Ideas for yr 6 leaving do

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We have got a year to plan, so plenty of time. So im looking for all you wonderful mums netters to help me with ideas! Do we want a theme? Travel there, limo or better idea (cheap) Tractor maybe?

Anyone done anything different? We have a budget of £15 per child for leaving present, any thoughts?
Do we charge per family or individually (we obviously have food costs to consider)
Tell me what you did!! xx

Good grief- you don't even need a year to plan in secondary! Leave things like limos and tractors for some excitement when 16 yrs. Why this need to do it all too young? Just have a yr 6 disco ( normal 11yr old disco dress) and give them a book - with a nice message at the front.

On Thursday Dd's school had a year 6 leavers disco 5.30 to 7.00pm. School provided sandwiches and drinks and parents were asked to supply cakes, crisps, biscuits, etc.

At 7.00pm all the parents arrived. The children read out memories from the last 7 years, certificates were awarded. Some children sang songs in small groups. Each child was given a folder of work that had been collected since year 1 and everyone had a good cry. It was lovely.

What more do you want HappyLashes? Sounds lovely and age appropriate and leaves them with new experiences in year 11.

Ours have hired local cricket club, 7-9.30pm, disco, bbq, mocktails, leavers t-shirt, £6 a ticket all in, band of parents helping, doing drinks and food. Children designed a flyer. Just for the children, no parents.

School also do a leavers do and disco, and we get to have wine and nibbles with the teachers!

Exactly exoticfruits, it was perfect for 10 and 11 year olds.

All these limos etc are so sad for the DCs - it should be new and exciting aged 16, they shouldn't have done it from nursery and from primary. It is a new thing since mine left and I really think that parents ought to make a stand- by- pass it and do something simple and age appropriate. Thinking about it a year in advance is really sad - there is no need to even think about it until June 2014- at the earliest. You don't need £15 a child! A book is fine- something like a dictionary for secondary.

Leavers t shirts sound good!

I don't think they need leavers t shirts. DD, along with the rest of her year, took a white school polo t shirt in on Friday (their last day) and everyone, including the teachers, signed them. She has hung it on her pin board in her bedroom.

We have the "party bus" - an old London bus takes the kids from school round the town to a local park where they can play and run off steam and take pictures of their friends and back to the pub/restaurant opposite school for a buffet where all the parents provide a plate of food...

Our PTA provides a yearbook for each of the kids.

Our lot went to the outdoor centre, then a BBQ, by mini bus.

Some of the girls were miffed about the bus, but we couldn't get a limo to fit everyone, we were late booking and it was going to be outrageously expensive.

The governors gave them hoodies which they still wear, much to my surprise. (They did get to choose their colours)

Ours is pretty low key. We have a beach party after school in the playground/hall. Barbeque organised by PTA. Music and disco in the hall. Leavers teeshirts as gifts from PTA. All done and finished by 5.30pm.

For both DD1 and DD2, a local venue was hired. These venues chosen had both indoor and outdoor space (one a hotel function room, with a garden, the other a local cricket club).

The children traditionally dress up for their last day at the school, so all walked down in their fancy dress. A disco entertainer was hired for one hour, they had party food, and some of the heroic parents ran games like rounders and so on. Some of the girls had supersoakers.

They were provided with cheap white tshirts for all their friends to sign, and both my DDs still have theirs.

There were cupcakes for DD1's lot (they were right at their peak of fashion) and a fantastic decorated cake for DD2's lot, which had all their names on it, so they got to take home the bit with their name.

We were very lucky to have fabulous weather both times, but we obviously had indoor options, as well.

I can't remember what the cost was for DD1, but for DD2, it was £15 each.

DD finished primary on Friday. It's a small school and a small class.

At school:

• they held a leaver's BBQ for children, parents and staff. School provided soft drinks, meat and rolls, etc. Parents provided alcohol, salads and desserts.

• Y6s had lunch one day last week in the teacher's dining area. The staff had to sit downstairs with the rest of the school that day :)

• Y6 class assembly written, prepared and presented entirely by themselves

• made their own year books this past half term in ICT; they are lovely

• prize day assembly on last morning, finishing school at noon; all Y6s are awarded a trophy for something special; followed by drinks in the school yard. For whole school but a definite focus on the leavers

By parents:

• one parent invited all 11 girls (full class) for a sleepover - coincided with an early bday treat for her DD - girls loved it

• PTA dads and daughters camp - every year and for whole school, but coincides with end of year, so ideal for Y6 - again they all went and had the most fantastic time last weekend

• girls got hoodies, with date and names on reverse; they chose them themselves; cost £12.50 each, would be cheaper if buying more

• last day, after prize day, went to one family;s house, local to school, for lunch in their garden - girls and all parents

• a parent arranged a photo shoot for the leavers; was fun and very active, lots of jumping around and screaming; girls loved it Was £10 per child including a DVD of 30+ photos

And yes, like someone else mentioned - the girls took in a spare school blouse or dress and got the rest of school to sign them

My DD has her Y6 party next week, each parent has paid £30 for the benefit and PTA has donated £500 towards the party.

We have planned a sit down meal for each child at the local pub (£4) each, limo ride and bouncy castle with disco.

Each child will receive a bag including an autograph book from last year at name of school book, framed photo of the class and the rest of the money will be spent on food for siblings, parents etc and decorating room.

£30 a family seems a lot to ask at that time of year (or any time really).
If PTA are donating £500 I can't see why they can't just use that.
I can't see why you need leaver's T shirts or cheap shirts-DSs just went in one of their oldest and got it signed.
There is a good article in Sunday Times today about wishing the secondary school prom idea had stayed in US-it has become so expensive..

We've just had a prom, all sorted by me and another mum. We hired a room and dj which each of the parents gave £7 to cover the cost, we then asked each parent to bring an item of food, drink or something for the prom. We made sweets trees, had prom king and queen and it was an absolutely amazing night, we bought a red carpet and each child was introduced one by one and had photos taken by a photographer.

We do a water fight for yr 6 and staff, followed by pizza and bit of a disco (ipod and speakers, nothing fancy). It's a long running tradition and kids won't change it.

We also do an autograph book with a class photo taken on their residential trip.

Fairly simple and cheap

Water fight sounds perfect.
I can't see how you choose a prom king and queen.

My dc have all had a disco at school - it's sold as a 'shorts and shades party', so everyone comes appropriately dressed.
They have done a musical, and on the last day they do a leaver's assembly and parents tend to mingle then / take group photos etc.
The children are all given an autograph book in which they go around school collecting the autographs of all their friends.

I would NOT be impressed at having to be coughing up ridiculous amounts of money for anything more, nor at the whole "prom" idea for 10 and 11 yr olds.

Prom king and queen were chose by the kids voting, it was a brilliant party, nothing over the top just a fun night for our kids and each and everyone loved it, so did each and every one of our parents.

I don't like the idea of voting- that really points out the popular and unpopular- I can't see why it was necessary.

Y6 are usually happy with a barbeque & a disco.

I would spend the £15 per head on publishing a nice yearbook for them. This would need some preparation, so you'd have to start planning it in the Spring.

Our Year 6s ADORE their 'Leavers Hoodies' and were able to choose from a wide range of colours. The class reps also organised a yearbook, all done online by children and staff, printed and sent out in time for the end of term...bit pricey but fab quality and a really lovely keepsake item.

Leavers assembly at school was the formal part, but the class reps organised a pool party and big bouncy slide/adventure type thing plus a meal and disco for a few hours on a weekend afternoon. Children loved it and contributed to the cost by buying a ticket.

No matter how cool for school they think they are, you can't beat a good party with food and entertainment!