School days Year 6 March

Even N thinks this year’s going fast, and he’s getting ever closer to secondary school.  Here’s this month’s School Days for March year 6.

Secondary school offer day

I was up at midnight to check N’s school offer, and thankfully it was up just after midnight. Amazingly he got his first choice which I’d not expected at all. A few of his class have too, so he’ll be at school with some friends. Just desperately waiting and hoping for another to get a late place there as he must have just missed out distance wise.  A big relief, although now to worry about how he’ll get home from school, and sort out uniform ordering and what we actually need.

Red Nose day

Like always they dressed in red which is nice and easy. We forgot to take money in, so I ended up just donating outside of school while I actually remembered that. He also forgot to take in the water bottle we’d been saving for ages to take in for an activity to make a bug hotel. Luckily they had some spares.

Red Nose Day did provide some amusement in the run up, because they’d suggested an activity using fruit or vegetables. N wasn’t impressed because it was wasting food, and went against the environmental ethos the school works hard on. So he went and complained to school council and they decided to remove that activity. I’m impressed that he was able to put his voice across. I’d never have done that when I was in school, probably not even when I was older.

World Book Day

Like most World Book Days, N was happy to find a nice easy normal clothes wear character. He was going to dress as Jeremy Clarkson from his Diddly Squat farm book, but decided he’d be too warm in jeans and shirt. So Andy Murray from his biography was his decision instead. It just meant he could wear his tennis gear. Nice and easy.

Forgetting pick up

I’ve only done it once before, but it happened again. I was on a work call and obviously managed to delete the pick up calendar reminder. When I finally got off the call it was 3.26. 1 minute past the 3rd pick up slot.  Argh. Luckily I can get to school in 3 minutes, so pulled in at 3.31, poor N was the last one standing there with the staff member. I was mortified, he said he was used to it.  I’m sure it’s only happened once before, and it wasn’t as late last time. 

More sport

Less mindfulness and more sport.  They’ve had a few hockey sessions back, and some random PE sessions which seem to be more ‘party’ games rather than anything sport oriented. 

It looks like tennis might be back on the weekly sports slot too. He’s never that keen on tennis in school now, as it’s with a different coach (who’s actually a very good coach in town) but who turns up with beginner age 5-8 large, slow red tennis balls. A bit ridiculous given they could use green balls at their age, even if he didn’t want to use normal yellow balls.

Star of the week

N was chosen as star of the week one time this month for showing unity about national, international and local matters. Quite a nice thing to have been awarded it for. Shows how much he takes in from watching and listening to the news and chatting to us and giving opinions with others too.

Maths struggle

N had a week where he just didn’t get maths. He couldn’t explain why (he tried to blame it on doing PE rather than hockey that week which was a ridiculous reason). Usually he picks up maths quite easily after a couple of sessions, but he just couldn’t focus and understand it. I think he’s been a bit demoralised as not many others were struggling like he was. It just seemed to take him ages, he wasn’t grasping what he was asked to do. It was like a mind blank.  It’s a bit worrying given maths is his stronger subject. Hopefully it’s just a blip and it’ll click and come back to him. I’ve been saying for a couple of years that reasoning and wordy questions are things he doesn’t get, and really needs to practice. It sounds like he might be doing more of these in school now as boosters which is good as he obviously needs more practice at working out what sums he needs to do from the questions.

Head bump

Sometimes I wonder about my son. I had a message from the office saying he’d bumped his head but hadn’t said anything until it started hurting more later on. He had a cold compress then, but when I picked him up later he was fine, and seemed to think I was mad for asking how his head was.  I thought he must have had a bump or fallen over in the playground. But no, it seems he was nodding near the desk, got a bit close and bumped his head. I despair. I have no idea why or how. 

Residential week planning

Last year they didn’t get to do their usual residential due to Covid, but they’re looking forward to this year’s. N has decided he’d rather stay for the residential than finish a day early and come to Wimbledon with me. But he really wants to go to the high school day with all the other year 6s starting in September. That’s the middle day of residential, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to pick him up on the Tuesday evening (that’s a 7+ hour round trip), and return him Wednesday late afternoon.  Will be a killer, but he’d rather do that than miss out the chance to meet other children from other schools and experience it all together. Our school are trying to organise something for ours going there who’ll miss the day, but it’s not the same visiting with kids you already know. 

But the residential week itself is looking fun with lots of activities.  He’s hoping he gets to bunk in with at least a few of his friends, and that he still manages to get some sleep.

Parents went into school (well the playground), for the meeting about the residential. It was nice to be back in for the first time since Covid although social distancing was still in action, and didn’t get chance to speak to people.

Get help on what to pack for a school residential or camping trip.

School library + books

I found N one evening sorting out his book shelves to find books he no longer wanted to donate to school. He has plenty (some which have never been touched, or only a few chapters read), and even the ones we’ve read are in great condition. Evidently he and a couple of others have volunteered to help out in the library once a week. He seems really keen considering he’s not a big reading fan. But I can see how the organising and sorting things would be something he’d like doing. Even if it means giving up a break time. I’m quite jealous as I’d love to work in a library surrounded by books.

How has school been going for yours?