Children across Norfolk have returned to school after their summer break and a year disrupted by Covid.
Excited youngsters donned their uniform and shiny new shoes to go back to the classroom - some starting school for the first time, others having not known anything but lessons under coronavirus measures.
And readers shared their photos of their youngsters heading off to school on our Facebook page.
Most restrictions for pupils have been lifted, with face masks requirements and isolation bubbles gone.
Sarah Shirras, co-chair of Educate Norfolk and headteacher of St William’s Primary School in Thorpe St Andrew, said: “It’s felt like a long summer for many of our families with grey skies above and we know many children are really keen to return to the buzz of school, being with their new teachers in their new classrooms and learning and laughing together again.
“We are all stepping slightly into the unknown as we have done so many times in the last 18 months, but our staff, children and their families have done a great job at dealing with these unknowns. We are looking forward to a successful and happy new school year.”
Some secondary schools and colleges are staggering the start of lessons over this first week to manage Covid testing of students.
Norfolk County Council is in regular touch with all schools and academies offering advice and support on a range of issues including testing, isolation, contact tracing, management of cases and interactions.
Daniel Elmer, deputy cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are anticipating that most children will be returning to a new school year which offers them much more of a normal experience with the resumption for many of after school clubs, music lessons, competitive sport and mixing more freely with other children.
“As we all find ways to live with Covid, we must strike the right balance, taking sensible precautions so that children can continue with their lives and their education.”
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