School days year 6 June
Like so many other year 6 parents are saying, this year is unbelievably nearly over. Our children are no longer small, they’re looking like they’re so grown up compared with other children in the school. They’re ready for moving on to secondary school.
Here’s the penultimate month of school days in Year 6.
Sports day
The weather was a bit up and down, the cakes were numerous, and the social chit chat was great on the side lines. N didn’t have a successful sports day. He doesn’t stand a chance in the running, and this year the skipping didn’t go too well after the rope got caught up at the start for him. With 16 of them on the start line it was a bit busy really. He started brilliantly in the egg and spoon race, and was in 2nd place right up til near the end. Then he dropped his egg, and 2 others ran past him as he had to pick it up. So no podium finishes, although he ran in the green team relay and they came a brilliant second place.
Cycling proficiency
June was their cycling proficiency course (or cyclability level 2 as it’s now called). N’s bike was sent home after the check day because his brake needed tightening. Two seconds and it was tightened. Then back in on the Monday where the bike stayed at school til their test day on Friday.
N really enjoyed the time doing the course and was pleased to come home with his certificate and badge having passed. Although I’d let him cycle home alone as at the last minute dropping him off I realised we’d not agreed how we were getting the bike home. He loved it, even cycling without his friend, although it was that baking hot Friday! He was a sweaty red faced mess on arrival. The OH is still refusing to let him cycle to school though, even though he’s proved he knows the rules.
Dance
They’ve had a bit of dance in PE. I was surprised when N mentioned samba, I’d have loved to have seen them trying that. They’ve also got a special dance off all to 80s music. They do a dance off competition twice a year. I presume this one will be at the garden party, although hopefully someone will video it because I won’t be there.
I.M.P.S first aid
It was a surprise to me that the year 6s had a morning of first aid, with a visit from an organisation that go round to schools. N really enjoyed it. They did the recovery position, learnt about ABC, heart compressions to The Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive, and some weird (presumably new since I last did first aid) upwards massage for choking. Or maybe that last one was just N’s version of the Heimlich manouevre.
Takeover day
Year 6s (and this year some year 5s) got to apply for a staff position for takeover day. N originally went for one of the TAs, but there was quite a bit of competition. He ended up interviewing for office manager role too, and got that one. It meant he had to be in from 8 til 5, the longest in for all the roles, so had the bonus of no homework all week. N loved it. He had a great day – emailing, answering the phone, doing lots of photo copying, and wiping doors. There were 2 of them in the office, so they did a bit of research for a trip too. And N and the other prefect had to train up 2 year 5 children to do their assembly set up jobs.
Secondary school prep
Apart from his house tie, N now has all of his uniform. Just a gumshield to get, plus school shoes, and trainers/football boots if he grows out of them by the end of summer. Bus application is in, although I’ve heard that the bus company is still all up in the air, so we might not hear for a while. I hope it’s not too long, because I could potentially need to change my working hours so would need time to put a request in for that. It’s pretty worrying that we just have no idea which bus company it’ll be, what the routes could end up, and whether we’ll even get a place.
They’ve also had a school visit from their head of Year 7 from the secondary school. N was quite positive so hopefully their transition morning will go well too.
Football club
N’s back at football club again this half term, after his football team outside school didn’t sort midweek training. He says they’re doing some proper drills and practice which is good. It doesn’t seem very consistent. Personally I think their football club has been very disappointing in what they’ve actually delivered, compared to what they used to do in multisports club which was run by the same people.
Leavers photos
We’ve ordered the last leavers photos – both their Year 6 one and N’s last primary school individual photo.
Script writing
As part of their leaving primary, N’s year class are doing a play for parents. They’re writing the script themselves. N brought home his group’s script, read me their lines and then sat down at my computer to type it all up. He then started on amends and improvements, adding in a couple of lines for a Year 5 boy in their group who’d been off when they were creating it. It seems sometimes he does get inspired to write when he doesn’t have to. I think it’s the most enthusiastic I’ve ever seen him about doing a play too.
So, we’re down to a couple of weeks left of school, one of which is their residential. The countdown to no longer being a primary school parent.
Are you also parenting a year 6 child?
This school year has flown over!
That is a shame that N didn’t win any of his races at sports day but it sounds like fun.
I love that they still do cycling proficiency at school and the first aid is something really important to learn.
It sounds like N is all set for secondary school. I hope the transition goes well. x
Thanks Kim. We only did first aid at guides/brownies, and then in year 10/11. Although I used to read a huge Readers Digest book called What to do in an Energency. I used to love that book when I was about 8.