A Whole New World

It's been a cool and drizzly day, but what a fine week I've had working at Eaton House Belgravia.

The school, steeped in tradition, is filled to the brim with kind and dynamic staff, and eager, bright eyed and well mannered students, dressed in caps and ties.

At this time of the year, it's sheer madness around the place- exams, cricket matches, golf games where Eaton House versus the Manor House, and lunch times are spent at either Battersea or Hyde Park- as you can imagine, it's quite the experience.

I spend my days running up and down the stone stair cases, from class to class, sneaking a cup of Earl Grey tea when I can, or stopping to look out over the Thames and the Houses of Parliament from the windows at the top of our school building. It's a far cry from from the humble halls of the Tolworth Nursery school...

We meet every morning at ten past nine, for a whole school assembly in the hall, where the Head of the music department plays on a baby grand piano- hymns are sung, prayers are said, poetry is recited and general 'house keeping' is attended to. In stark contrast to the Headmistress I likened to Maisie's (in Uncle Buck), Miss Lucy is full of praise- so many "Brilliant, gentlemen, brilliant!", as she wipes away a tear of joy when the boys have finished singing or reciting or just being boys- and in light of all this encouragement, the boys at Eaton are thriving!

On the morning of my birthday, I arrived at Eaton House, without breathing a word that it was in fact my birthday, and went off to a special assembly for Miss Sarah, who I was replacing, as she was leaving the school and moving up to the north of England. The head of the music department had organised for a singing-round to be performed in her honour- he started to play away, and asked the students and teachers to start a melodious chant that went something like "boom-bi-da, boom-bi-da, boom-bi-da, boom!", and then the junior choir stood up and began to sing a song about tree tops and daffodils, keeping perfect time, and harmonising beautifully. When they had finished, applause erupted throughout the hall, and Miss Sarah (and many other members of the staff) wept and wept. Then the senior choir stood up, behind Miss Lucy's podium and sang (with the words adjusted to farewell Miss Sarah) Leonard Cohen's (or some may know it as Jeff Buckley's) 'Hallelujah'. It was spell binding! I'm not sure I've ever heard young children sing so magnificently- and when they had finished, the entire school stood up, giving them a standing ovation and endless rounds of applause!

By the following day, the assistant Headmistress, Miss Annabel had found out that I hadn't told anyone it was my birthday (I'd had to hand in a next of kin form, stating my birthday), and told me I should've made a fuss, and that birthdays are a huge deal at Eaton House. So, at assembly that Wednesday, when the general business was complete, Miss Annabel announced, "Our new member of staff Miss Angela was rather cheeky yesterday, and didn't tell us that is was her birthday!" The whole school turned and looked at me and I would have happily suck into the floor boards, "So gentlemen..." she continued "Who can tell Miss Angela what we do at Eaton House when a teacher celebrates their birthday?", and from the boys came a loud chorus of "SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" All of the boys turned themselves in my direction, the junior and senior choir stood up in their positions, and the pianist started up a rather elaborate version of the Happy Birthday tune. Although it was a day late, it was the most incredible "Happy Birthday" that has ever been sung to me, and I was the happiest lass in the world!

That same day, a parent who owns a hotel in Chelsea- our neighbouring suburb-decided to bring in a stem of a yellow orchid for each member of staff, and on Fridays (as I found out today)- the staff are given a gift- today it was a basket of exotic fruit! Aside from having breakfast and lunch catered for each day by an in house chef (for both the staff and students...no beans or cheap ham in sight!), and a social once a month where limitless cocktails are provided, it's the students at Eaton House that make it such a pleasant place to be- "Miss Angela, you do look beautiful in that coat today!" ,"Miss Angela, may I go to the loo?" ,"Miss Angela, have you seen this episode of Tin Tin? It's simply scandalous!"- but I suppose the world is all sunshine and lollipops when you've got it this good.