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Original poster

Parents of Year 6 leavers. How are you feeling?

32 replies

GlitteryGogos · 20/07/2023 05:04

My dd leaves primary school today.

It only seems like yesterday that she was holding on to my coat, not wanting me to leave her on her first day in reception. Now she's as tall as me!

Will be a sad day today as her best friend is moving away during the summer. They will try and stay in contact but it won't be the same.

Dd will cry, I will cry.

How are you all feeling about it?

OP posts:
Upanddownthemerrygoround · 20/07/2023 05:17

Apparently I am Not Allowed to cry. I have three children in three different leaving things over the next two days (nursery, infants, juniors) so you’ll see my upper lip very stiff by the end of tomorrow.

DS is ready for the change and move and I’ve long since reconciled myself to the distinct privilege I have of seeing my children grow up but.. wow… seven years goes fast.

Whattodo121 · 20/07/2023 05:40

I’m leaving a much loved teaching job and DS is leaving his lovely primary school tomorrow so we are full of emotion here! However He is going to the same secondary school as 42 out of the 46 other year 6 students, which is at the end of our road, so it’s not really saying goodbye to people in quite the same way as if they were all off to different schools. I don’t think I’ll cry tomorrow but I may well sob at the leavers service today!

drspouse · 20/07/2023 05:40

My DS is no longer in a mainstream school and is in an all through school which is effectively his fourth primary school. All the parents who said "we'll definitely be friends still, he can come to everyone's parties" at the start of Y3 and "oh yes I'll call you for a playdate" have vanished like the morning dew.
So I'm not really feeling the vibe but I'm still seeing wall to wall Y6 proms and transition days and end of year trips on FB.

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Starsnores · 20/07/2023 06:39

Relieved that after the leavers assembly today I'll never have to walk up or down that bloody hill again!

Setyoufree · 20/07/2023 06:40

Cannot wait! She's so ready to leave and take the next step.

I think it helps that she hasn't been at this school since reception so I'm less attached. I can imagine if you've been going to the same school since nursery or reception it feels like a much bigger thing

PatChaunceysFruitCake · 20/07/2023 06:47

We are both very chilled about it. She's very ready for the change and looking forward to starting at her new school.

DD isn't my last though, I think I will feel more emotional when the 'primary school years' are drawing to a close. I was the same with pre-school, strangely emotional that part of my life was done and behind me.

WinchSparkle80 · 20/07/2023 06:52

My last child at primary school and I cannot wait! I know DS will be super emotional but he is going to same secondary as most of his friends.. it will just be different for him.

No walking up the chuffin hill, no ridiculous coloured school uniform or regular pta stuff and remembering…..all the remembering 😫😂

gingersnappz · 20/07/2023 07:18

I've had 3 DC go through the same primary school so this marks the end of 16 years here for me. I think I would be more sad about it if it wasn't for my youngest being so excited and ready to leave and move on, that it's rubbed off on me!

Dacadactyl · 20/07/2023 07:20

Mixed feelings.

He's ready for high school but the primary school is lovely and nurturing so will be sad to end our relationship there.

Been doing the school run there twice a day for just over a decade, so will be sad to leave.

SallyWD · 20/07/2023 07:27

Mine left last year and I was incredibly emotional about it. It was the end of an era.

reluctantbrit · 20/07/2023 07:33

DD couldn't wait and after an awful 6 months with too much drama about a Yearbook and party I was ready to not see lots of the parents ever again.

DD cried but because she handed over the year's leaving present to the forest school teacher who was also DD's most favourite of them all and was a big part of acknowledging that DD has undiagnosed SEN.

She now finished GCSEs, a lot less tears and as I only met other 2 parents no drama.

FusionChefGeoff · 20/07/2023 07:37

It's been creeping up on me recently - not so much about leaving primary, just the signs that DS is leaving the 'little kid' stage. I am going to miss 'him' so much I've been having the odd cry over his little sleeping body at night.

I'm trying to reframe it and be excited about meeting the 14 year old but I don't have high hopes after reading too many threads in here!!!

Original poster
GlitteryGogos · 20/07/2023 08:27

This probably sounds silly but I've just realised dd has just finished her last school morning breakfast with her siblings.

From September, she would have eaten before they're even awake and leaving the house just after they get up.

They enjoy having breakfast together and I would often hear them laughing about something that happened at school the day before or just chatting about stuff happening that day.

It's silly I know, but I don't like change.

Not long to go now.

