leaving primary - do we make too big a deal of it?

[jackiekemp]

My child is about to leave primary and after seeing the last couple years kids carried out weeping and seeing the party dresses and limos that are planned I suspect we may be going a bit over the top with it. What do others think? xjk

Seriously? Limos??!! Why?

Sounds like a good way to hype the thing up out of all proportion and make the children over-emotional.

As far as I know, ours just get a special leavers' service and a disco. I don't think anyone makes a huge deal out of it.

Our school gets the balance about right, I think. They have a special day out and a disco, they put on a performance to parents, and they have a leavers' assembly where they do a mix of things like music, dance, readings, poems, drama, recollections of their time at primary school etc.

No limos or ballgowns here - it's bad enough that that's all the rage at Yr11!

No limos here either!

DS1's school has a leaver's disco for an hour and the usual leavers' assemblies and shows.

Can you even buy ball gowns for 11 yos?

Limos? Party dresses?

Wow! Ours might be having a party but only in school (new idea so still under consideration). There is a Leavers Breakfast too on the last day of term - bbq in the school garden. School prepare autograph books for all the teachers and children to sign and give a copy to all the leavers. But it's quite low-key and amateurish. And very nice.

I think it has to be marked in some way. It's hugely significant to the children.

I will take mine out for tea when they leave, and on their first day at wecondary school, but def no limos!!

Never heard of anything like it

Where do you live, Jackie? Can we all come and peep over the wall? sounds absolutely fascinating.

When my children left primary school they had a leavers disco and barbecue Parents were invited to th barbecue,
I think Limos and party dresses are way of the top for primary leavers.

Our school does an evening Year 6 Concert to parents (and KS1 and KS2 during school) after which DH and I will take our Year 6 DS2 out for a meal like we did for DS1 last year, a 5-day school trip and a BBQ on the last day. The children also get a little yearbook with pictures. I think that's plenty.

DDs school used to do a leavers ball and many of the children did arrive in limos, Harley Davidsons (driven by parents obviously), horses and carts etc etc. Thank goodness they have now seen sense and have a leavers assembly and a BBQ. Most children wear two shirts that day and all the pupils and teachers sign the spare one. TBH I think the limos and ballgowns thing is even bollocks for the end of year 11 and I hope my DDs decide not to bother going.