared the carpark got worse.  We arrived 15 minutes earlier and it was relatively peaceful.  I now know my window of opportunity.  I would still love to have the girls walk to school, and in Switzerland its great, the children have the freedom, the independence and the expectation that they walk.  With each community well served with schools, it works.  Here, I am grateful the girls are in a lovely school 10 minutes away by car. There is such pressure on school places, some parents this year who have had late applications (like us) have had to go for private schooling.  It’s not ideal to have a journey to school like that, but the staff have already been so supportive helping us before term started.  I will feel better when we have the rhythm of the day sorted out I am sure….