Love it or loathe it, it's that time again when uniforms are donned and scores of little feet go scampering out the door
THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS are over and parents' reactions range from disappointment at not having enough time with their precious offspring to undisguised relief that school will carry the burden of occupying young minds and energetic, active bodies.
Anticipation mixed with some uncertainty makes for excitement; a fresh start. Emotions are most powerful for those beginning their education. Whether fresh-faced from home or veterans of playgroups and kindergartens, starting school is a defining moment.
New parents are the most focused at this point. This is the first real indicator that their little bundle of joy will eventually make its own way in life.
On the first day it is often difficult to tell who is the most worried. The sight of mums and dads fussing nervously while their children bound joyfully onto a playground or into a classroom is not uncommon.
Schools nowadays are better at preparing students and parents. They have a range of strategies for establishing relationships and maintaining them. Going are the days when parents and secondary carers were kept at arms length for fear of interfering. Education is a partnership, and few schools should be subscribing to the old view that learning is a narrow process performed solely by teachers.