Ringing bell will mark a new era

THE bell which rings to mark the start of the school summer holidays is one of the best sounds in any young person’s life.

But that familiar din will take on an extra poignancy for thousands of pupils, parents and staff – past and present – this week as a number of school buildings across the city close for good (see pages 12&13).

For existing pupils, that bell will almost certainly be met with adulation – and thoughts of six lesson-free weeks packed with holidays, days out and hours spent playing outside.

However, it may also bring a tear or two to the eyes of those who grew up or taught within the old walls of these historic institutions.

The biggest thing that bell will represent, though, is progress.

The fact that these pupils will return from their breaks to new buildings brimming with just-out-the-packet furniture and technology is fantastic – and for those who hold a keen interest in their education, it should be the thing that keeps them smiling through the long and sunny summer days.