It's amazing how one can fall behind with so many things when one has a really really busy weekend. Which is what I've just been fortunate enough to have. I was going to say that the highlight was playing association croquet matches and playing as well as I have ever played and thoroughly enjoying every minute (well, perhaps not if I missed a roquet but that would be a fleeting moment). Or doing something simple after dinner on Sunday evening when Wendy and Martin took me to the Globe Theatrette (which I'm ashamed to say I'd never been to) to see Short Term 12 (a low-budget very emotional and ultimately uplifting film) whilst drinking a glass of excellent shiraz in superb comfort.
The highlight wasn't any of that though. It was going to see Catriona swimming in her school swimming gala. Catriona is fortunate to have what I would wish for every child in the world: the chance of a superb education at a school most children in the world cannot even dream of because they could not conceive of there being such a school. Woodford House is one of New Zealand's leading girls' schools. It is a day and boarding school (Catriona is a weekly boarder and loves it) set in acres of greenery. I think if I had been a girl and gone to Woodford even I might have enjoyed school. (As it was I was fortunate enough to have had as good an education as was available in Liverpool and I disliked almost every minute of it).
The organisation of the 77 races was a precision clockwork event such as I have never seen before. The parents (and grandparents!) were there supporting their children (and seeing and being seen and taking the opportunity to chat to teachers and other parents informally).
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| The swimming pool is set in a deep natural amphitheatre. Catriona's school house is dressed in blue. |
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| Catriona in blue cap just about to start her race |
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| and, by a short hand, winning it. |
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I'll take your word for how good it is - and if the natural setting is anything to go by, she is a lucky girl indeed! What a beautiful looking school.
ReplyDeleteJenny the physical environment is beautiful and I've no doubt that it contributes to the overall ambience of the school but the whole ethos and educational approach is what really makes it so special.
DeleteShe is fortunate, indeed, to go to such a school. I've never seen a school pool in such a beautiful setting.
ReplyDeletePauline I doubt there is another school even in New Zealand with such a beautiful setting for it's pool.
DeleteOH that all state education matched this - as one who had a foot in both camps I have a good idea of the differences.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely day - well done Catriona :)
Fiona it's an education few even in New Zealand can dream of. Most of the time it makes me so happy for those who can attend but sometimes I just feel sad for those who can not.
DeleteNo thank you to boarding school. The setting looks beautiful and it sounds like she enjoys the school but I would want to see my children every day.
ReplyDeleteTerra all The Family's children are weekly boarders and all love it and benefit from it. Many of the boarders of course have no choice because they live too far away and are term boarders. Presumably that's the same for many in California. Both parents and children might feel differently if they are term boarders to being weekly boarders.
DeleteThat is one beautiful place! It's nice to watch grandchildren perform.
ReplyDeleteYes Red. It's really wonderful to be there and see them and feel part of it.
DeleteIf it really is as idyllic as it looks (and it will be, if you say Catriona loves being a weekly boarder there), it really is something you'd wish for every child to have. My school was an ugly concrete building, state-of-the-art in the 1970s when it was built, and I never much liked it, but it had the advantage of being within 5 minutes walking distance from home and my Mum working at the school's library. When I was about 9-111 years old, I liked to read the Enid Blyton stories about the O'Sullivan Twins and about Dolly and other such characters, and I guess like nearly every girl who ever read those books, I wanted to go to a boarding school. Of course, there was absolutely no need for that, and looking back on what I was like as a kid, I very much doubt I would have really enjoyed the regime and the lack of privacy that is inevitable at a boarding school.
ReplyDeleteI remember the pictures of your school Meike. Whilst they don't have total privacy Catriona shares a bedroom with one other person (some bedrooms have three people I believe). It's not like the dormitories I used to read about. There are a number of living areas too and each has a day and a night person on duty all the time.
Deletezulke evenementen zijn altijd mooi en vooral als er familieleden aan deelnemen word het ineens nog mooier.
ReplyDeleteJa, Bas, ik voelde de dag was heel bijzonder.
DeleteGB, it looks amazing. Lucky Catriona (and congratulations to her). And lucky you, to have sun and blue skies while back here, we drown...
ReplyDeleteThank you Frances. Yes, despite having a relatively poor summer by our standards, we are having a hot, sunny spell at the moment. It's very welcome.
DeleteIt's certainly a beautiful place. Like Meike I'm not so sure I'd actually have liked being in a boarding school at that age though. But then (as I think I've mentioned before) boarding schools for young children are extremely rare in Sweden. Almost unheard of unless your parents are travelling/working abroad or something like that.
ReplyDeleteMonica, Catriona is 12 now. I'm not sure that if there are any primary school boarding schools: I suspect not. All four children are (or, in Jamie's case, were) weekly boarders. They all seem to enjoy it and thrive on it.
DeleteTraditions and school systems differ between our countries, Graham. In Sweden there are only three so-called national boarding schools in the whole country (upper primary school i.e. age 13-15 + secondary school 16-18) and these are private schools with expensive fees and not for "anyone".
DeleteWell done Catriona!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the school, it looks wonderful, and it's really a lovely setting to acquire an education.
I had to blink twice to make sure I'd read your words correctly....it IS a school and it IS a nice pool.
I'm sure schools don't come any better than this as an overall package Virginia.
DeleteI had no idea this was inside Woodford. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteKatherine when you are next in The Bay you'll be very close. If you take a walk up it's worth a look.
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