It’s that Margate Time of Year Again!

14 Jun 2017 64 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: , , , , , ,

As a nursery teacher, it is not actually easy to get out with your class.

By out, I don’t mean in the playground, but being able to actually leave the premises with the children.

The health and safety checks are to blame. The adult to child ratios are so high that we would leave the rest of the school understaffed!

So, instead, once a year, we arrange a trip to the seaside, to coincide with our Seaside topic. And we insist invite the parents, and extended family or siblings, to come. There is a little price for them to pay, but for the sake of a tenner, what a great way to spend quality time with your child, and their families!

Margate is our beach of choice. (And to prove it, click here for a post from a couple of years ago!)

Now, it’s not the most prosperous of places. There has been a revival of the local amusement park, Dreamland, which took a short while to dive bomb back into debt… and last year, I experienced my first real Brexit-fuelled racism there too! (If you want to read about that click here!)

But, seriously, Margate has the most stunning beaches!

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Obligatory Beach Selfie!

The weather has been rather iffy the last week of so, but the God of Nursery visits was looking down on us as he always does, and we were blessed with a glorious day!

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Check out that blue sky! Yes, that is in the UK!

When we alighted the train, the sign reminded us where we were.

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And as we meandered in an 80-strong convoy, adult and child alike, laden down with bags stuffed with beachy things, there was some interesting graffiti on some of the closed down shop shutters.

You could see the ill-fated Dreamland tower too…

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What a Dream!

There was a mini group of stones embedded in the pavement as we walked to the beach, with inscriptions carved on them.

Then came the beach.. and the view… now bear in mind these photos have not been edited…

Is that really in the UK?!

What a beautiful sight! And the weather was wonderful. A slight breeze to stop the children (and us) from overheating, but no wind to kick up a sand storm!

There were beach rules to adhere to, which were also announced on a tannoy every couple of hours.

The water was pretty warm too so we managed a little bit of paddling, my charge and I. (Some children are unable to come with parents because of work commitments, so they get one of the staff as a surrogate mum/grandmum for the day!)

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Happy to eat seaweed.. not so happy to wade through it, but hey ho!

And you can’t come to the seaside without eating chips and ice cream! (Not together obviously!) I would say fish too but it was a Tuesday and we have a ‘thing’ in my in-law’s family about no meat/alcohol on a Tuesday.. don’t ask!)

And I can’t forget the seagulls who came to visit regularly, knowing food was in the offing… not by human choice obviously! They managed to eat a whole portion of someone’s chips!

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It was a marvellous day out. The children loved the travel on the train with their friends, and on the journey back they were exhausted but happy. What more could I ask?

P.S. Sorry His Geoffleship, I did say I would try and recreate the Weston Sand sculptures you had written about, but what with running around after abandoned kids, when parents went to get food/coffee/take advantage of free babysitters we wished us staff had eight tentacles like octopii to hold them down, or stop then from straying too far!

64 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. robbiesinspiration
    Jun 18, 2017 @ 12:56:43

    Now that looks like a proper beach with sand. Divine, Ritu. We have a Margate beach here in South Africa too. It also has a lovely beach.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. Rae Longest
    Jun 17, 2017 @ 23:27:21

    Looks like fun!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Traci York
    Jun 15, 2017 @ 16:18:31

    Gorgeous shots, Ritu! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Anna
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 20:28:55

    What a beautiful place! The stones are awesome 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. willowdot21
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 17:39:59

    Lovely post, Sis yesterday was a glorious day and believe it or today is even better! I don’t envy you with all those little darlings you not only need tenticales but also six sets of eyes! Lovely photos 💜💝🤗

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  6. Lorna
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 16:22:44

    I’m looking forward to field trips, ha! Isla starts proper nursery in August. I’m kinda not ready, but she is. Hope she gets a teacher like you!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  7. Jennie
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 14:22:29

    Wonderful, Ritu!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Ritu
      Jun 14, 2017 @ 17:08:55

      Thanks Jennie! Hope you’re well xx

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      • Jennie
        Jun 15, 2017 @ 02:02:55

        I am well, Ritu. Last week of school, and a mixed blessing. Very sad to say goodbye to these wonderful children, yet so ready to plunge into adult reading. Yellow Hair, by Andrew Joyce and Maledicus, by Charles French are two books burning a hole to be read! Best to you!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Ritu
        Jun 15, 2017 @ 07:35:13

        Lucky you though! We still have 5 weeks stretching ahead before the summer holidays!!! My planning is to read, yes, but to really write as well!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jennie
        Jun 15, 2017 @ 12:15:12

        My assistant teacher is from England (Sheffield) and she tells me that schools have little time off in the summer- less than a month, but many breaks throughout the year. I’m not sure I would like that. American kids loose a bit academically over the summer, and teachers have to do review work and catch-up in September.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Ritu
        Jun 15, 2017 @ 12:39:19

        Yeah we have 6 weeks in the summer two at Christmas and at Easter and one week each in October February and may xxx

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Rajiv
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 14:15:40

    With Margarita?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  9. syl65
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 14:06:00

    I’m happy the visit turned out well Sister and of course a good ice cream cone brings a smile!! 😊

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  10. TanGental
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 12:34:46

    youre forgiven; fab blue sky

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Lisa A.
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 12:23:40

    Nice pics, Ritu! I really like the street art and that ice cream cone! Sorry about your past experience there! Geez! I don’t think I’d read about it before.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  12. Erika Kind
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 09:58:22

    That sounds like such a beautiful trip and day. And for once no incidents. What a great week you have (just thought of the BB award too!!) And… I don’t ask…. lol!!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. Osyth
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 07:58:59

    Oh I do like to be beside the seaside! Love those stones. There is no-where like Britain on a sunny day on a beach. No-where on earth.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  14. April Munday
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 07:49:19

    I’ve only been to Margate once and it was more than twenty years ago, but I remember that it was a glorious day and the beach was lovely.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  15. Sue Vincent
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 05:56:00

    Margate…. I got stung by a jellyfish in Margate … 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  16. Jools
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 05:41:43

    A great ‘big up’ for Margate, a place I enjoy too, despite its. downbeat side. For adults, there are great eateries, eclectic shopping and crafts, and of course, the Turner Gallery. A hidden gem, definitely on the way up from its more tawdry last few decades.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  17. aka Cibo the Anti-Pasti Poet
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 05:41:43

    I wouldn’t eat ‘that’ seaweed! G:)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  18. pranabaxom
    Jun 14, 2017 @ 05:31:32

    Somebody eating icecream and fries! What happened to healthy food mantra.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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