Year 6 Leavers Ideas

The end of primary school is always a seminal moment in a child’s life. Some are ‘chomping at the bit’ for the change, while others feel anxious about moving on from a place they have felt known, safe and secure, perhaps since they were 3 or 4 years old. Children in Year 6 have progressed from infant, to junior, to being on the cusp of stepping into a brand new phase of their life. This is why providing Year 6 leavers with some kind of ‘rite of passage’ is crucial; it will ensure that they have that sense of moving on with the blessing and good wishes of the entire school community.

Psychologically, marking a ‘closure’ moment for children is vitally important, but doing it in the current climate is a challenge. Even with Year 6 children back in school, the current teaching ‘bubbles’ mean that they are restricted to who they can connect and spend time with. A ‘normal’ school day still frustratingly remains a long way off. Their final year of primary school has already been disrupted, alongside the inability to have that final ‘send off’ – real ‘closure’ is hard to find. However, there are things that could be done to, at least in some way, mark the end of their time at primary school with a sense of celebration and achievement. This article has both ‘in person’ and virtual ideas to ensure that children’s sense of ‘moving on’ is filled with purpose and excitement.