Happy Easter

27th March 2026

This time last week we were celebrating Eid al-Fitr. Today we can take the opportunity to celebrate the end of the spring term. And we can look forward to celebrating Easter, in the coming days.

Whatever we might expect, as we return from the New Year celebrations and move into the spring term, there can be something of a feeling of disappointment. After the December holiday we break the back of the shorter days but often face some very tricky weather patterns – on the best of days. For those of us who have been working in schools and colleges for some time, we know that January, through February and into late March can be something of a drag. We’ve had some better days with the weather recently, which has helped, but we do run through a period when the weather can be poor, it’s still cold and dark and the natural excitement of some of those Autumnal and Christmas celebrations and events are very much in the past and only memories. At least this year, although it was very wet, we avoided the significant dumps of snow that we can experience. But here we are and it’s a certainty that things do change very quickly after the Easter break. It will feel like spring time for sure and, on occasions, might even feel like we’re moving into summer.

And we’ve got Easter to look forward to. Whatever your views on Lent and Easter, whether you are someone who sees the religious significance or not, we do respect that for many Christians it is a period of significant reflection throughout the world. In fact, it’s the most important (Christian) religious period of the year. Even if you don’t have that deep faith, you will enjoy some of what Easter has to bring. Easter is about renewal and rebirth. It’s about welcoming spring time back (to the northern hemisphere) and celebrating renewal. The buds have returned to the trees, the birds are returning from their winter travels, the world is waking up somewhat. With that comes a feeling of new opportunities, new possibilities and the chance of personal change.

That’s great, and it comes at the right time for many of us working in our schools and college. Our children and young people can return after the Easter break, not only rejuvenated, but with a fresh vigour. Some will return with a renewed view that this could be their time. It might be the upcoming SATs or exams that do that, but there will be some children and young people who, when we see them again, will look and sound very different. We should embrace that and give them every opportunity to become their ‘new me’.

‘People respond when you tell them there is a great future in front of you, you can leave your past behind.’ Joel Osteen

‘In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.’ Mark Twain

‘Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’’ Robin Williams