Memories: Starting School aged 4 Part One
I don’t particularly remember my older brother not being with us during the day, but for two and a half years he must have attended school on his own. Then after one Easter and at the beginning of the term I was five, it was my turn! I wasn’t prepared for the event and hadn’t attended any playgroups or pre-visits.
School was about 2 miles away and meant we had to walk the first mile down a country Lane on our own every day to catch a cream minibus to the school.
The bus had slatted wooden seats, which were very uncomfortable, but thankfully we only had a little way to travel. The school consisted of two classes, Infants and Juniors. The Headmistress took the Juniors and Mrs N, the Infants. The Juniors were in the old school house and the Infants in a pre-fab classroom opposite it and next to a field.
There were outdoor lavatories connected to the main building, with wooden doors which had gaps at the top and bottom, so the wind would whistle underneath and around you! In between the two buildings was a tarmac area which we used to play on. It sloped down from South to North, and at the bottom under an ancient tree, stood an old, black Austin car. We were allowed to play in it and turn the knobs and press the buttons, which was very exciting.
I had never seen so many children in one place before and I was totally bemused by all the noise and faces. I don’t recall ever making a friend at that school. In the early days at playtimes, I would just stand in the playground and watch the other children. I didn’t seem to know how to play their games. Occasionally I would laugh at some game, but I still was just an observer. Gradually I gained in confidence, as I remember running down the slope and playing in the car.
In class I played in the shop, and with the sand, water and paint. I loved these practical activities and had a fascination for the colour red. I don’t know whether it’s something I was born with or I developed. It is quite possible that red was the first colour I used when I was painting and I became transfixed by the vibrant quality of it on the white page. Any board game I played in subsequent years, I’d always choose the red counter or artefact. 😊
