Can you remember your first day at school?

Ann22

I can remember pestering my mother one day while she was on her knees lighting the fire..'when can I go to school mammy, when can I go?!'... I was nearly four and clearly under the impression that school was a cool place...duh!

I remember on my first day being taken into the school..there was a strange long faced girl with a severe black fringe standing at the door staring at me and sucking her finger:(. I still see her about and she still has the fringe..dunno if she still sucks her finger, she probably does.

My teacher's name was Miss Hughes, a plumpish young teacher with long soft black hair parted in the middle with Deirdre Barlow glasses. She was the kindest person I'd ever met and she smelt lovely. She sat me down at my desk, put my name on a card and gave me a piece of mala to play with as I proceeded to make a bird's nest (which started a primary school era of making mala birds' nests, snails and snakes)...

Suddenly!! I remembered to look for my mother! How could I forget?! I turned around and caught her sneaking out the door, looking over her shoulder anxiously. Strange, it's like a freezeframe moment I can clearly remember.

I can remember what she was wearing -a brown trench coat...and her worried expression. I was aware that she was worried and had just started to wonder why, when it dawned on me...'she's leaving me here...on my own!' I briefly considered giving her something to worry about...gave a half hearted whimper then just turned back round to my mala and my kind smellsome teacher who I grew to adore over the next three infants' years..the last one I liked by the way, the rest of them were cows:(.

deadhead13

Yeah, me and lad I was I sitting next to were tut tutting over a kid screaming for his mother while kicking the legs of the teacher, who was trying to restrain him with her back pressed up to door. I distinctly remember saying - "what a baby". A few days later, I was the one trying to get out the door bawling - "I want to go home".

fergiesarmy

Not sure if i cant remeber my first day at scholl but i remember the early days. I rember being petrified and my family having an older girl at the school look out for me and hold my hand!! One thing that really sticks out was the smell of piss and **** in the toilets in the school. It was absolutely repulsive and I mean sick. The fact i can even remember that in a primary school tells you it was bad. In fact you clenched your cheeks rather than go. The other abiding memories were having games of football that would start at 8.30 in the morning, continue at 10pm break, 1pm break and after school at 3pm. The match could end up 25 - 21 in goals. I remeber the beating sun shining in on us in the classroom as we recited our times tables from 1 times to 12 times for about 1 hour on end each morning while the bitch of a teacher we had decided to have an hour long chat to her colleague teacher in the corridor who also had [EMAIL="f@cked"]f@cked[/EMAIL] off on her class. I remeber watching the ireland world cup and euro champ qualifiers in 1987 and 1989 for the respective germany 88 and italia 90. We watched them in the school hall. Matches were played frequently during the daytime then from what i can remember. I remember the commentary being run through the archaic intercom from which a radio with rte radio 1 was left beside a microphone in the principals office to relay the sound!!!

I remember watching that scary as **** boy from space series as a 7 year old.... who rememers that!!! It was supposed to help with spelling but left most people having nightmares!!


mmmm lets see. Thats all i can think of at the minute. I am sure this will get a few responses!!!

Ruu_Old

Not the first day, but the first week or so. One time of a distant relative of mine keeping the door over and over and throwing tantrums when he was dropped off by his Mam.

I was quite the day dreamer (still am!) and we were lining up at around 2:15 after break to finish off the day but for some reason I stood out there on my own and didn't go in! I just remember watching the sun reflecting off the teachers cars and looking at the sky, then my teacher coming out finally and asking if I wanted to "join us".

ballsymchugh

all i remember from my first day is being put at a desk with my next door neighbour. i wanted the toy bus on the desk beside me but was given an abacus. not a great start at all.:(

Diabhal_Glas

I remember not wanting to get on the bus to go..

ashyle

Lovely thread OP
I begged for a year to be able to go to 'stool' :P
I just remember seeing all my little friends I had been in playgroup with, messing with my best friend Noel, meeting Sister Angela, the loveliest nun. Our teacher was Miss Thomas she was such a nice woman. My school was really small, it was great!

mud

I vividly remember my first day at school!

