It hadn’t really dawned on me that the last day of Year Two would also be the last day of Key Stage One.  It only seems like 5 minutes ago I was agonising over whether to leave Monkey in his pre-school setting for a second year or to move him to the Nursery class in the school he would be going to be aged 5.  Now he’s about to finish his fourth year at the school.  How on earth has that gone so quickly!!

So much has happened since this photo was taken on his first day in Foundation Stage in September 2014. Monkey has grown so much in confidence and thankfully, no longer cries every morning at the class room door.  That times really does seem like a lifetime ago.

Roll on to September 2016 and off Monkey went to start Year Two, and it’s been such a wonderful year.  He’s blossomed in ways I could only have dreamed ago this time last year.  His teacher has worked wonders with his confidence and it will be the year in Monkey’s school life that will probably always stand out for me as the first special year at school for him.

So here we are, it’s the last day of Key Stage One and it’s going to be an emotional one.  We say goodbye to Year Two, Key Stage One and a truly wonderful teacher and group of TA’s.  Monkey absolutely adores Miss P, and I’m so grateful for everything she’s done for my quiet little boy.  We are about to start the ninth book in the How to Train Your Dragon series, and that’s all down to his teacher instilling a love of the books and characters in Monkey.  He even sometimes does the reading!

In Key Stage One Monkey has really learned to read and write.  We have joined up writing, it’s not neat, it’s not tidy, but it’s there.  His spellings are atrocious but at least he is making more of an effort to share his thoughts with the world these days.  He’s multiplying and dividing, and working on his fractions.  I love the way his school teaches Maths, it makes it so much easier for children to understand, than the way I was taught forty years ago.  He’s developed a quiet love of art, most especially in different forms of printing.  I’d like to try to nurture this at home if I can. He’s become more confident in larger group settings.  He joined in with singing at his last parent’s open afternoon.  We saw his last nativity play, and he was happy to be taking part.  No tears. Most recently, we saw him joining in on Sports Day and winning both of his races.  That for me, was a wonderful way to leave Key Stage One. A day I will remember for a very long time.

The last day of Key Stage One signals the start of something new in September.  A new part of the school, higher expectations and more challenges.  A new teacher and TA, new routines and apparently cello lessons.  Yes my son, the quiet one, who never puts his hand up to try anything new, has apparently signed up to learn the cello.  I’ll be thrilled if the enthusiasm lasts until September!  I have ear defenders at the ready.  Year Three will also see him having school swimming lessons next Easter.  If you’ve followed the blog for a few years you will remember the agonies we had over swimming lessons.  I have no idea which way this will go, but that’s something to park until March!

So today is the last day of Key Stage One, and Monkey, your Mummy is so proud of you and all you’ve achieved. You have struggled in so many ways, but you have never given in, you have stuck with it.  Yes we’ve had tears and frustrations along the way, yes I dread opening up your book bag to see which homework task awaits.  But you’ve got through it all.  You’ve become the most lovely little boy, quiet, caring and actually rather funny.  You absorb information like a sponge and clearly have a love for engineering and machinery.  I don’t know when you’ll get to learn about the Industrial Revolution, but boy, when you do, you will shine.

Year Three and the start of Key Stage Two will see you learning about the Tudors and Mummy, for one is rather excited about the prospect.  Horrible Histories has certainly got you interested in my favourite period of English history.

We say goodbye to Year Two and Key Stage One.  I am sure there will be a few tears today.  But then it’s the summer holidays and we are going to have so much fun!