A question for teachers re year 6 please?

[Blackdog19]

I’ve heard that first to go back to school are likely to be year 12, 10 & 6. I can understand 12 & 10 as they’re obviously pre big exam years but why year 6 particularly? I’m just curious. Do you think may still do Sats to allow for progress reviews for secondary achievements?

Based on nothing but my own opinion, it’s right off year 6 to properly finish off primary school ready for transition to secondary. It’s hard enough moving up without having been off for months and months. They most need some normality before September.

There’s no way they’ll be doing says though.

Because otherwise Y6 will be expected to turn up to new secondary schools in September having done zero preparation for transition.

That plus the closure of saying goodbye

Because they need to settle back into school and education before the biggest transition of their school life. They need guidance to do that from their teachers. They need to reconnect before this big challenge plus they need to have some good memories of finishing Primary school

Yes, I do think it would be sad to miss the fun bit of year 6

And no, we won’t do SATS but will probably do some form of assessment

Transition period.

As all the above. And if they don't, they will never see their primary school or teachers again. All other year groups will go back in Sept or whenever at least to the same school, same teachers etc. For many of them, going to different secondaries, it will be the last time for them to see their classmates too.

It's not about SATS or academics, it's about the soft stuff. Getting ready for a big change, growing up, friendships, for many there is a lot of uncertainty moving to a new, big, school. Not having your familiar regular school and patterns amplifies that uncertainty hugely.

It's all just speculation at the moment. Some people think the youngest children will go back first. Personally I have heard Year 5 first to prepare them for Year 6. We won't know until a plan is published. Hopefully with sufficient time for schools to prepare.

Transition to secondary school. It’s a massive change and they need to be supported through it as much as possible.

I'm torn as my ds is yr 6. I think it would be wonderful to have the chance to say goodbye to his mates but then also - would he really like it? It's actually a really upsetting time for many as they have to say goodbye to some of their best friends, what is the point in sending them back just to say goodbye? Especially when we are all now into a nice routine at home.
I get the transition to secondary and think maybe one day a week at their new secondary school would be much more beneficial

What does this ‘transition’ consist of? My dd did SATS etc, some fun stuff and one induction day at the new school in July, then happily went off to a new secondary school in Sept knowing no one. I’m not sure what help she was given?

Ds was home educated so he had no ‘transition’ other than the secondary induction day and he was fine. He’d been at home, rather like all the year 6 kids now, getting up late, not doing a huge amount of academic stuff by the summer term really. I honestly think they’ll all be fine (or not, as some struggle with secondary anyway) in Sept without spending a few weeks back in year 6. I’m sure an induction day in July at their new schools would be helpful but other than that I don’t think they’re priority to go back.

Guessing it’s so they can have the normal transitional period into secondary. The year 6’s at my DC’s school had a goodbye party on the last day before lockdown though so don’t think they’re expecting to return.

Secondary schools normally have one transition day where the Y6s come in, have an assembly, meet their new form and form tutor, have lunch and do some taster lessons.

It’s going to be a massive blow if we lose this completely.

My son is in year 6. I think he needs some closure, a goodbye to his primary school. It's sad that he's missing all the fun stuff after SAT's but I think I'm more upset about that than him!

I do think it's really important that they get some transition to secondary school. The can't expect them to just rock up at a new school with no prep, surely?!

The last half term for year 6 at my daughters primary would consist of a 5 day residential, preparing and performing a ks2 musical (year 6 take lead parts), various parties, running stalls at the summer fundraiser and load of other end of time at primary fun. None of which they would be able to do if they go back this year.

Yes they also have a transitional day at secondary and they are in a school day routine but going back for six weeks to be confined to the classroom doesn’t seem a very appealing prospect!

That’s from the perspective of my daughter though - who will most likely be fine.

I agree with noble that it would be a big loss to lose the “moving up day” though. We usually also do the first day of term with just the year sevens, if worst comes to the worst we would still expect to do that.

I just asked my son, he only wants to go back to get his pencil case (was a pricey one he got for christmas) but not for a whole term. He's happy just to go straight onto secondary

It would make more sense for there to be a bit of local flexibility. Here we have a 3 tier system, so there’s no real reason why DS (Y6) should go back preferentially. But the Y4s in first school probably should, and the Y8s in middle school too. They’ve both got big transitions to prepare for. Pretty much all of them will be going on to exactly the same schools (it’s a very oversubscribed feeder system with only one destination for the new Y9s really) but it’s still a big adjustment.

I can’t imagine anyone thinking Y5 to prepare for Y6 would be a particular priority in any school. There’s just no clear rationale for that.

I don't know who you heard this off OP, but absolutely nothing has been decided, because even those in Education don't know.

We got an email from the Chair of our very large trust this week, saying that we should ignore all news stories about schools returning, because they just don't know. Nothing has been formalised. They won't know for at least another week or two, when and if any students will return after half term. Government are looking at different scenarios for when schools return, and it will definitely be phased. But dates have not, or will not be decided yet. It could be September, and still phased then.
So don't worry at the moment, because you might find that it won't be year 6 and it might not be until later in the year at the earliest.

Thank you, it was only what I’d heard mentioned as a possibility- doesn’t affect my dc in any way. I was just interested in why y6 specifically, not that I disagreed with it. Was interesting to hear how important the transition days were. I hadn’t appreciated that.

They won’t be the first - reception will go back first but there may be additional support for those deemed at risk with transition. All schools have been asked to identify those children.

In my experience (as a parent) after May, year 6 is not so much about academic learning, it is all about transition to high school and having fun, getting ready for performances at the leavers assembly etc. Most 10, 11 year olds are also capable of understanding and implementing social distancing. Infants won’t.

My dd could certainly do with a transition day at the very least. She is going to struggle and I'm dreading it. Undiagnised ASD, final assessment cancelled after a 2 year slog due to covid. She's going to secondary school alone, none of her primary friends will be with her.