La rentree

Hurrah! The kids survived their first day at French school! We only have a vague idea regarding how the day went-mostly because the only thing they've talked about since is the food! Apparently (according to Harry) you get three helpings of lunch if you're hungry...which of course he was! We've arranged for them to stay in school for lunch three days a week and come home for lunch two days a week (on Wednesdays the school closes at noon so they won't be missing out). I am really going to have to up my lunch repertoire as they get such fantastic food at school, I'm not sure a peanut-butter sandwich will suffice.

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Leila definitely has the tougher task ahead of her. The way French school works, she's actually moved up a year so she's skipped Year Two entirely. She's gone from being one of the older kids in her English class to one of the youngest in her French Year Three (or CE1) class. The school have offered to put her in CP (Year Two) for French so she can start from the basics and build up her confidence before rejoining her classmates for the other subjects. This seems like a good compromise but we'll see how it goes!

Harry has gone into GS (the oldest maternelle class) which I think will suit him. It has a home corner with a play kitchen, lots of puzzles and arts and crafts. There is still a focus on learning through play which will hopefully-hopefully!-make acquiring French more natural and less arduous for him. At his age, games don't involve so much talking-more rough and tumble and giggles- so I don't think he has really noticed that he is speaking a different language :)

We are so proud of how well they've adapted so far although I'm sure there will be wobbles ahead. This morning in the playground, they were both approaching classmates and striking up conversation. There is no school tomorrow-the extra English lessons for bilingual kids start later in September-I'm sure their brains will be glad of the rest!