The last day of school - it’s a feeling that we have all experienced at some stage. For some of us, it’s one of joy and expectation. The joy of holidays to come and expectation of what the next year will bring. For others, it’s a sad day, where you part with friends, move on to uncertainty or feel sadness that a great year has passed.

As an educator, the last day of the school year is all of the aforementioned. Joy at getting an extended break to recharge my batteries and joy at what we as a school and what individuals have achieved. There is also the feeling of expectation as I look forward to the things that next year, and the years beyond, will bring. There’s some sadness as colleagues move on and I look at what some students have not achieved.

Mostly, it’s an eerie day, because few of the students turn up and there is a lot of pressure to finish those last few jobs. Add to this that the school’s server died a spectacular death, meaning that some tasks suddenly got harder. And you have a very interesting day.

Still, 6 weeks of holidays wind before me, while somewhat peppered by tasks that have to be done, is still a great feeling.