Year 6 leavers event

[sneakypetestolemywife]

If you have kids in year 6 who are leaving to go to senior school or are a teacher or TA for year 6 can you please fill me in with what the school is doing to make this term special.
My son's school have cancled the PGL, disco and day out and are doing nothing and I want to raise this with the head because I'm sure it's not the norm.
AIBU to expect something fun for them and not just exams for their last few weeks before hitting big school?

My kids school have done an end of year production which is filmed, sports day will happen without parents and they hope to do a leavers assembly in the last week if restrictions are lifted. PGL was cancelled by the school, however the kids went with a group of parents over a weekend. I think the school have been fab, but a few parents have been absolutely vile that their children have missed out (even though they haven't!) One parent is trying to get our local paper to run a piece about how dreadful the school have been.
I'm not sure what else the school could have done - I think it has been really challenging for them, and they've made the best of a tricky time.

My year 6er has has a number of days out rather than a trip away. (Days spread out to avoid a bubble bursting taking out more than 1 day )

They have a BBQ sleep over in the hall this weekend.

Then there will be a disco, and the year 6 production will be each class doing a separate shows rather than a big show with all 3 classes together. Shows outside and parents seated in groups of max 30.

The sports day has been reduced to an hour for 1 class each and 1 parent only can go to watch.

There will be a leavers assembly on the last day, which is after 19th so a full on free for all!

But sadly, nothing at the secondary school before they start. [Sad]

[quote Attheendofthedaywhenallsaid]@sneakypetestolemywife you said your kids have been through hell for 18 months, what do you mean?[/quote]
Have you noticed the pandemic that has shut the world down? All kids have had a hard time my kids have had 1/8th of heir life going through a pandemic and are struggling to remember a world of normality.

Won't many of these events involve putting staff at a greater risk than is necessary?

@sneakypetestolemywifenMy kids still enjoyed loads of park time, in fact more park time than usual (discovered so many different little walks, berries to pick etc), things were a slower pace so they had more attention focused on them. Last summer was very hot loads of paddling pool fun, they enjoyed time at home (I didn't! drove me mad but they didn't know that) but I made the most of it for them, need to keep your spirits up and get you what you can from life especially for children, the majority of the world is in poverty. Chin up, take the kids to the park and enjoy the summer holidays!

Have you noticed the pandemic that has shut the world down? All kids have had a hard time my kids have had 1/8th of heir life going through a pandemic and are struggling to remember a world of normality

Not all children have had a hard time, it depends from household to household.

Many are old enough to understand in simple terms what’s going on and that things need to be different for a little while in their lives.

Leavers assembly, day trip to activity place (should have been residential, but no overnights), theatre trip (local), leavers BBQ on the field hosted by the PTA.
Tricky for the PTA as all the usual fundraisers have been cancelled so low on funds. (School fayre, cake sales, quiz nights etc).

It is hard OP, I agree. My DD was so upset last year as she finished yr 6 in March.

Us parents organised a distanced get together on a local playing field and coordinated a year book, class photo and school organised the hoodies.

I feel for you OP. My DS was in year 6 last year and it was so sad for him to miss all the things he’d been looking forward to throughout his 7 years at primary school. It still makes me sad when I think about it now. But at least last year it was the same for everyone - most schools were doing nothing at all . But this year the variation in what different schools are doing is really unfair. I would definitely raise this with the head.

YABU. School are not a fun & games service provider. If you want more provision, please send your dc to prep school. Schools have had enough on their plates with Home schooling and managing schools in a pandemic.

I can't quite understand how some families seem to expect some sort of experience bonanza from their primary school.

I'm not expecting much and am happy that the teachers are doing what they can in a difficult situation. That doesn't mean I can't still be quietly sad that so many things have been cancelled.

The one thing I'm unhappy about is the transition visits up to secondary being cancelled. That has a real bearing in the anxiety of children and seems to be denied in preference to getting people down the pubs etc. Of all things, I would have liked that to have been someone's priority, but I know that decision isn't a teacher one.

@marsepile

My kids school have done an end of year production which is filmed, sports day will happen without parents and they hope to do a leavers assembly in the last week if restrictions are lifted. PGL was cancelled by the school, however the kids went with a group of parents over a weekend. I think the school have been fab, but a few parents have been absolutely vile that their children have missed out (even though they haven't!) One parent is trying to get our local paper to run a piece about how dreadful the school have been. I'm not sure what else the school could have done - I think it has been really challenging for them, and they've made the best of a tricky time.

What would that parent have liked the school to do? It's school people, be grateful your kid is getting an education. As said upthread, if you want lots of extras, pay for it at prep school.

@JanetThePetGoldfish
"YABU. School are not a fun & games service provider"

Schools do now include 'a positive learning experience and making learning fun' in their ethos. Schools have for a long time become about the whole child and social and emotional needs are as important as educational needs. It's you who are out of date.

If vaccine rollout is poor in some areas, then fair enough. But a lot of areas are now vaccinating anyone who wants to be and not everyone was at risk of Covid. Teachers aren't at any more risk, less so, than supermarket/hospitality workers.
There's an awful lot of workers and service providers who are now using Covid to do as little as possible.
My grandchildren's school has done a day outing and things are going on in the school.

