It doesn’t seem like that long ago I was writing about the Kermesse, June 2009. I cannot believe how fast this school year has passed by and there is now only one week until the commencement of the La Grande Vacance; 2 wonderful Summer months of  family, friends, new places,  exploration and discovery.

The annual Kermesse has proven a memorable and special way to mark the passing of another academic year and this year’s event lived up to all expectation; an expectation set by our last two experiences and the total excitement and eager anticipation of medocjnr1 and medocjnr2; this was the first experience of Kermesse participation for  jnr2 and she’s been singing herself to sleep for 6 weeks, whilst beating out new steps.

For reasons that will become apparent as time goes by,  this year’s Kermesse was always going to be special for our family and certainly I will always remember it.  From the Penguins:

to the Eskimoes:

to the Early Settlers:

Once again the teachers and children went to incredible efforts to put on a “spectac” full of energy, creativity, colour; all accompanied by most wonderful tunes.  As each school year came out to perform their contribution, or support those younger than them with their performance, I was warmed by how inclusive, supportive and respectful the children seem to be of each other.

You sense a real pride and sense of achievement in those who remember the steps and words they have spent hours of practice learning; but more importantly you see fun and happiness combined with a sense of the children belonging to an institution they feel safe and encouraged within. Not for the first time a school event brought a tear to my eye and I certainly wasn’t the only parent who looked like the spirit of the event hadn’t triggered just a little bit of emotion.

It is true I don’t have a school, or educational system, to compare our local school to but I do know I could not have wished for a better start to our children’s social, artistic and academic education. The Kermesse, common throughout Primary Schools in France, is a real credit to the education system here. From my perspective it encapsulates, in a celebratory way, all that is good in early years’ French education; though I can’t believe all primary school teachers in France are as creative as ours prove to be via the Kermesse and various handicrafted gifts that have come home through the school year. By way of example – eskimo plus canoe:

A big hand to all those involved in the Kermesse this year. I was only sorry to miss the post Kermesse picnic; especially given the way the England team played that night …

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