June, jumping ahead.

June came and went in glorious technicolour and at breakneck speed.

Firstly, we returned to school. Initially our return was to have been in half classes/classes for half the week... the details being worked out yet changing rapidly. In the end, we returned in socially-distanced whole classes. I and my class had to move out of our classroom into the computer room, sitting so precisely one metre apart that there was, literally, very little wiggle room. Children had to sit back to back or at right angles to one another, forbidden to lean over or towards anyone else. While all were delighted to see and be with their friends again, it was very stressful trying to maintain the distance. There were many minor infringements by accident or, in one or two cases, outright rebellion once or twice. (A quick email to parents soon sorted that one out.)

After a couple of weeks we were allowed to return to normal. Back in the classroom, albeit in a different table formation: this was the last two weeks of school and so I allowed the children to sit where they wanted. That was not without its problems, but we all survived and ended on good terms. In fact, the thank you cards were especially lovely and meaningful this year: what a privilege to feel that I had made a difference to a child's life, helping him navigate another year of schooling to emerge stronger, more mature and happier.

This is why I teach. (And, of course, the satisfaction in promoting Good Grammar. Nothing like it.)

Before the end of term, though was an even more intense than usual helter-skelter ride where we fitted in many end of term events: sports day, an end of term musical performance and tea for the Year 6 parents and even a successful trip to Lihou Island. We stayed the night, playing games, taking photographs, jumping in the Venus Pool (a deep rock pool below the cliffs), dodging nesting sea gulls and even a quick dip in the sea.

Another delightful surprise was the neighbour's middle child, who arrived one Sunday morning with an apologetic and embarrassed air, a bottle of wine and a delightful thank you note:

At home, life was full of cliff walks, cycle rides, cups of tea, meals out, meeting up on the beach... and getting together with friends for breakfast after a gap of several months. Marvellous weather enabled us to enjoy the profusion of wild flowers, fields of pink foxgloves and campion giving way to the white and yellow of ox-eye daisies and chamomile...

Two months without Covid-19 on the island. No more queueing outside shops, nor social distancing inside or around town. Everything opened up and returned back to 'normal'. By the end of the month we felt as if we were in a bubble of protection, a haven in a world of turmoil... with still almost no contact with the outside world...

And Jonny and Adele were still with us, working their socks off, teaching online to the end of term without a break. Teaching had been intense for them since February.

We all looked forward to a week's break after the end of term at the beginning of July...