Streaming within mixed year classes

[Bodenbabe]

Last year DD was in a mixed Y1/Y2 class and despite being a younger Y1 it was judged that she was bright & confident enough to cope with the work. The official line is that these classes weren't streamed but it's blantantly obvious that all the higher ability children were the ones who were moved up to the mixed Y1/Y2 class. I was also unofficially told by DD's teacher that she was put in this class because she's bright.

BUT, this year they are mixing the classes round again and from looking at the opther children in her class, she now seems to be in a lower ability class. She got great SATs results and the teacher is pleased with her progress, so why the move, I wonder? Should I be concerned about this?

I can't ask the teacher about it because she will just deny that it is streamed.

[MrsNorthman]

I feel your pain. My DS has just finished Y1 and has been in a R/Y1 class. He joined the school at the beginning of Y1 and we presumed he just took the place that became available. He is the eldest in his year (his birthday is at the beginning of September) and so I was concerned that being with 15 reception children who are more than a year younger than him would affect his learning.

Towards the end of Y1 he read Y2 books, picks things up very easily and gets 10/10 in his spellings every week. In his report all his grades were A for attainment and VG for effort.

At the end of this term on the second to last day we found out their new classes - he is again in a split year class Y1/2.

I am not happy as he already thinks everything is easy. I am worried he will become distracted and 'give up'. I would like it if he was in a class where he had a bit of healthy competition instead of keep saying to me that he finished first and then helped the other children.

Emotionally the class has been great for him, but like you OP I do get the impression that these classes are streamed for everyone except my child!! The school are very cagy about discussing the mixed classes. At the end of term I wrote to the head to express my concerns. Not sure if I'll get a reply!

[LostArt]

One of several things may be at play here:

1. the classes aren't based on ability
2. the classes are based on ability - and your DD isn't one of the brightest
3. the classes are ability based - your DD is one of cleverest and so are other children who you don't consider bright.
4. there has been a horrible mistake and your DD is in the wrong class.

My money is on 1. Just because the classes were ability based last year, it doesn't mean that they will be this coming year. The school may want more even numbers of boy/girls or autumn/summer borns in the class.

I don't mean that to sound too flippant, but I think you may be over analysing it. The teacher will be giving you daughter appropriate work, no matter what class she is in. If you feel that she isn't being stretched next year, talk to the teacher about it at the time.

I'm saying this as someone who had sleepless nights over a reading book last year!

[redskyatnight]

How do you know that the children in her class are lower ability? I admit to a "vague awareness" of which are the brighter children in my DS's current class, but wouldn't have a clue about the children in the other class.

I'd also be surprised about streaming in Y2 as ability/attainment is so fluid though it would make sense that Y1 children put in a mixed Y1/Y2 class would have to be capable of coping with the work/level of the class (which doesn't make them the brightest, just the best copers IYSWIM).

[Bramshott]

I agree with LostArt. Concentrate on what you can change - it's very unlikely that you'll be able to change the class your DD is in. The only thing that really matters is that they are giving her challenging and appropriate work. Don't imagine problems before they occur!

[LimaCharlie]

My DD must be a similar age to yours OP and we have a similar set up with mixed year groups at our school.

Given that she is a young 6, whilst she may be academically bright it could be that socially / emotionally she is less mature than say an older Y3 (as will be in Sept) who is coming up to 8.

Therefore she may benefit from spending time with children closer in age - ie Reception going into Y1, where there is less pressure to "keep up" with the older childrens work and more child-led activities.

[taffetacatski]

DS's school has been streamed for next year for the first time. We have split year system too. We aren't allowed to call it streamed though.....

Each child has been assessed and placed where the teachers feel will best suit their needs, taking into consideration the following:

• Learning environment and style
  
• Overall ability
  
• Personal, social and emotional development
  
  I have a good friend whose DS did very well in SATs but is in the lower streamed class ( or whatever on earth you call it ) for next year due to his emotional development.
  
  You need a conversation with the Head or teacher/s who made the decisions about who goes where about what the criteria are for placing children in classes.