Is this now normal 8/9 year old girl behaviour?

We have had the unkindness since about year 3, school have favourites and it really shows. Year 6 has not been fun so far!

Not so much the obsessions with fashion/beauty but having observed 2 year groups definitely influenced by those with older siblings.

Year 4 was a bad year for my daughter. Her best friend since nursery dropped her like a hot brick and the meanness levels of the whole group.of girls in her class ramped up. It was the second year of COVID lockdowns and we had situations where the girls who were in school (key worker children) were being very cliquey towards the girls who weren't in school and my daughter was really affected by it. She came out the other side and she's a happy, well adjusted y8 now but I wouldn't go through y4 again for anything, definitely the worst year of her school life so far.

Used to work in a school and yes there are some girls who were like this. There are also some lovely girls.
Unfortunately they get worst in years 5&6 as the hormones hit, highly recommend you don’t get your dd a mobile phone until year 7.

the nastiness is very common at year 4 and is even worse in year 5 in my experience and that of my teacher friends. The make up and skin care business - less so and agree it’s far too young and not so normal

Your school unfortunately I think - mine is Year 4 so they’re all 8/9 - mine likes Roblox and lol dolls and would never wear a crop top outside of boiling weather, and she doesn’t stick out. Definitely no Sephora talk either

Not normal in DCs class. I was watching them come out today though and thinking how a few (minority) of the girls looked so grown up with make up etc and have heard from another mum about how her son was finding some of the girls more annoying as there always seemed to be drama so guess it maybe isn't that unusual but you are just unlucky to have a majority of them

Happily not in our case - or at least if it is it goes over my DD's head! I guess there's always been an element of this sort of behaviour but I bet it won't be all the girls- are there some nicer ones your DD could pal up with to get away from the drama?