Back to school

I'm not sure who was more excited to start school - the kids or me. After 110 days of summer vacation everyone was ready to get back to a schedule and routine that only school can provide. It almost feels like we had two summer breaks since we had seven weeks in Arizona after school ended and then two months here.

Andrew and Emily go to the same school. Andrew is in Year 2 (age equivalent of first grade) and Emily is in the nursery program five afternoons a week. The school is a two minute walk from the house and is a great school.

So far we love the school. The classes are small and they offer so much individual attention. Andrew's class has 19 students. His teacher has an aid and also volunteer helpers in the classroom. They break out into small groups for reading and math. They even have two PE teachers who come in to help twice a week with PE. I am really impressed with what they are doing academically and how well Andrew has settled into the class. He has joined the school soccer club and seems so excited to go to school. We've had kids over after school to play and he fits in really well.

Emily has two teachers for 14 students in the nursery class. They are all 3-4 years old. They do a lot of painting and spend a lot of time playing outside. She enjoys going and has made 2 nice friends in her class that she likes to play with. Since she doesn't go in until the afternoon she takes ballet and swim lessons in the morning.

There is one other American student in the school. Everyone else is from local British families, mainly around Bury St Edmunds but a few from other villages surrounding us. The majority of kids walk to school; there is no school bus. I have met many of the moms (and a few of the dads)
at school drop off and pick up and they have all been very nice and helpful. Its nice to have that social time at school drop-off again.

Overall I would say it has been a very successful transition to school in England.