I was four since May (too young dammit!)

My Daddy brought me in to meet the teacher.

After we'd been introduced she distracted me so Dad could slip away.

I looked up at the last moment and saw him going through the doorway.

I ran as fast as I could and grabbed his legs (morto)

The teacher came down and the three of us went back up to her desk.

She asked me to help her by putting gold stars on the copy-books; but that Dad would have to go because it was such an important job I had to do it on my own. (I fell for it hook, line and sinker)

I loved Mrs Walsh and ended up doing work experience with her last year.

Too funny, I was talking to her in the staff room, catching up on what I'd been doing since I left school when suddenly she grabbed my hand and said: "Oh mud, everytime I look at you I just see that gorgeous little girl with the cute face and pig-tails"

Way to make me feel all grown up!! (was 29 at the time)

Fago!

All I remember is crying and wetting my pants. Then wondering why my pants were wet! Then scribbling on the wall in red crayon, cut to teacher screaming and storming out.

Never saw her again! She retired that day! Got a new teacher who I had a "crush" on. I told her I loved her and she laughed.... cut to other children screaming.... "HAHAHAHA Fago_25 has a girlfriend... Ha haaaaa"

Ah junior infants. That was the best 4 years of my life!!!!

si_guru

Yes... remember it well... it's stuff since 1993 I can't remember.

Abi

I started school in 1983, and yeah I kinda remember it, but it was pretty uneventful. I was three when I startedl, and I'd never seen other kids my size before. I was really really quiet, and pretty much fecked off to the other side of the room if any of the other kids tried to interact with me. I don't remember my mother going out the door, probably wasn't looking due to the fact that I was in awe of my fellow elf people- even if I wouldn't talk to them!

Latchy

It was a long time ago and while I remember the morning arriving at the school itself , dont recall to much about the days events apart from the usual one or two kids crying .

I was more amused by my new surroundings while we kids sized each other up in the hall .

Then we were led by the hand into a big classroom and seated by friendly looking female teachers and assistants one whom I recall was a miss Hurley .

After that the rest of the day is a blot .

gipi

It was a bit longer ago than 1983 :eek: but yes, I remember my first day!

We went into the classroom and were told to pick a desk and sit down. The desks were made for 2 but as the class wasn't packed, there were some spare spaces.

So I sat down, but after a while I decided I didn't like that seat and moved....and after a while I moved again.....and again.....

After I'd moved about 6 times, Miss Murphy told me (kindly!) to pick a seat and stay there! I'll bet she remembered my name from day 1!!

I remember my mother coming to collect me at 2pm (or whatever time junior infants finished at), but I couldn't understand why I had to go when other girls in the class didn't have to (the senior infants stayed an extra 30 or 45 mins). After a few days, I decided I wasn't leaving until the bigger girls did....so Miss Murphy agreed, and I did the longer school day from then on!!

Run_to_da_hills

I can well remember my first day at school, I was conned, I was led to believe that it was just for one day and went ballistic when I was brought there the next day. :mad:

Agricola

My first day started badly. Im an only child so was very attached to my mother. Id imagine that first day of school was the first day she left me alone with anyone other than my Dad! I cried for along time, until some other kids who were made of sterner stuff offered me some jelly babies. I comfort ate for most of the first week!

I don't know if it was the first day but it was certainly one of the first. I have a vague memory of sitting at a crowded desk with the others and we all had name tags on the table.

Ann22

Agricola wrote: »

My first day started badly. Im an only child so was very attached to my mother. Id imagine that first day of school was the first day she left me alone with anyone other than my Dad! I cried for along time, until some other kids who were made of sterner stuff offered me some jelly babies. I comfort ate for most of the first week!

