Is year 6 particularly tricky for girls?

[MrsTawdry]

My DD has seemed very miserable this term. She's usually happy and happy to go to school...she has two very close friends and they're not leaving her out. I know this...but she seems and says she is...sad a lot.

She finds maths hard but excels elsewhere...what is it? We're moving after year 6 so I thought maybe she felt down because she won't be following her friends to high school but she says she's very excited about moving and indeed, she knows the place we're going to very well and loves it...her Gran lives there as do other family members and it's lovely.

What can I do? Is this normal in year 6?

Wow, you have all described my Dd who just turned 11. Absolutely lovely to be around one minute, the next she doesn't want to communicate,& if she does then it's pretty horrible. Very dramatic and "lippy".
I do think its this last term that everything at school has stepped up a few notches. The bitchiness of the girls in her year is awful. I know she isn't an angel but it does worry me.
I think they seem to have outgrown primary school-but it's going to be a real eye opener when September is here.
Btw-lots of similar posts over on parenting -preteens.

I think pps are right about outgrowing primary school. DDs school have mixed year 5&6 classes, so my 11yo, very tall, very bright, puberty struck girl is spending a fair proportion of each day working with 9yos...who are lovely but it's a bit like working with her baby brother and rather frustrating for her...and quite lonely for her (she has spent the last few years tending to work with the class above agewise, so a new experience for her).

I think the boys go through it too. My DS swings between being cuddly and loving to the snide remarks, stomping, eye rolling, sarcasm, crying, and has recently started to use the "it's not fair" Kevin line and last night said "shoot me now" as his life is soooooooooo awful. He's still 10.

SATS factory here too. DD frequently asks if we can 'just curl up together' - it's like she wants to put a blanket over our heads and ignore the outside world.

It's so much change. They are leaving childhood behind and it's scary stuff.

Another one with Y6 11 year old hormonal, mood-swingy dd. To be fair, some of the swings are towards a lovely grown up young woman - but the other end of the spectrum is growly, teary, irrational strop-bucket with bells on!

I think problems with other girls (all equally hormonal) and the prospect of change unsettled her most, but she has started to look forward to the changes now - and is frustrated and bored with her primary after loving it for six years. Bang on target, really.

Certainly nice not to be the only one, though sorry you're all suffering too