It is grand to see the children from Christopher Rawlins (C of E) Primary school parading through the village to visit the library or the church so regularly.  If it helps them to learn to love reading and to respect our religious heritage it has to be excellent.

However, I do struggle to see the little kids all dressed up in those hideously bright yellow high-visibility jackets, not to mention their accompanying school masters and mistresses.  The school has a super and very smart uniform in an attractive deep blue that is quite noticeable in bulk and much more attractive than the bilious yellow.  So, why, oh why do they all get kitted out in high visibility jackets to walk in a crocodile from the school into the village and back?  They are carefully escorted across the main road while the traffic lights hold back the traffic and they are kept close together as they navigate the pavements between school and their destination.  When the same children arrive at the school with their parent or when they leave, they are there in similar numbers and milling around in a much less controlled manner but they do not wear yellow jackets.  I doubt they wear yellow jackets when they go to the supermarket with their parents or to the bowling alley or KFC? I suspect this is ‘elf & safety gone just a bit barking mad and I think they would be just as safe and a much more pleasing sight if they formed up in their crocodile in their blue uniforms.  I fear some county council jobs-worth has issued an edict instructing the headmaster to kit out his kids in yellow jackets which, I suspect, the school has had to  buy.  Better the money had been spent on some books for the kids.