Year 6 Teaching Partner here.

This is a tricky one because, obviously, we're painfully aware of what an unusual & disruptive 15mths these kids have had & the disappointment at having to cancel things such as residential trips is felt by all of us, as well as them. However, people need to bear in mind the fact that it has been an unprecedented time for all and equally as hard & stressful for the school staff, who have remained open throughout every single lockdown, despite what everyone thinks.

Most schools that I know of have tried, as far as possible, within very strict guidelines, to do some fun things for their year 6s, to make their end of Primary School memorable.

My school in particular are recording sports events, end of year play & leavers celebration assembly & sending the parents a link so that they can at least see everything, as they can't be there in person.

We've also had several day trips & fun activities for our kids in this last term, to try to make up for the lack of residential trip.

It's a balancing act for most schools right now, as Covid cases are rapidly rising & it's sadly quite normal for schools to have entire year groups isolating, with various staff throughout the school also affected. In line with government guidance, as well as safety of all the children, their families & the very stressed, hard working teaching staff, the integrity of the bubbles has to be preserved, so to be honest, a lot of schools right now are just trying to do all they can to get through to the end of term in one piece!

Of course it's brilliant to send off the year 6 children in style & make them feel special, but I do often think that it's all gotten a little out of hand in recent years. The expectation from the parents is absolutely huge & at the end of the day, the school is not actually obliged to do anything - not even residential trips! Parents don't realise that the staff who go on those trips & look after their kids 24/7, often staying up in the night, mopping up tears & vomit, get paid not one penny extra & often have to arrange childcare for their OWN kids in order to be there!

We've had parents asking why we're not doing MORE & it's so upsetting & frustrating; & more than a bit insulting!

@DolphinFC

Won't many of these events involve putting staff at a greater risk than is necessary?

Yes!! But sadly some parents don't get it or even care!

@SaltAndVinegarSandwiches

I think it's wonderful our year 6 have these things but actually they're a bonus and I don't think it's the school's responsibilityto provide them. Instead of expending energy moaning to the school I'm not sure why parents aren't stepping up to organise stuff themselves.

This! ⬆️

I don't believe our school is actually going to do anything for the Y6s... again.

Another local parent I know organised a guard of honour type arrangement for lots of the other school year groups to come onto the public grounds next to the school and clap them out on their final hometime because the school had completely given up on trying to give these kids any kind of sendoff. School had refused use of the field, playground and everything else - luckily that school is next to a park so the parents used that.

I'd suggest finding a local park and setting a time and date and having something like a bring your own picnic and mass watertight if school are determined to be joyless arses (which they seem to be).

There's an awful lot of workers and service providers who are now using Covid to do as little as possible.

State schools are not service providers.

The parents that are up in arms because a little jolly was cancelled are the same parents who would be up in arms if their dc's bubble burst due to a case picked up on one of these extra curricular activities.

My sister is a teacher in a primary school. She lives with our 87 year old mum. They're both double jabbed but no vaccination is 100% so I am worried about mum.

I'd be fucking livid if my sister had to go to a sleepover in the hall with 90 kids close together in poor ventilation. We're close to getting through this and some people what to increase the risk to my mother's life so their spoilt brat came have a treat.

Selfish bastards.

Wow that's a really compassionate response @DolphinFC. I guess all these parents concerned about the massive disruption to their children's tiny lives - if they are year 6 this has been going on for more than 10% of their lives - should just rebrand themselves selfish granny killer bastards

I don't actually see anyone demanding anything from schools on this thread, simply expressing regret at what their children have missed already and continue to miss.

Last year DS had PGL cancelled, leavers assembly cancelled, leavers disco cancelled.

They each got a leavers T-shirt and all recorded a little individual bit about their time at the school which was made into a DVD for them to keep.

How in God's name does missing a slerlover count as massive disruption?

I'm assuming your use of the word selfish is ironic.

We had an outdoor day trip planned but are high risk area and the council told all schools to cancel all trips.

Now we have leavers assembly on the field with one parent attending. It's after 19th so they are hoping this might be able to be raised to two parents.

They are also having a "fun day" in school including a class disco. This was organised as a sports day/trip replacement.

They've been able to manage this because teachers in the class bubble are supervising. No clue what they are doing on the fun day.

I'm pleased with the efforts they've made. They can't do more because the council is handing down strict instructions.

I hate the year 6 leavers parties.

It's always a competition to see who is popular and who's parents have money.

Some pushy mums who's kid is a brat will get the biggest disco party bus (basically bribe kids) then you see the quietest girls left out.

It's awful. I do understand as no one wants their kid to be on their own so then you get parents competing.

This year luckily thanks to the restrictions kids were dropped off by their parents. Still some arrived in 3/4's while some we're alone.

I know I would have hated this when I was at school but I was extremely quiet.

Also. Residential Trip. School Performance. Day out to Seaside. Leavers Assembly. Disco. Sports Day. All cancelled but I'm an introvert so I was happy but I no others were not.

They met on the school field with teachers though and had a BBQ and loved it.