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Original poster

Year 6 what was it like for your dc?

32 replies

BunnysCup · 25/04/2023 09:48

DD is in year 5 at a small state school. I have heard from friends with older dc that year 6 is a very different experience to the rest of primary, good and bad.

What was it like for your dc in terms of friendships, growing up at different rates, SATS, getting ready for secondary, varying levels of independence such as walking to school alone etc.

I like to feel prepared but really don't know what to expect from year 6. What should we look out for?

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Raindancer411 · 25/04/2023 10:03

No different over than this prep for the SATs. Or so we have found so far

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 25/04/2023 10:16

My older 2 dc (y7 & y8) liked the extra freedoms y6 came with, walking to & from school on their own, going to the park with their friends at the weekend, planning what they'd need for y7 etc.

Dc3(10,y5) is a little more apprehensive than they were but has started to walk home from her after school club on her own & has settled in to it quite well, dc2(11) also started walking home on his own from clubs in y5.

There were slight changes with friendships once offers were released/accepted as they found out who was going where but nothing major. Other than that things largely stayed the same. They've both kept up friendships from primary, we're in a village so it's probably slightly easier to keep existing friendships active.

SamPoodle123 · 25/04/2023 10:51

They seem to be doing a lot of fun things, trips, more bonding activities. A lot of fun things planned. And of course lots of SATs prep. My dd did the 11+ so she spent the start of year 6 prepping and doing exams/interviews.

twistyizzy · 25/04/2023 10:59

My DD really came into her own in Yr 6 ie academically and socially. She was tutored for January entrance exam for secondary so found the school work Jan-SATS easy and we did no preparation work with her outside of what she did at school.
She dropped some toxic (in her own words) friends because she knew she wouldn't see them again after July so no longer needed to play along.
Obviously nerves around the move up to secondary but her teacher said intellectually and maturity wise she was ready for the move from February half term. We encouraged a greater degree of independence eg walking to and from school and organising herself with regards to what she needed to take every day.
We wanted her to just enjoy her last year at primary so as long as her behaviour and performance at school didn't drop we removed all pressure and expectations from her. We did lots of sleep overs with her close friendship group and did lots of days out with her friends.

BHRK · 25/04/2023 11:01

Lots of friendship changes as they outgrew each other and got ready for secondary. Sats overshadowed continued learning which my DC didn’t love. But also the teachers gave them more responsibility and tried to plan fun things to get them through

Kaylisa · 25/04/2023 11:04

Year 6 for my older 3 was fine. It was year 7 when they moved to high school I noticed all the friendship changes and dramas surrounding that.

Easterfunbun · 25/04/2023 11:06

Son missed it due to covid. My daughter is in year 6. For her it’s been a good year. She’s grown up a lot and worked hard for SATS although she did struggle initially with the increase in workload. It’s been a transforming year that my sons year group missed out on.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 25/04/2023 11:08

I've had two DC go through year 6. For DS he found the constant practising of SATs papers dull, he feels they didn't learn anything new. After SATs were done with the school was pretty good at having fun stuff planned, going away to camp, lots sport, drama, leavers disco etc. Poor DD left primary in 2020, so had the SATs practice but didn't sit them, and no fun activities either.

Both of mine were walking to and from school independently by summer term of year 5, and had door keys, but we do live only 10 min walk from school.

Original poster
BunnysCup · 25/04/2023 18:48

Thank you for the replies, it's helpful and interesting to get a bit of an idea, I am probably making it bigger than it is but year 6 feels momentous, probably because it is the end of an era. Not looking forward to the SATS stresses. Do kids tend to change a lot in year 6 or does that happen mostly once they are in secondary?

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Soproudoflionesses · 25/04/2023 18:53

My DD has sailed through primary school with no problems qt all - always been told how mature she is and l know she is at the higher end of the spectrum academically compared to the rest of her class. But since Feb half term she has had a fallout with a girl in her class that she has never reelly been friendly with, resulting in phone calls and emails galore from the head teacher. Bottom line is they are totally different children who are well ready to part ways. Buzzing for secondary!

tadpolecity · 25/04/2023 23:45

At yr6 puberty arrives and pre puberty. Kids enter next life phase

Easterfunbun · 26/04/2023 11:18

@BunnysCup

My daughter has changed a lot in year 6. At the beginning you think how is it even possibly they’ll be at secondary school in 1 year and by the end of year 6, they really do need to start. My daughter even dislikes the singing now at primary and feels a little bit embarrassed doing it. She is quite cool though 😎 😂. Roll on secondary.

Original poster
BunnysCup · 26/04/2023 16:18

Thanks for your helpful comments. We can expect quite a transition then. Is there anything I can do to be supportive during this time? My dd is still into youngish books, are there any good books that will help her lift her gaze and broaden her horizon and help her mature?

Do they start arranging playdates between them in year 6 if the have phones or is this still done by parents mums?

Dd also still has many of her toys and no desk or chair, we will need to get a desk for homework for year 7, do people generally 'update' their kids room before secondary?

What do you wish you had done for your dc in year 6 or what worked well that you did do?

