Last year of primary school

[Resisterance]

I've got a DS who's just started year 6 primary school. I'm wondering about what i need to know before it happens this school year in terms of both academic stuff and possible onset of puberty.

He's due to be 11 early in the new school year so am wondering about puberty onset and being aware of that but also SATs and managing that too.

He's really adverse to homework and putting in any academic effort outside of the classroom already so I'm worrying about how to address that.

Also finding ways to make a solo walk to school manageable and safe!

Any tips on managing kids through the last year of primary?

Mine was fine with SATS just working in the classroom, so maybe take that approach as it doesn't sound as if he is ready to do extra.
Walking to/ from school I still packed school bag for my son, personally I gave mine a key, He shouldn't have needed it as my mum came days I was working but she once forgot her key and another timee she got held up in traffic!

Unless he’s behind academically I wouldn’t put too much pressure on about Sats… maybe introduce a little bit of home study after Feb half term and by then they’ll be talking about it at school which may make him more open to it. Our school did a weekly booster from Jan onwards which my son found helpful.

Walking home - mine walked with a friend most of the way and we switched on the location element of the WhatsApp on his phone (we gave him my husbands old phone when he started to walk to and from school).

Hormones weren’t a massive issue for mine at this age - 13 however is proving quite the emotional rollercoaster 😂

They grow up a lot in Y6 in terms of walking to school alone and being independent/ready for secondary!
This time last year I couldn’t imagine my DS being ready for secondary, but now here he is walking the mile to/from school on his own and managing homework etc. We built up gradually from walking ahead of me and his sister to primary, to going to the park on his own at the end of Y6, to walking to the local shop to buy milk etc over the summer and practising the route to secondary,
Don’t worry too much about SATs - they’re more a measure for the school than for the individual children, and the children will be well and truly prepared at school!

Thanks... these are helpful insights into what's coming. It feels like DS is a way off the walking to school but he's just had his first piece of proper homework and really embraced it and took it seriously. Hopefully it won't be too much of a bumpy ride!

I would take your concerns to his teacher/school and they can show you what they cover in Y6 to make them secondary and puberty ready.

@Resisterance Where I was a governor, parents were sent an overview of the curriculum for each year and dates for school
trips and possible sats dates. I really don’t know why all schools cannot give this info at the start of term.

Also, kindly, he’s not a girl. Girls at 11 are reaching puberty before most boys of that age.

My DC wanted to do well at tests so saying tests don’t matter is not really a good idea. They would not have believed it. At secondary they absolutely will be tested so start with a healthy attitude towards them. Do revision when required, take them reasonably seriously but without going over the top. Healthy apprehension but not stress. Teachers are dreadfully disappointed when dc go on holiday and parents are unsupportive of the school. It’s not them and us. Work with the school and sats are ok for most dc.