The school year is wrapping up, and with it, Lavinia’s very first year in Reception is coming to an end. It’s hard to believe how much she’s grown – not just physically, but emotionally, socially, and academically.

Back in September, we took a photo of her on her first day of school, proudly standing next to a little board filled with things she loved at the time. This week, we updated the board for her last day – and the comparison is both funny and fascinating. Some favourites stayed the same, others completely changed. It’s a sweet snapshot of how a year can shape even the smallest humans.

To top off her year, Lavinia brought home an absolutely glowing report from her teachers. Honestly, we never imagined how much 4 and 5-year-olds could actually learn in Reception, but now we know. From phonics and reading comprehension to friendships and classroom independence, she has blossomed in ways that still take us by surprise.

And speaking of reading… Lavinia hit an incredible milestone: she read at home more than 300 times this year. As a reward, she was one of only 64 children in the whole school invited to a special reading tea party! A celebration with sweets, juice, treats, and lots of giggles. She came back home beaming with pride (and a little sugar high).

Some school-uniform pictures from January onwards

You can see how much she’s grown in six months!

Gymnastics growth spurts too!

Her growth didn’t stop at school: her gymnastics classes have seen just as much transformation. Earlier this year, Lavinia was moved up to the 6–7-year-old group, a big leap considering she’s still one of the youngest.

At first, she looked like the tiniest one there – and, understandably, struggled a bit more with the more advanced moves and exercises. But being the smallest fish in the pond has paid off beautifully. She’s made incredible progress in a short amount of time, pushing herself to catch up, learning fast, and, as always, making new friends with ease. Watching her keep up (and even shine) in this bigger pond has been so rewarding.

The unexpected that proves Vinnie’s wisdom

But of course, it wouldn’t be a proper school year without something unexpected.

This week, we learned that Lavinia’s year group is being reshuffled for Year 1: the two Reception classes will be completely mixed, and she’ll be placed in a different class than her core group of six best friends. She’s the only one from her core group moving to Ash, while the rest will be in Alden.

I braced for tears, heartbreak, a bit of dramatic collapse, as I would have reacted. But Lavinia surprised us yet again. She didn’t cry. She got angry. Furious, really. She vented around the house, fuming with the injustice of it all. And then… she took out her pens.

She wrote two letters to her teachers.
The first one had a big crossed-out heart with a clear message: “It’s not fair I’m in Ash alone!”
The second was more thoughtful. It asked, kindly and sincerely, why she had been separated from her best friends.

I’ve rarely been prouder of her.

She didn’t just wallow in sadness; she got proactive. She voiced her emotions, got curious, demanded clarity, and looked for answers. That’s more than I managed to do at five. Honestly, more than I often manage now.

Eventually, we learned the reason: Lavinia is one of the few children in her year who connects with everyone. Her teachers knew she could thrive in any setting and felt she could be a friendly, grounding presence in a new group. They trusted her to help create new bonds and make others feel welcome.

And they’re right.

This year, Lavinia has shown us what it means to be brave, kind, and curious. She’s learned to read, to write, to explore the world, but also how to speak up for herself, how to feel big feelings, and how to try to understand the “why” behind life’s changes.

She finishes Reception not just older or taller, but wiser. And we couldn’t be prouder of the person she’s becoming.

Here’s to Year 1, new friends, new adventures, and a little girl who leads with heart, even when it’s hurting.

Some funny pics and videos to wrap up the post!