Aww! That's really sad:(!

sogg

I just remember how excited I was! I'm the youngest in my house so had been dying for it for ages! I remember seeing all these other girls hysterical and being so confused.....could they not see all the toys??!

Ann22

gipi wrote: »

It was a bit longer ago than 1983 :eek: but yes, I remember my first day!

We went into the classroom and were told to pick a desk and sit down. The desks were made for 2 but as the class wasn't packed, there were some spare spaces.

So I sat down, but after a while I decided I didn't like that seat and moved....and after a while I moved again.....and again.....

After I'd moved about 6 times, Miss Murphy told me (kindly!) to pick a seat and stay there! I'll bet she remembered my name from day 1!!

I remember my mother coming to collect me at 2pm (or whatever time junior infants finished at), but I couldn't understand why I had to go when other girls in the class didn't have to (the senior infants stayed an extra 30 or 45 mins). After a few days, I decided I wasn't leaving until the bigger girls did....so Miss Murphy agreed, and I did the longer school day from then on!!

I remember some girls in my class would stay 'til 2.30 while I finished earlier, I don't really know why. On my last day in Senior Infants before I left my beloved teacher, I can remember asking my mother if I could stay 'til 2.30 with the others.
The teacher I had in 1st class was a Mrs Leonard. I knew for some weeks before I went into her class that she was going to be my next teacher. Every time she came in to chat to my teacher (who I loved), I would burst into tears, I can clearly remember doing that:o.

xoxyx

I remember my first day. It's very strange. I was very attached to my mum and freaked out if she left me to go and pee! But, for some reason, while all the other kids were bawling their eyes out, I strolled right into my classroom, found a Postman Pat jigsaw and was happy out.
But, I also remember that, within the first week, our junior infants teacher had every one of us lined against the wall in tears because we couldn't say our names in Irish.
She was a total cow!

Ann22

z_topaz wrote: »

But, I also remember that, within the first week, our junior infants teacher had every one of us lined against the wall in tears because we couldn't say our names in Irish.
She was a total cow!

That's really awful! That woman shouldn't have been teaching at all..the cow:mad: Junior Infants?! Feck sake,mostly 6yr olds probably? Barely more than babies:mad:.

nlgbbbblth

1 September 1976. St Michael's Boys School in New Ross.
Dry day, fairly warm.

Teacher was Mrs O'Shea. I got pretty upset when my mother walked away after dropping me in.

Lots of Irish taught in those first few weeks. And painting. A classmate picked up his completed painting and rubbed it in my face. Took ages to get me cleaned up.

Another guy shat himself and the sh*t came down his trousers and onto his shoe. I haven't spoken to him for about 25 years and he was denying it happened even then.

Have vague memories of being in school mornings one week and afternoons the next. Could be wrong though.

I remember one of my classmates died in Junior Infants. He had leukemia and vanished from attending school early on in the year. None of us knew or realised the seriousness of his illness, just that "he was sick". I'll never forget the teacher informing us of his death and then us saying prayers for him.

Agricola

Ann22 wrote: »

Aww! That's really sad:(!

Lookin back, yes it was. In fact, I was very sad!

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Another guy shat himself and the sh*t came down his trousers and onto his shoe.

Nothin to be ashamed off. That happened to be on me first day of work! :pac:

Dudess

Perfectly. 1983 like Abigayle. My two best friends and I could not be separated and we kept to ourselves. One of them is actually a teacher there now and the prefab we were put in on our first day was only supposed to be in place for a year or two. It got torn down in 2008.
Our teacher was a thundering bitch tbh - and looking back, it's pretty disgraceful how she acted. She was very bad-tempered and irritable and unapproachable, and she used to yell at us. We were terrified of her. I don't think that would be accepted now. She pretty much took an instant dislike to me...

McChubbin

I vaguely remember mala (the stuff of legends!), really uncomfortable chairs that were no more than a plank of wood screwed to tubular red hollow tubes...

