Ideas and Activities for Year 6 School Leavers

Year 6 marks the end of an era for pupils and parents. The final few weeks of primary school can be an emotional and exciting time as children prepare to enter a new phase in their lives. The familiarity and safety that primary school offers can prove to be a big change for year 6 pupils and saying goodbye to several of their friends can be difficult.

The last few weeks of the summer term for year 6 are always fun-filled and memorable as schools celebrate successes, take trips down memory lane and give pupils a final confidence boost before they move on to secondary school. This blog will provide end of year inspiration and activity ideas to celebrate year 6 classes.

Looking Back…

Learners can be asked to recall and write about their favourite, stand-out memories throughout their time in primary school which may include special teachers, school trips, funny incidents or sports days. Ideas can be represented through drama during an end of year assembly with children taking on different roles and varying their voices to show different emotions.

Memories could be turned into poetry and teaching staff could combine ideas to create a class poem which children can all take home. This could be printed in an autograph book in which children can ask friends, pupils from different year groups and staff members to write short messages. This will be a treasured keepsake in years to come.

Year 6 pupils could turn into estate agents and produce a presentation all about their school. They may try to advertise their school by talking about all of the unique features and memorable activities that have happened in each classroom over the years! Presentations could be made into a video to showcase to an audience in assembly.

The Year 6 Production!

The year 6 end of school production/assembly is always a highly anticipated event and a rite of passage for year 6 children.

Pupils may showcase their many skills and talents with an ‘X Factor’ style talent show production with pupils singing, performing dance sequences, magic acts or showcasing sporting skills.

Classes could look way into the future and dress up as elderly versions of themselves for a school reunion! Pupils will be able to look back and reminisce on their time in school as well as discussing their careers, life accomplishments and experiences.

A great way for children to reminisce is to tell their primary school story through song. Classes can pick their current favourite song and rewrite the lyrics, creating a unique version that is sure to entertain audiences.

Music videos can be created and premiered during the leaver’s assembly or a presentation of baby photographs can be shown encouraging audience member to guess the pupil!

The end of school assembly is often a wonderful opportunity for significant members of staff and school representatives such as head boy/girl to make a farewell speech. A speech will detail class achievements and attributes and how year 6 pupils have lived out school values over the years.

Events for School Leavers

A school picnic or garden party is a lovely way to celebrate year 6 leavers together as a school community.

Outdoor Classrooms and Canopies can be adorned with bunting (made from old school uniform), photographs and fairy lights.

Trestle tables can be decorated and arranged in rows or picnic benches and blankets can be set. Pupils themselves would love to get involved with baking yummy treats and they could even be set budgeting tasks when deciding which party foods to choose and how much. An ice cream van is sure to be a popular choice too!

Pupils could partake in a treasure hunt around the school grounds as part of the celebrations where they are required to read and solve clues in order to find significant objects from their time in school.

Children may need to carefully follow a map and complete set tasks as they venture round the course. Prizes could be awarded to those who complete the hunt in the quickest time or by showing the best teamwork.

Perfect Gifts for School Leavers

Many schools like to present their year 6 leavers with a special gift which they can treasure and keep for many years to come. Mugs, t-shirts and hoodies can be printed onto, displaying a school logo and the names of all the children in the year group.

A special pen which can be taken to secondary school or a teddy bear wearing school uniform make thoughtful keepsakes.

Teachers may like to give their pupils a gift bag which includes small items linked to a poem/card such as:

Smarties- To remind you how smart you are.

Seeds- To help sow the seeds of knowledge.

Star- To remind you to always do your best.

Love Hearts- Never forget how loved you are.

Highlighter- You have a bright future ahead.

Tissues- For the teary goodbyes with friends until you meet up again 

Leaving their Mark!

A wonderful idea to mark the end of year 6 is for pupils to create a large, collaborative piece of artwork, perhaps with support from a local artist. Pupils can be fully involved in the direction the artwork will take from planning to completion and may use a selection of interesting materials.

Children may create a tiled mosaic, painted mural, a collage of characters for the school library, canvas paintings depicting a school’s particular strengths, a world map including key features/animals or pebbles displaying positive affirmations to be arranged in the school garden.

When pupils leave for secondary school a piece of their work will always be on display as a lasting memory of their time in primary school.

A ‘School Leaver’s Garden’ reflects the idea that pupils never really leave their first school environment. Pupils will enjoy planning and designing their garden space and will get fully involved with digging out weeds, turning over the soil and planting.

Pentagon’s range of Natural Planters help to create quiet, relaxing spaces where both infant and junior children can listen to stories, observe plants and wildlife and perfect drawing skills whilst absorbing different smells and textures. A school sensory garden can offer a calm oasis where both adults and children alike can unwind and find a sense of peace.

Another great idea is having your year 6 pupils build the fantastic Year 6 Leavers Bench. Designed to promote team work and motor skills, your pupils will have a blast as they construct a bench that will last for generations to come. Personalise the bench by adding the leaving year on the back to ensure they are never forgotten.

The end of primary school is such a special time in a young learner’s life. Teachers will spend those last few weeks reminding their pupils how great and talented they are, to always believe in themselves and to make sure they come back and visit one day.

“Oh, the places you’ll go!

Congratulations

Today is your day

You’re off to great places

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head,

You have feet in your shoes,

You can steer yourself

Any direction you choose.”

Dr. Seuss