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AIBU?

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Original poster

To home educate for year six only

116 replies

chocolatefiends · 11/04/2024 15:35

Has anyone else done this? How did it go?

My DC's school has been great for our family so far and our kids are very happy there, but every year all the Year Six kids seem really fed up until their SATS are over. As far as I can tell, all they do, for most of the year, is practice/revise for SATS. Which feels like an awful way to spend a year of your life when you're 10/11.

Should we just take our kids out of school for Year Six and home educate them? Then let them start Year Seven in secondary school as normal.

What might the pros and cons of this be?

Thanks in advance.

YANBU: home educate for Yr 6
YABU: keep them in school for Yr 6

OP posts:
Petrarkanian · 11/04/2024 15:55

At my daughters secondary they do exams and tests every couple of weeks, it is an exam factory. What will the secondary be like that they will go to?
Year 6 is hard but they do have fun after and they get to be the biggest in the school. I remember that feeling.

Original poster
chocolatefiends · 11/04/2024 15:54

mynameiscalypso · 11/04/2024 15:48

I may be weird but I loved doing SATs when I was in Year 6 but I am one of those people who has always loved doing exams

😂

OP posts:
Original poster
chocolatefiends · 11/04/2024 15:52

FunLurker · 11/04/2024 15:51

I think it also helps them with friendships, going into year 7 is a big deal for a lot of kids, in my experience it helps having friend going through it with you

Yes, that's my main concern. I do think we could keep up the main friendships of my eldest even if we pulled them out. Not sure about the youngest yet.

OP posts:
Foxesandsquirrels · 11/04/2024 15:52

I don't know. I think half the fun is the fact they actually appreciate it after a hard year. Yes it's a lot and it's questionable but lots of kids make masses of academic progress in the sats prep. The lesson is delayed gratification and the discipline involved in the academic push, plus the experience of seeing your results after lots of studying is invaluable and I think the cohorts that didn't have this are really struggling in all those areas.

Rosesanddaisies1 · 11/04/2024 15:52

Cadela · 11/04/2024 15:49

Are you going to take them out of school for all exams?

SATs are pants, but it’s good prep for GCSE year, which comes around very fast.

You can’t take your children out of school to limit a bit of stress, any time they don’t want to do something they’ll think well it’s ok mum will sort it out. Not how your raise capable adults!

Edited

This. And they should do things to prepare for secondary school which he'll miss out on, including having friends to go with. And loads of fun stuff once SATS are over. I actually remember loving Y6. i think it's the worst year to home school.

Original poster
chocolatefiends · 11/04/2024 15:52

TheWonderhorse · 11/04/2024 15:48

In Wales here so probably different but Year 6 is brilliant. They do so many things through the year. Plus the school arrange bridging sessions to secondary schools. If I were to home school at any point, Year 6 would be the last year I'd pick.

That's true. I really benefitted from visits to my secondary that were organised by my primary.

OP posts:
FunLurker · 11/04/2024 15:51

I think it also helps them with friendships, going into year 7 is a big deal for a lot of kids, in my experience it helps having friend going through it with you

Original poster
chocolatefiends · 11/04/2024 15:51

WASZPy · 11/04/2024 15:48

I think it depends a bit on the message your DC will take away from it. If they subconsciously absorb the idea that preparing for and sitting exams is too much for them in some way, will that resurface at the start of Year 11?

If you don't think they would take it that way, then fine, because Y6 is frankly shit in some schools.

Ooh, yes. I hadn't thought about that possibly being the take-away message for my DCs. I guess that could need some careful handling/communicating with them that that's not what we think ( I think one of my DCs could handle exams fine, I just don't think they need to spend most of a school focused on exams at age 10/11).

Thank you.

OP posts:
DelurkingAJ · 11/04/2024 15:49

Depends on your DC. DS1 is thoroughly enjoying Y6 because the SATS mean that his class is actually focused for the first time in years…

Cadela · 11/04/2024 15:49

Are you going to take them out of school for all exams?

SATs are pants, but it’s good prep for GCSE year, which comes around very fast.

You can’t take your children out of school to limit a bit of stress, any time they don’t want to do something they’ll think well it’s ok mum will sort it out. Not how your raise capable adults!

mynameiscalypso · 11/04/2024 15:48

I may be weird but I loved doing SATs when I was in Year 6 but I am one of those people who has always loved doing exams

TheWonderhorse · 11/04/2024 15:48

In Wales here so probably different but Year 6 is brilliant. They do so many things through the year. Plus the school arrange bridging sessions to secondary schools. If I were to home school at any point, Year 6 would be the last year I'd pick.

BoohooWoohoo · 11/04/2024 15:48

Our primary was a feeder school for secondary entry.

After SATS there were lots of leaver’s activities like the residential.

Overall I agree that year 6 sucks because of SATS and fun learning like art being delayed until after tests.

WASZPy · 11/04/2024 15:48

I think it depends a bit on the message your DC will take away from it. If they subconsciously absorb the idea that preparing for and sitting exams is too much for them in some way, will that resurface at the start of Year 11?

If you don't think they would take it that way, then fine, because Y6 is frankly shit in some schools.

Original poster
chocolatefiends · 11/04/2024 15:47

That's a good point re the feeder school criteria. I'll check that.

Yeah, the schools does top and tail Yr 6 with fun stuff (in September and then after the SATs are over). but it seems like there's a lot of misery to get through in-between!

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 11/04/2024 15:42

Talk to them. My current Yr6 child hates the SATs stuff... but they've done lots of fun stuff too. Plus the upcoming excitement of the residential trip, school play, leavers disco etc.

Also check you don't have feeder school criteria for Secondary

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