Oh, and Mr. Cunningham. He looked like Art Garfunkel, screamed a lot and was promptly nicknamed "Mr. Cut-The-Ham" due to his unfortunate flatulence problem.

Everything else is a repressed blur.

Lizzykins

1967! I remember going straight over to a bookshelf and saying to my mother" Tell that boy to give me a book! Some poor kid obliged! We had a horrible teacher who should never have been let near small children.
Years later I found out that my mother in law knew the woman very well!

West Briton

1970 in North London.. an absolute thundering bth called appropriately enough Miss L'Estrange. Being England there was also a really lovely middle aged lady who was the Classroom Assistant or the "Welfare Lady" as she was called.

It was a curious mixture of the teacher being shouty and the other lady giving hugs and encouraging me to draw

A few months later we moved to Ireland. We had a slightly less snotty and much younger woman as our teacher, but I remember thinking "why is there only one girl in the class" - it was a boy with a pudding basin haircut! The Márla, all the named colours on a hand drawn chart and lots of Ladybird books meant that school was interesting and I never got upset going.

Ann22

West Briton wrote: »

1970 in North London.. an absolute thundering bth called appropriately enough Miss L'Estrange. Being England there was also a really lovely middle aged lady who was the Classroom Assistant or the "Welfare Lady" as she was called.

It was a curious mixture of the teacher being shouty and the other lady giving hugs and encouraging me to draw

A few months later we moved to Ireland. We had a slightly less snotty and much younger woman as our teacher, but I remember thinking "why is there only one girl in the class" - it was a boy with a pudding basin haircut! The Márla, all the named colours on a hand drawn chart and lots of Ladybird books meant that school was interesting and I never got upset going.

Interesting to hear an english experience:). Ladybird books ftw.
I had a playmate with a blonde pudding bowl haircut who I thought was a girl. I even knew his name was Thomas but still thought he was a girl. I only found out after about a year what he was when I asked him why he always wore trousers:o.. he looked at me in tearful horror and said 'I'm a boy!!'

bullets

I'm 33 years old soon to be 34.
I remember Playschool and also my first day of Primary School.

Playschool I remember the name of the minder/teacher still.

I remember getting into a fight over a silver cowboy cap gun.

I remember we used to play on swings and they were the best swings as they were anchored in concrete (unlike other swings where the supporting legs were only in earth)

At lunch time we used to get a plastic Beaker that came in different colours, and get dilutted orange that came from a huge bottle to drink, along with a Rich Tea Biscuit.
Sometimes we would get a treat of some pink or white marshmellows, and the brandname was Princess I think.

My First day in Primary school was horrible.

I was never told what was going on or where I was going.

I was not aware I was going to be left there for the day.

I remember thinking the teacher was a Witch or evil.

I remember crying and screaming and I would not let go of my mothers hand and being dragged away from her.

I remember seeing a piece of cardboard folded in half with each pupils name on it indicating where we say.

I remember it was Junior Infents and the classroom door was red, Senior Infents had a yellow door.

I remember a fat kid (rare back then to have someone overweight) who's older brother used to come in from senior infants to bully the junior infants. (He always had a green snotty nose)

I also remember for some reason (I never knew why) that the same older brother died for some reason and everyone being sad for the younger brother.

I remember even at such a young age liking a girl called Susan, and the following year having a crush on a girl called Emma all the way up until 6th class where she went away with another class mate kissing him up a field and I was devastated.

I remember being forced to wear a dufful(spelling) coat with weird horn like buttons, navy in colour with the most uncomfortable hood.
To top it all off, I was forced to wear Mittens! with elastic cord that went from one mitten up the sleeves around the back of my coat and down
the other sleeve to the other hand so they would not get lost.

I remember being transported to school via the child seat of my mothers bi-cycle (She has the same bike today!!!)

I also remember getting a slagging for being slightly spoiled and I was very very embarrassed.
My mother would not give me a packed Lunch instead she would travel to the school at lucht time and give me
my packed lunch there and then and watch me eat it and give me treats like a choclate bar.

