The school's holiday

To help the children appreciate our school and those who have worked hard in the holidays to get everything ready for a new school year (SEAL theme 1: New beginnings).

by Janice Ross

Suitable for Key Stage 1

Aims

To help the children appreciate our school and those who have worked hard in the holidays to get everything ready for a new school year (SEAL theme 1: New beginnings).

Preparation and materials

• Familiarization with the poem.
• A soft toy known by the children.

Assembly

1. Have you ever wondered what happens to the school during the holidays? I don’t suppose you have given it even a fleeting thought. But no doubt this soft toy from the Reception department could tell us a thing or two! (Hold up soft toy.)
   
   Funnily enough, I found a little poem on my desk this morning. I’m not sure who left it here! Perhaps you could tell me?
2. (Read the poem.)
   
   The summer holidays – YEH!
   
   All is quiet, what a relief!
   People gone, no more grief.
   Lights are off, heaters, too,
   holiday time for me and you.
   It’s not just the children who need a break,
   but classrooms and corridors, for goodness sake!
   For tables and desks, computers and chairs
   all need a rest and a taste of fresh air.
   
   All is quiet, what a relief!
   People gone, no more grief.
   
   But what’s this noise disturbing our peace?
   Brushes and buckets and mops and feet,
   radios blasting as the cleaners move in,
   all very ready to make a din!
   It’s not just the children who need a break,
   but classrooms and corridors, for goodness sake!
   
   And who’s this arriving at the outside door
   with boxes and parcels to be dumped on the floor,
   and things to be signed, and things to be stacked,
   and things to be counted, and things to be racked?
   It’s not just the children who need a break,
   but classrooms and corridors, for goodness sake!
   
   And there goes the lawnmower, putting and roaring.
   It’s obvious the janitor’s doing the mowing!
   For hedges need trimming and weeds need hoeing
   and grass, like children, has a habit of growing.
   It’s not just the children who need a break
   but classrooms and corridors, for goodness sake!
   
   So July has gone and August, too,
   with a great deal of noise and much ado.
   A lot to get ready, a lot to prepare,
   wide-open doors and plenty fresh air.
   
   So, all you learners who’ve had a great break,
   remember to appreciate, to think what it takes
   to have everything ready and back in its space
   for you to return and take up your place.
   
   Welcome from us, we’ve missed the fun
   but roll on Christmas, when another term’s done!

Time for reflection

Have you noticed how clean and sparkling the school is looking?

Have you noticed all the new jotters, all the resources ready for you?

Let’s take a minute to be thankful for our school.

Prayer
Dear God,
thank you for our school.
Thank you for those who have worked
through the holidays to make it clean and bright for our return.
Thank you for all the new resources -
books, jotters, pencils, craft materials.
Help us to take this opportunity to make a fresh, new start.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Morning has broken’ (Come and Praise, 1)