Totally OTT primary school 'leavers' celebrations

[irritatedandhotandsweaty]

Am I a crap mother because I really don't see this as an amazing achievement?

I just feel like for the last two weeks the whole class have been totally hyped up and there's been far too much talk of 'their journey' and 'being soooo emotional' and all of this nonsense of the prom. Thankfully we could afford it but it was ludicrous! Some of the girls had full make up and tans.

I think it's a lovely thing in secondary school but absolutely not in P7.

You’re right, it’s ridiculous. DS’s class are going to the beach for the day as a class. That’s it, and it’s plenty.

I’m my mothers daughter, she thought my P7 leavers certificate and pencil saying Class of 97 was a ‘bit much’, so I’m with you. Got a couple of years before I need to sit through one thankfully.

I mean, there's even bonkers graduation from nursery/pre school, so I'm not surprised it's tipped over into year 6. Ridiculous I think

A beach day sounds lovely. My DD would have been really happy with that.

I am actually sad that we didn't get a certificate.

I feel like it's teaching kids to be OTT about things in general, have really high expectations of everything that's part of normal life, and then feel so disappointed when things go wrong? Does that make sense. Like the stakes are constantly high. Not explaining myself well

Last year DD had...
Trip to Alton Towers
Camp out (but they didn't get a residential due to Covid)
Prom
Leavers Hoody
Year book
Leavers Assembly

Then in September... 59/61 started at the same secondary school 😂Its not like they never saw each other again.

I disagree. It's a huge life change to move from primary to secondary school and transitions like that should be marked.

My DDs school are having a party in the park with ice creams paid for by the head but everything else donated by parents 😅

59/61 started at the same secondary school!

Yes, exactly!

Regardless of whether they are going to the same secondary school as the majority of their peers (and some will not), they have spent 7 years in the same school. The majority of their life. It's their community.

And secondary is very different to primary.

Yes it’s cracked.

Secondary school is entirely different because the experience you have with friends there is quite formative (for good or ill). Primary school most people won’t even remember.

I think assembly and leavers hoodys are fine. The proms and make up/Limo's are OTT for that age in my opinion and would be better going bowling and pizza or something.
They are a bit old for party games and a bit young for just a disco plus it's expensive.

Everything seems more exaggerated these days, trouble is it all then snowballs as people become used to these over the top celebrations. You 'graduate' from nursery (eurgh) so then when you leave primary well that's even more of a big step so that has to be bigger. We had a leavers assembly on the last day and it was lovely and more than enough.

well, i disagree, as i like any opportunity to have a little celebration 😁

Yes it’s the movie-fication of life.

Some of that is fun. But big deal primary proms are nonsense.

It’s not little though, that’s the point PP’s are making.

My DD is getting a hoodie and a leaver's assembly. That's it! So thankful we didn't have any prom nonsense

I think I would have liked it to be more age appropriate and more of a 'we're so looking forward to high school' rather than 'we're all so emosh about leaving!'

My nephew's school gave them all a tie, scientific calculator and certificate which I thought was very nice.

I think even a themed party would have been much more appropriate than the prom. They had table and chairs covered, place settings etc like at a wedding.

I totally agree with you. An hour's disco in the school hall at the end of term is enough for most 10 & 11 year olds. They're still children so cake and a glass of coke is enough.

I totally agree OP. This is only the second year now that our school has done the leavers hoody's so I can see it spiralling. The children finishing primary and heading to secondary had their graduation last week and finished up for the summer after a week of events and ten year old DD can't wait for her turn in two years. Thankfully the preschool my youngest attends is very low key and while they do celebrate those moving on to primary they don't make a circus out of it

Very mixed bag economically in DC’s school but a well to do area and seems to expect celebrations accordingly. P7 June alone;
Leavers shirts £15 - class of 2023 (clearly the hoodies (£28) in January were substantial 🙄).
4 night outward bound trip £260ish plus essential kit.
Pizza party and ice cream paid for by PTA.
Leavers ceremony with new tie (paid for by school), balloon arch & banners (PTA), photo booth, sweetie cones, autograph books and leavers pens (£15per child).
Leavers party after school finishes this week at a local attraction (£22 per child plus adult entry to take them of £12 i think, it’s pay as you arrive) that includes food, cake and more sweets.
Not forgetting the lift for the teacher £10!

How in this financial crisis is that affordable to all or a best use of PTA funds?

Ours get their leavers hoody by the end of September, so wear them for the full final school year. Much nicer, and sets them apart from the rest of the year groups.

All they are doing for end of year is a disco on the last Friday (so a week before the leave) afternoon of school. They do a class assembly every year, so they will do that on the last day of term.

I didn't really get the parents sentimentality about their DC moving to secondary school, but each to their own.

Our school did a play, a pretty awful assembly, hoodies and a year book. I thought the play was great - having spent a year with far too much SATs focus, putting on a play was a good way to unwind, though I would have preferred a balanced experience throughout. My DD is one of the few who didn't move to the nearest secondary, so the year book is nice for her. Hoodie I could live without - i think every school uses the same company, so they all look the same. Nice business to have though.

I was so glad they got outward bound. DD had an absolute ball and it was great for her independence.

Hoodies at the start of the term is a much better idea. I think I'll suggest that for my next 2.