I remember several times in my first year of school getting into fights and leaving the school grounds trying to walk home.
The Head master used to come after me once they realised I was gone and drive up the road in his Volkswagon Beatle car.
I was always confused that the engine was in the back of the car instead of the front.
~B

Rainbow_brite

I was made stay in the lunchroom while everyone else was left out to play. I didn't like eating the crusts on sandwiches at the time, my mum forgot to cut them off and the lunchroom lady was not happy when I threw them in the bin... I decided to go home for my lunch for the rest of primary school then

lil'bug

my ma didn't bother to wake me up for my first day of school so i missed it.
i was sad because they took class photo's and i was the only one left out

1967

The reason i remember my first day is i started on my 4th birthday, could not believe there was no party for me when i got home after my second day in school.

irish1967

1967 wrote: »

The reason i remember my first day is i started on my 4th birthday, could not believe there was no party for me when i got home after my second day in school.

Going by your name I think we started in the same year

pearliefan

I was Really looking forward to it... and then it came to the day... and about fifteen minutes before we had to leave the house I cracked. Burst into tears and could. not. stop. !!
When I got to school I was still crying. I was told my friends from playschool were there...and I cried...Then my parents had to leave... and I cried! I was told that they were going to drive down to the end of the road and then back for me...
I think I was still crying but less at that stage... then I was introduced to the toys and there was a bus which you could put little people inside .... that was cool.... after that I can't remember :pac:

deisemum

I'll never forget my first day at school back in 1968. It was very traumatic. No such thing as playschool in my area back then so it was a big shock starting school and then having to endure 7 years of violence from the 2 teachers.

I can clearly remember clinging on to the door frame of the classroom screaming at my dad not to leave me. Nearly all the children were screaming.

Ann22

deisemum wrote: »

I'll never forget my first day at school back in 1968. It was very traumatic. No such thing as playschool in my area back then so it was a big shock starting school and then having to endure 7 years of violence from the 2 teachers.

I can clearly remember clinging on to the door frame of the classroom screaming at my dad not to leave me. Nearly all the children were screaming.

Jesus! '7yrs of violence?':( I started in '74. Only one of my teachers hit us..We had her in 1st and 2nd class, she would hit us on the palm of the hand with a ruler. I used to pull my hand away at the last minute but she used to work herself up into a temper and she'd hit much harder next time round.

She also would hit you on the knuckles with her pen when she was leaning over you correcting your work. I discovered towards the end of the time with her that if I sat on my hands, she wouldn't hit me. She'd be looking around for one of my hands and if she didn't see it she'd just rap the table. I think I got off easy enough compared to the abuse some other kids endured.:(

deisemum

For those old enough to remember Fios Fasa (sp?) one of the nuns in secondary school knew how to use it as a weapon.

Posy

I don't remember much but I know I was delighted. I'd been asking if if was time to start school yet for months. (damn, I was a fool.)
I remember being quite excited, getting to play with mala and laughing at the boys in the class crying thinking they were wimps- and telling them so.

At the end of the day I told my parents that there was a boy in my class called Onion and what an unusual name it was. They were skeptical but I was adamant that was his name. (It turned out to be actually Ian and to this day if someone is called Ian my mother will snigger "hehe, Onion" under her breath.)

Incidentally, my teacher for the first three years of school was horrible. She was a thin woman with bright red hair and a temper. She shouted a lot. That's all I remember about her.

Posy

Terrible that some pupils had to endure violence.
School is hard enough without going through that. My teacher was mean and would shove you sometimes but never hit you. (although our principle was a nun and she'd whack you on the back of the hand with a ruler. :rolleyes:)

DelBoycie

I was balling crying on my first day. Didn't want to be there at all.

