Goodbye Juniors - Hello Summer!

Today marked the end of the school year.  Kizzy said good-bye to primary school as her time as a Year 6 pupil came to an end.  In the teacher's awards presentation, she won the accolade of being recognised as MD Junior School's Next Top Model...the girl with a model attitude and the longest legs that her teacher had ever seen on an 11 year old.  But Kizzy isn't just a beauty, she's got brains too, getting level 5's for her maths SATs and a level 6 in English.  She also has a lovely group of friends (and is also mature enough to know who not to be friends with! She's had a bit of trouble recently with a so-called friend, but has dealt with it without losing her integrity). I'm so very proud of her and the way she handles herself.

Kizzy's teacher gave all the children a truly wonderful gift with a beautiful sentiment.  They each received a pretty little jar filled with things...a jar of ingredients for a fruitful future.  A contents card listed what was contained in the jar, from a packet of seeds to a sprinkle of stars with the reason behind each object.  It was so lovely.  It made me cry.

Kizzy also had an official school autograph book, which she got filled with messages from her school friends.  It was heartwarming to see so many people saying how lovely, funny and kind my daughter is, and what a great friend she is

I'm sure will have a fantastic time when she goes up to secondary school.  She is so ready for it.  But before September, I intend to enjoy some quality time with Kizzy - along with Ella and Freddy who have both reached educational milestones themselves.  I love spending time with my children and the following six weeks will be well spent as we prepare for the next stages of our lives!  

Thank you teacher!

This academic year is coming to an end with some momentous changes for my three youngest children.  Ella has finished college and is awaiting her A'Level results.  University life beckons come September, bringing with it some big changes for us at home and for her as she begins her further education in Manchester.  It's an exciting time for us all and I think it will be a wonderful opportunity for my daughter to truly find herself and embark on the amazing life she deserves. We will of course miss her, but she'll only be an hour away so I predict lots of weekend visits!

Kizzy will be going up to the secondary school that her three older siblings attended.  She is more than ready for it and is excited about being in 'big school'.  Her SATs results were excellent and I'm sure she will do really well (if he doesn't get lost en route to lessons!)  Kizzy is so sociable and has lots of friends, so I hope she'll fit right in and enjoy all the opportunities that present themselves. She looks so lovely and so very grown up in her new school uniform with a blazer and house tie.

Kizzy in her new uniform

Little Freddy has completed his year in Reception and will be a Year 1 in September.  He is still not up to the 'expected' level in reading and writing, which may be down to the trouble he has with his eyes and his inability to distinguish individual letters within a group.  He has a hospital appointment in August to look at what is going on with his eyesight. In spite of his vision problems, Freddy is really sharp with a quick wit and a keen interest in everything he does, so if a particular issue with his learning is identified, he'll be ready for the challenge. I'm planning on doing some extra work with him over the summer holidays in hope of bridging the gap between what he can do and what he struggles with to build his confidence.  But, regardless of whatever level he is achieving, I have seen Freddy flourish in the school environment. He is so much more sociable, kind, friendly, outgoing and confident, and his manners are impeccable.  He volunteers to do things, loves sharing his knowledge and is an expert when it come to using technology. The reading and writing will come in time.

I have been fondly remembering my own school years.  There are some teachers who I will never forget and whose influence helped shape me as a child.  From my first teacher Mrs Gallie who was maternal, gentle and nurturing to the positively terrifying Mrs Phillips who taught us through our 12+ exams, each and every one of the people who taught me made a difference.  My Junior school maths teacher, Mr Webster was a formidable character with a tendency to throw chalk at pupils and who carried around a dummy to humiliate those children who insisted on sucking on their pen lids.  But I really liked him!  I was delighted to see a photo of him come up on Facebook the other day on the event of my old school's centenary celebrations.  Thirty five years on and he looks just the same as I remembered him...just a bit older.  It made me smile.

Me at Junior School in the 70s

I have such vivid memories of my school years.  I can still recite poems I learned, remember stories I wrote and recall actual lessons and what we did in class.  I hope my own children are making their own lifelong memories of their schooldays now, which will be stored away and looked back on with fondness in years to come.  

Teachers play such a big part when it comes to remembering this part of your life.  I still think back on Mr Goodchild the chemistry teacher who made us all hold hands and run around the science lab pretending to be molecules.  And my history teacher Mr Long's impression of  the hunchbacked King Richard III will never be forgotten.  A good teacher never leaves your thoughts. 

So as this term ends, I will encourage my kids to say 'Thank You' to their teachers. Many of their teachers will not be forgotten over the years.  Freddy's teacher is absolutely wonderful and I am so glad he has her for another year.  He needs a nurturing environment where he is valued for who he is.  Kizzy did not get along very well with her year 6 teacher some of the time, but that experience is a lesson in itself.  Knowing that not everyone is going love you in life and learning to deal with it and come up with strategies to get along is a very important skill.  

When it comes to gifts, you really can't go wrong with wine, flowers or chocolates to say thank you.  A lovely treat to start the summer holidays!  The Cadbury Thank You boxes are a great idea and at just £1.99 for a 48g box or £3.99 for a 180g box, they are a great value gift with a lovely sentiment.

