Dear teachers, our heartfelt thanks for everything you give us every day: your smiles, your warm embraces, your unconditional support, the knowledge you share and the confidence you have in us.
On Teachers' Day it is worth saying why all of that weighs so much. A child in year one does not only learn letters; they also learn whether school is a place where they feel safe. And the answer to that question is given, for the most part, by a single person — the one who greets them in the morning.
The unconditional support we speak of does not mean high marks. It means an adult who stays calm when a child does not understand for the third time, who finds another way to explain, and who never lets a pupil come to believe they cannot do it. That is where later confidence begins, including confidence in their own abilities.
Our thanks to everyone who does this work with patience and with care. Warmest wishes to you all.