to be fed up with 'Leavers' nonsense in primary school?

[EmojiOverload]

I am really disappointed with my DD's school this year. She is in P7, the equivalent of Y6 (without the SATs!).

There has been Leavers' this and that since August- hoodies, yearbooks, prom () already on the go. It is turning what should be a fairly straightforward transition (90% of them are going to the same high school!) into a massive 'thing'.

The P7s are given certain privileges and these seem to be getting more and more numerous. For example, they are allowed to sit in their own classroom at break instead of going to the playground. There is no supervision. I am worried about behaviour (boyfriend/girlfriend stuff seems to have tripled recently) and about phones being used.

They keep being referred to by the HT as 'our young people'. They are children FFS (this is picky admittedly).

For the past 6 years I would have said this was a very strict school. This year they seem to have let all standards drop!

I'm with you. Our primary has up to this year been very sensible and low key.

This year a couple of parents persuaded the school to allow the DCs to fundraise for their own leavers party. Apparently it would be good for them to put effort in to raising their own money and to work for their party.

Actually it is the PTA that seems to keep being asked to help/drive things. Also seems to be the 'alpha' kids (and parents) who are pushing what will be done with the money. Not a class consultation.

I fear this will open the floodgates to one upmanship for each future y6 group ...

Our school take them for 4 days to a city to Europe!!! A prom , a leavers assembly in the the evening, fund raising all year for the European trip then we dumbo parents pay the bargain price £120 on top. My dd came back with a very grown up aloof attitude acting like she knew it all. Left over fund raising money was spent on flowers for the on a jolly teachers!!

Sorry Ninja, reading my comment back it does sound weird!
I work in a field where 'young people' very much refers to teens, so it is strange to me to use it for primary school children. I do think children are people!

I agree they are children. I hate young people for 11 and 12 year olds

It sounds to me that some of it (allowing them to stay in classrooms, calling them young people) is preparing them for the transition to secondary so they get used to some of the changes in a more familiar environment and it's not quite such a shock to their systems when they go up. Seems pretty sensible to me.

Some of the events sound a little over the top, but again, will get them used to socialising in a more grown up environment.

As for all the 'he said, she said' stuff, that's just their age. They're growing up. This happens no matter what the school does! I think recognising there is going to be a big transition and easing them into it is probably a wiser course of action than treating them as babies until the day they leave and then flinging them unprepared into a school with a lot less supervision and great big 16/18 year olds hulking about all over the place.

Oh YANBU! I hated all that and sometimes wonder who exactly it's all in aid of. DD and her mates weren't that bothered or impressed by the silly fuss and I agree, it makes the transition more dramatic than it needs to be.

I can remember leaving year 6. Everyone cried. I though it was ridiculous. It's just school.

They are going to do all that bitching and back stabbing at that age whether they are in the classroom or the playground.

I agree with BillSykesDog.

Ds is now in year 8 but some bright spark at our primary ( sil ) decided a couple of years previous to have a prom.
Ds started year 6, we had a "meeting" at a pub! It was planners with military precision and was £55 per child!
They had a party bus/ hot and cold buffet/ disco/ photobooth etc and two mums had a big fight after too much lemonade
Then we had a week away in Wales, another £150, a leavers disco, assembly and photo, plus yearbook and spa vouchers for teacher.
This is a relatively deprived area though you wouldn't have thought so with all the above! It was ridiculous.
Dd in same school now in reception and I'm already dreading year 6 due to the "keeping up with the jones " attitude ( nearby school had their prom in a posh huge restaurant ) and it seems each year tries to out do the last. Two dc didn't attend prom in our class for reasons unknown but think it was due to money which is sad...