After almost three months of our crazy summer vacation, all of us were ready for kids to begin school. We were not sure how it all was going to work out. After searching for a house for two weeks and not prospects, I was very close to sending kids to the school on base, since we were living at the hotel still. Finally, after we found the house and knew which school kids would be going to, I was hoping they would start right away. Unfortunately, each class is allowed to have only 30 children (for one teacher, but usually there is an assistant who comes in). Alex’s class-which is Year 3—had only 27 people, so Alex could begin school on the first day of school—September 5th.
This is Alex on his first day of school.
I liked how one of my friends recorded also the stats for each kid on the first day of school. I will try to do the same. Alex is 53 inches tall, 74 lbs, loves building cities and reading geography books. His teacher’s name is Mrs. Summerell .
The name of the school that kids are going to is Bury Primary School. As you can see, it’s a Church of England school, so kids school structure is a bit different than it was in American school. Kids ages 4 through 11 go to this school. Katya and Alex were 205th and 206th students, the only Americans. Each day kids kids have three breaks, from what I understand, one hour for lunch and recess, and an assembly for all students where they pray, sing and do announcements for about 10 minutes. Lunches cost $3 and kids are allowed to get seconds of everything except dessert. They have vegetarian or regular options always and their desserts are fabulous but small portioned. Parents are not allowed to send in any sweets (candy) to school for lunch because of school’s concern about teeth-that’s what their website says.
Mark was second to start school. He is going to Bury Playgroup, which is a preschool from 9:05 till 12:05 each morning. As of right now Mark goes four times a week (I chose to do that) and he will go to five days a week after Christmas. He has to get used to going to school every day since British children start school when they are four—so Mark will go to Bury Primary School next year!! It’s also amazing that this Bury Playgroup, as most other preschools in the country, offers up to 15 hours free per week. Therefore, most moms do send their children to preschool when they turn three.
Here is Mark on his first day of school:
Mark is 40 lbs (hovering over that weight for a while now) and he is about 40 inches tall. He loves riding his bike and wishes we didn’t have a gravel driveway. He has four teachers and 18-22 kids in his school.
Mark was excited the whole morning, but when the time came to be left at school, he was not happy.
In fact, for the first four times Mark cried as I was leaving. He is the only one, actually, out of all our kids that ever cried when he started preschool. I think the whole transition this year and lack of preschool experience in Japan were the real reason. Now, a week later, he is loving preschool and does not cry. Seeing how happy he is when I come back to pick him up makes my day! He is so talkative after school and tells me all the details of his morning.
Last but not least, Katya started school the day after we signed the lease (since Cambridgeshire council needed the proof of our residency). Katya was 31st child in her class—the only reason she was accepted is because we live right in the village. The school is considered a very good school and that makes it difficult to get a spot in it, unless you live right in Bury.
Here is our happy Katya in her cute royal blue uniform.
Katya is 54 inches tall and weighs about 65 lbs. She still loves Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books. Katya hopes to get her piano lessons started soon. Her teacher’s name is Mrs. Wilkinson. Katya found friends very quickly and she is already mastering her British accent.
So far, all kids are enjoying school very much. It’s a bit adjustment to have school from 9 am till 3:20 pm. Seems like the whole day is school. I have to walk (or drive) the kids every day—we miss the kids’ ability to walk to school like they did in Misawa…Basically I drop off big kids at the school at 8:55 and then we walk to the other side of the school yard where Mark’s school is and drop him off. I go pick up Mark around noon. And then again go back to pick up Katya and Alex at 3:20. School is only 5-7 minute walk from us, so that is fantastic. It hasn’t rained yet when I had to pick them up though, so we’ll see how that works.
Speaking of picking up, I have fifteen minutes before kids are get out of school, so I must go now.
Cheers.
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