LPI

I remember being very excited. I remember there was my mother and two older brothers and older neighbours walking up the road to the school at the time and I ran on ahead. Had no tears when was there. Had a lovely teacher for the two days was there in June. We got to play with Mala and remember being given a box of toys that contained little dinky cars, or bits of lego and all that sort of stuff. I remember a girl, who was later to be my partner in crime for the rest of Primary school, smiling at me as I turned around to gawk at who else was there. I didn't smile back, just turned away all scared. I remember a girl who was in First Class come over and try to take my toys away saying they weren't for me. Never liked her after that. Hated the teacher had in September onwards and for 3 years. She used to hit us and roar at us. She was an absolute **** And this was back in '92 to '95 when all that was supposedly stopped. Had another teacher from '98 to '00 and she used belt us around the place as well. Maths used to be a torturous time for the class, or correcting them rather (this was done maybe once a month) because if you didn't know your maths, you were in for it big time Meet the woman regularly and strangely enough, get on with her. Suppose I got off lighter than others cause was 'very bright'. Mad to think that kinda thing still went on then.

Thomas828

I don't remember my first day at primary school. But I must have really liked it because I do remember asking my mum after I'd been brought home that afternoon when could I go back to school. This was in September 1976.

Robin Wren

First day at secondary school I tripped and fell in the canteen
dinner everywhere and a 500 pupil cheer
oh the joy

IvyTheTerrible

I remember it really well. I can even remember the little outfit I was wearing (the school was new and hadn't picked a uniform yet). I remember before I went, my mum took a photo of me with my school bag and my sister was so jealous that I got to go to big school!

When I got to school, my mum wanted to come in with me but I said NO because I was a big girl and and could go into school by MYSELF (I never cried going to school!).

I remember the teacher was lovely and one of the boys fell asleep in the corner holding on to one of those black and white panda teddies.

Dave H

Excellent thread
Some of the details are a bit sketchy but there's a fair few things that stick out. I remember seeing loads of the kids crying when their parents were leaving and thinking,pfft, what are yis like, then when it came my 'oul fella leaving I was like aaggghhh!!!! But instead of comforting me like the rest of the kids' parents, himself told me to cop meself on,and that I was a big boy now.Yer a legend Da,love ya haha.
When I got into the classroom and we started trying to draw and all that (at this point my Grandfather had already taught me how to read fairly okay,and how to write a little bit,just small bits & pieces), then the teacher came over to me and and spotted me using the pencil/crayon/whatever in my left hand.Then she drew a black circle on my right hand with marker and that was the hand I was supposed to write with from now on. Needless to say when I went home and my mother saw this (who is lefthanded aswell and had the same treatment in school over this,but in the 50's) she hit the roof.Which led to the almighty bo11icking she gave the teacher the next day over it in front of the whole class,which is why my second day sticks out more in my memory haha.

Pretty_Pistol

I really cannot remember my actual first day of primary school. Maybe I've blocked it out for being too traumatic. I didn't like it when my Mammy left me there.

I do remember going in with my Mam to have an interview/ chat type thing with my teacher when I was still in playschool.

I preferred playschool. They gave you diluted orange juice and a digestive biscuit for slapping a bit of paint on some paper.

Thomas828

Dave H wrote: »

Excellent thread
Some of the details are a bit sketchy but there's a fair few things that stick out. I remember seeing loads of the kids crying when their parents were leaving and thinking,pfft, what are yis like, then when it came my 'oul fella leaving I was like aaggghhh!!!! But instead of comforting me like the rest of the kids' parents, himself told me to cop meself on,and that I was a big boy now.Yer a legend Da,love ya haha.
When I got into the classroom and we started trying to draw and all that (at this point my Grandfather had already taught me how to read fairly okay,and how to write a little bit,just small bits & pieces), then the teacher came over to me and and spotted me using the pencil/crayon/whatever in my left hand.Then she drew a black circle on my right hand with marker and that was the hand I was supposed to write with from now on. Needless to say when I went home and my mother saw this (who is lefthanded aswell and had the same treatment in school over this,but in the 50's) she hit the roof.Which led to the almighty bo11icking she gave the teacher the next day over it in front of the whole class,which is why my second day sticks out more in my memory haha.

