Knowledge Day, 1 September 2012

The first-year pupils are always the easiest to identify: the uniform is slightly too big, the bag is enormous, and the expression is a careful mixture of pride and alarm.

Somebody older is assigned to look after them for the day, which is a small piece of choreography that teaches the older child something as well.

Then the bell, and everyone goes inside, and the year begins.

Happy Knowledge Day. To the ones starting today: it gets easier, and the bag gets lighter.