We all know about, and may have experienced, the effects of the volcano in Iceland which erupted in April, stranding people all over the world. I was lucky enough, or unlucky, which ever way you choose to look at it, to have missed out on being stuck in a foreign country. However, the ash cloud caused problems for those at home too.

One obvious problem was the lack of teachers due to the ash cloud. With fast approaching exams and courses still unfinished, missing teachers were a big problem. There were several teachers stranded in other countries for times ranging from a day to a week. For the lower school, missing a maths lesson was a brilliant thing, especially as most of them didn’t even have to come into school because of the missing teachers. However, for year 10’s and 11’s, one science lesson is too many to miss when you are mere weeks away from your exams.

Also, though it wasn’t a problem as such, when your friends are missing from school you notice the change. You realise how natural your friends are to your environment, especially when you’re halfway down the corridor to their classroom before you remember that they’re not here.

Then again, some might have been grateful for the few days of peace and quiet; especially having a school near Heathrow airport, but in my opinion the silence was uncomfortable and unnatural and I hope we get no future eruptions.