Your mother is a legend!!!

deisemum

Dave H wrote: »

Excellent thread
Some of the details are a bit sketchy but there's a fair few things that stick out. I remember seeing loads of the kids crying when their parents were leaving and thinking,pfft, what are yis like, then when it came my 'oul fella leaving I was like aaggghhh!!!! But instead of comforting me like the rest of the kids' parents, himself told me to cop meself on,and that I was a big boy now.Yer a legend Da,love ya haha.
When I got into the classroom and we started trying to draw and all that (at this point my Grandfather had already taught me how to read fairly okay,and how to write a little bit,just small bits & pieces), then the teacher came over to me and and spotted me using the pencil/crayon/whatever in my left hand.Then she drew a black circle on my right hand with marker and that was the hand I was supposed to write with from now on. Needless to say when I went home and my mother saw this (who is lefthanded aswell and had the same treatment in school over this,but in the 50's) she hit the roof.Which led to the almighty bo11icking she gave the teacher the next day over it in front of the whole class,which is why my second day sticks out more in my memory haha.

Well done your mum, that's the sort of thing that pupils never forget. My husband clearly remember a teacher hitting a class mate and the next day the boy's mother came in with the sweeping brush and flaked the teacher round the room.

The sweeping brush must have been a mother's weapon of choice back then because my brother-in-law's mother did the same thing. :D:D

It worked as those pupils and their siblings were never hit again.

rainbowtrout

September 1983, I remember it well. There were 43 in my class, god help the poor teacher, and we complain about class sizes now. Mam brought me to school and the teacher who was lovely, brought me to a round table. She had all our names on pieces of card, so when we sat down she taped it to the desk in front of us. I wasn't a bit bothered about mam leaving, we were left colouring. There was 5 at my table including me. I knew the other three girls already, and the four of us got a great kick out of laughing when the teacher brought the fifth child to the table, a boy called Colin, who had to sit with all the girls for that year. Poor Colin

i remember at some point in that year in junior infants our teacher was out sick for a few days as she'd 'lost her voice'. Us poor 4 and 5 year olds couldn't figure out how a person could lose a voice, where you could lose it and how she was going to get it back!

Remember music in junior infants consisted of us all being given a triangle to hit. It was a bit crap really. There was one tambourine and it was always given to a girl called Fiona because her dad was a musician. The class were generally aggrieved at the fact that none of us ever got to rattle the tambourine!

StormWarrior

I have one memory of my first day at school, which was in 1987. All of us in that class were lined up really tightly, being jostled and squashed together, and wearing our uniforms. I was looking around at my mum and very unimpressed that I was being squashed. That's pretty much my only memory of that first day.

My sister startd school in about 1990 or 1991, and she was really fat then. During the first holiday she put on even more weight, so that when she went back in the new term she couldn't reach to wipe her own bum. The teacher asked her what had happened in the holiday to cause this. She said, "Did your bum get bigger or your arms get shorter?" From then on, someone would always have to wipe her bum for her (she was about 5 years old.) One day she was on the toilet, and had finished, but there was no-one around to help her. After a while she heard someone walk past and tentatively called out, "Who's there?"

It was her friend's older sister, who was then lumbered with the job of wiping her bum. 20 years later the friend's sister still complains about that. She said it was the smelliest and most disgusting job she ever had to do.

ghost_ie

Don't remember my first day at school but I do remember my brother's first week there in 1960. He cried solidly for the week and I was taken out of class every day to comfort him. I remember thinking what was he crying about as he got off school at 1pm and could go home and see "Watch with Mother" on the tv while I'd just gone into first class and had to stay in school til 2.30pm.

One thing I remember about my first year at school was making doll's chests of drawers out of matchboxes glued together. And making models out of pipe cleaners.