Thank You gift from Cadbury

So, thank you to all the teachers out there, past and present...you have made a difference!

Say Hello to a Playful New Range of Confectionery by Lindt

I read an article yesterday about the lengths that some parents go to to impress teachers at the end of term. Mummies have been buying spa days, Harrod's Hampers and Tiffany necklaces for little Johnny's teachers in a bid to curry favour for their child.  This new trend in the behaviour of competitive school mums goes completely against the fact that most teachers said they would prefer a thoughtful, small gift from their pupils; a token gift given with love. 

This year, Lindt have launched a playful range of chocolates bursting with personality, fun and yummy ingredients!  The range includes the lovely gifting boxes which look fabulous and are filled with Lindt's delicious chocolates. Perfect gifts for giving to a teacher to say thank you.

The boxed collection from Hello is available in a range of options, including the Hello Thank You box (45g), the Hello Heart Tin (45g), the Hello Cube (250g) and the Hello Praline box (100g).

RRP £2.49 - £6.99.

I am a big fan of Lindt chocolates and if someone gave me a gift of their chocolates I would be more than happy to indulge myself.  Teachers will love the ‘Thank You’ gift box with its unique mix of delicate, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates filled with crunchy nougat, tantalising caramel brownie and delicious cookies and creams – all wrapped up in a box which reads “Just wanna say Thank You”.  A simple yet genuine message for your child to show their gratitude to the teacher that has seen them through the academic year.  Combined with a home made card and I'm sure most teachers would be very happy.

Find them in selected Sainsbury's stores from July and nationwide from September.

The complete range includes:

 Hello Bars  (100g) £1.99

Hello Treat Bars (39g) £0.79

Hello Thank You (45g) £2.49

Hello Chocolate Heart (45g) £3.49

    Hello Cube (250g) £6.99

        Hello Praline (100g) £4.49

Thank You Teacher

It's nearly the end of term.  This school year has seen my 10 year old Kizzy flourish both academically and socially in year 5 of junior school.  She is totally ready to start her final academic year ahead of going on to secondary school. Her teacher told me she would love a whole class of Kizzies to teach.  Freddy's first year at nursery has seen him go from a shy and timid child into a confident and happy boy.  I am so grateful that Freddy has been given such excellent support in such a caring setting, which has made him ready for school in September.  His key worker is absolutely wonderful and helped us through some tough moments.  I will miss his nursery next year.

A good teacher is someone who will be remembered forever.  They teach from the heart, not from a book.  Some one who will inspire their pupils and help nurture a love of learning. I still remember the inspirational teachers that taught me.  Mrs Gallie, Miss Phillips, Mr Webster, Mr Haslett, Mr Wheeler, Mr Goodchild and Mr Long, you helped shape me! It is a wonderful gesture for the kids to say "Thank You" to their teachers for all the hard work and input that they have put into their lives.  

Homemade presents can be a lovely idea to give to teachers.  Baking some cookies and presenting them in a pretty jar is a fun activity that the kids can get involved in.  Or you could put together a basket filled with teacher's favourite tea bags, biscuits and a mug.  If you are crafty, their are some great ideas for gifts online.  For example, you could make a handcrafted piece of framed artwork featuring the child's hand prints or thumbprints as a treasured memento.  Or for a unique school themed present, you can stick coloured pencils all the way around a pot and then pop in a small potted plant.

Here is a great tutorial for a Pencil Covered Plant Pot, with a free printable label that says "Thank you for helping me grow!"  It is a lovely idea and a wonderful sentiment.

copyright http://www.sassysanctuary.com

But if you are short on time, there are lots of items available in the shops at the moment including a range at Asda.  The range includes cards, gift wrap and some lovely little gifts that come with a pocket money price tag, so the kids can buy them themselves if they wish. Nothing costs more than £5 and many things are just £1 including mugs and keyrings.

I was sent a photo frame and photo holder featuring the cute character Alfie (who looks like a giraffe/cow hybrid!!) and also a Star design keyring.  The photo frame and holder could hold a photograph or a piece of artwork to make a really personal gift from a younger child.  The graphic Star keyring is a nice way to simply say thank you with a token gesture, ideal for older kids to give to their teacher.

A box of chocolates is always well received!  Belgian chocolate sea shells or sea horses from Guylian are delicious and perfectly themed for the summer holidays!  I was sent some of their 45g gift boxes of sea horses, which  are available for just £1 each so children could buy them for their teacher themselves.  They would also be a nice way to thank other staff members who have made a difference to your child.  Larger boxes could be given as a joint gift for all the staff in a setting who would enjoy sharing them during a coffee break!  I love the creamy marbled chocolate and the melt in the mouth praline filling of Guylian chocolates and really like the iconic design of the seashells and seahorses.  

It's easy to show your child's appreciation to their teacher and it needn't cost a fortune!  It's the thought behind the gift that really counts.  Kizzy and Freddy will be giving their teacher's a little gift to say thank you and show our gratitude for everything they have done for them this academic year!