OP posts:
EweCee · 20/07/2023 08:35

I thought I'd be absolutely fine.... until we walked to school on the last day, holding hands like we always do, chattering away, singing down the street, and then she gave me a big cuddle at the gate as always and bounded into school with her friends - I realised that that was the last day that would happen like that, and I cried all the way home 😪 Needed a moment to cry for the 'lasts' before I start enjoying, slightly removed, the firsts that she'll now start to have at secondary.

Original poster
GlitteryGogos · 20/07/2023 09:35

@EweCee we just did the last walk to school. I had a lump in my throat the whole way. I watched as dd walked into school and as she went round the corner I burst into tears. I didn't realise another mum was stood behind me and she was in tears too. We both gave each other half a smile.

I have the assembly later so will pack many tissues.

OP posts:
lucysnowe2 · 20/07/2023 14:38

I'm in bits tbh. DC's primary is so brilliant - quiet, small rural school, loads of green space, lovely supportive staff - it's going to be so hard to exchange it for big bad secondary. (Also a lovely school, but so much bigger!) I'm going to miss pick up the most - seeing all the little kids bouncing excitedly towards their grownups is so wholesome! I'm also worried about how DC is going to cope with all the extra things to think about, homework, stuff to remember to bring etc. They seem unfazed however and have been counting the days since the beginning of term!

TakeMyStrongHand · 20/07/2023 20:55

Tomorrow is the last day for us. I don't know how I feel but I keep getting pangs of "where has my baby gone." Doesn't help that she looks so grown up and like she will move out soon. I can't wait to see her future but I'm still in awe of her past. Why does it seem to happen so quickly?

Thisishard23 · 20/07/2023 20:59

Cannot wait! She's so ready to leave and take the next step.

I think it helps that she hasn't been at this school since reception so I'm less attached. I can imagine if you've been going to the same school since nursery or reception it feels like a much bigger thing

I'm weirdly lacking in any emotion about it.

Karrpt · 20/07/2023 21:41

He's the only one going to his new school but he's weirdly unemotional about that whereas I'm now in bits and doubting my decisions! I know it was the right thing to do though.

I'll cry, he'll laugh and say, mum, we do have phones you know 🙄

Bloodyleaverspartybollocks · 20/07/2023 21:53

Last day tomorrow here. We live next to the school so I don't do the school run but I will tomorrow and go out for pick up to watch them all leave. I'm filing up just thinking about it. The year 5's will do a guard of honour and I know I'll be a sobbing mess
I love our school I'm devastated we won't be part of it anymore.
Leavers party tomorrow too so busy day sorting that out.

reluctantbrit · 21/07/2023 08:53

Karrpt · 20/07/2023 21:41

He's the only one going to his new school but he's weirdly unemotional about that whereas I'm now in bits and doubting my decisions! I know it was the right thing to do though.

I'll cry, he'll laugh and say, mum, we do have phones you know 🙄

DD went with around 25 other girls from her Y6 group to an all-girls school with 240 per year group. She had two in her form (she had nothing in common with these) and one she saw at Scouts each week.

She hardly interacted with any of them. She just left Y11 and when I asked her, she had no idea what the the girls planned to do, I think she actually couldn't remember some of them as they were in different houses and they didn't overlap.

He will find new friends soon.

TakeMyStrongHand · 21/07/2023 17:26

Karrpt · 20/07/2023 21:41

He's the only one going to his new school but he's weirdly unemotional about that whereas I'm now in bits and doubting my decisions! I know it was the right thing to do though.

I'll cry, he'll laugh and say, mum, we do have phones you know 🙄

I went to a different school due to moving and it was the perfect timing. Everyone is in the same boat and despite knowing some people, they are all still uncertain about it. Hope that helps you to feel a little better.

DrCoconut · 21/07/2023 17:46

Last year at this time I was feeling a bit emotional about DS leaving his lovely primary school. I was worried about how he'd be at secondary. But a year in he is thriving. He's had a fab year and grown so much in all respects. So feel it today and then embrace the change as it comes. I have one DC left at primary school now and I think it will be harder when he's leaving as I will officially be old have no little kids.

QuattroFormaggi · 21/07/2023 18:22

My kids are 19 and 21 and I still miss primary school 🤣🤣
I loved knowing all their friends and their friends' parents, and all the staff, and most of the parents, at least by sight (a small, very loved, outstanding in every way, village primary). I loved drop off and pick up times, loved chatting with other parents/carers, loved seeing how happy most of the children were at both ends of the day. When my younger child left, I cried at the pick up from the leavers' party, and at the assembly. Child cried when we got home and reality hit that primary school was over!

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