OP posts:
tadpolecity · 26/04/2023 16:23

Let her dictate the pace. Phones in ye6 normal & yes they just start sorting own stuff out

Skybluepinky · 26/04/2023 16:49

No different at all, the only kids that’ll find it different is those with pushy parents.

SamPoodle123 · 26/04/2023 18:04

I would say it depends. My dd does not have a phone yet, but a few of her friends do. Many don't. We plan to give her one for year 7 as she needs to travel by bus. Therefore, its parents setting up playdates most of the time. Except sometimes she will bring friends back after sport. She knows I always welcome friends over. We are laid back w it and her friends are easy. We plan to add a desk to her room, as she requested this. As for books, it also depends on the child. What kind does she like reading? My dd loved all the Jacquline Wilson books. She also loved Wonder, Chinese Cinderella, When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit, Ballet Shoes. She did not like Harry Potter for some reason.

elliejjtiny · 26/04/2023 18:16

It depends. My 3 older dc have done year 6 and found the sats prep boring but really enjoyed the fun stuff afterwards. They didn't have phones and we still picked them up from school. They got to sit on the coveted benches during assembly but that was the only big difference really.

elliejjtiny · 26/04/2023 18:19

Forgot to add that some children found the leavers events quite emotional but my boys really weren't bothered, they were just looking forward to going to secondary school. My 4th is in year 5 and we have been to an open day for his secondary school so he is already looking forward to going.

Easterfunbun · 26/04/2023 19:06

@Skybluepinky

what do you mean? My daughter has found year 6 different. A couple of her friends have started their periods and the SATS work has been intense at times. Other than that I’m not too sure what you’re talking about regarding pushy parents. I’ve let my DD get on with year 6 but it has been a different year for her. She started it by going on a 5 night residential with the school which she absolutely loved and made her feel more grown up. The open evening to her secondary also made her feel very excited for leaving. I don’t think it has anything to do with being pushy. Year 6s know instinctively that they’re facing big changes.

Original poster
BunnysCup · 26/04/2023 20:17

Thank you @Easterfunbun I do think it's a special year with some significant changes and transitions but at the end of year 5 many still seem so young and little. A 5 day residential at the beginning of year 6 sounds amazing, ours do a 4 day trip at the end of year 6.

Are they expected to do SATS homework or is the prep work all done in school?

I hadn't thought of the leaver's events being potentially emotional, @elliejjtiny that's something to be prepared for.

I can imagine that friendships change a bit once the school allocations are published .

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QueenofLouisiana · 26/04/2023 20:29

I love yr6 (thankfully, as I teach them!). I really enjoy the children I get from yr5 becoming young people by the end of the year.

It’s a privilege to take them on residential, hear about high school visits and choices and wave them off (always through tears) to the rest of their lives.

SATs aren’t fun, but I try to minimise the impact on the rest of the year. I gradually step up homework during the year and avoid constant testing. The tribalism which emerges after they find out their next school is tough, but manageable.

Genuinely one of the best years to teach in primary (the other is yr5).

Easterfunbun · 27/04/2023 15:07

@BunnysCup

Well in our LA the residential can be anytime in year 6 as all the schools use to same base, so it’s just pot luck when they go. It just so happened my DD went at the beginning of year 6. They are expected to do homework but my DD cried one day to her teacher and said it was all a bit much and she informed her she wouldn’t be doing the homework. I didn’t even know about this and her teacher told me at parents evening and said she respected what my DD had to say and so then didn’t give her any homework. I was actually quite proud my daughter was brave enough to have that conversation although she was a bit tearful. She’s usually very resilient but I’m not sure if it was hormones but the term before Christmas can be quite intense with SATS. They’re on the 9th May and funnily enough my DD is really chilled about it now. Her friends are too, so I think most of prep work has been done.

Solid friendship groups have changed a bit this year. Some girls are struggling to keep up with the pace of some others girls interactions , particularly if they haven’t started puberty.

Best of luck for the upcoming year. My son never got to do year 6 because of covid and his secondary school highlighted how immature his year group has been in comparison to previous years and I think that was because they missed out on year 6.

MintJulia · 27/04/2023 15:15

Boring, endless revision for SATs, senior school taster days. A bit like being stuck in a waiting room was how ds described it.

Stressy too. Our primary introduced mindfulness sessions for year six after stressing them all out. Quite short tempered. It was a relief to leave.🙁

Easterfunbun · 27/04/2023 17:28

@MintJulia

My DD had a sleepover and I over heard a conversation that went a bit like this….

“I’m so bad at comprehension I don’t even think I’ll get expected”

”yeah but I’m so bad at maths, I’ll probably get exceeding at spelling but yeah soooo bad at maths”

”oh I’m bad at spelling, miss said I might get expected but I don’t think I will”

And on it went. I found that a bit sad. I don’t remember focussing so much on my limitations in year 6. I know these girls parents and it’s most certainly coming from school.

Briallen · 27/04/2023 17:30

No SATs in my kids school but son in year 6 has enjoyed being the oldest class in the school, is enjoying current secondary transition activities and enjoying more independence like going to meet mates in town and at park. I think I’ll see more of a change next year.