DDs school want to move 5 reception children into year 1!

[sarah573]

We had a note come home in book bags last night to say that the school will be moving 5 of DDs class into year 1. They will be doing this on the basis of age and ability.

They only have 1 class in reception of 35 children and 2 smaller classes in year 1. They have not said which children they will move yet, however as DD is already 5 and very able I think its likely to be her.

I've got no problem with split classes, DS1 is in a year 5/6 class at the moment and it works well. The problem for me is they are not splitting the class, but just moving 5 children who have been at school for less than a term, and throwing them into 2 classes (presumable 2 in 1 class and 3 in the other) with children who have been there over a year. How can a teacher be expected to meet the needs of the 2 younger children over her 25 older ones!!

I remember with the boys that the transisition from Reception into year 1 is quite a big one (more work less play), and I'm worried that this would be too much for DD. Im also concerned that if she doesn't get moved (either because she not picked or I shout too loud) then the other more able kids in the class will go, and this will also effect her development.

[Chopster]

the transition is huge, I think she really will be better off in reception as one of the brighter children rather than going straight to the bottom of the year 1 class. I would really question what the school are going - mixed half/half classes can work, but this sounds like it could be problematic.

[NatalieJane]

Hi Sarah,

Not sure how much help I will be but....

My DS1 was put into a y1/2 class in September, I spent the whole six weeks worrying about how he was going to cope, he is very able, but I knew going from reception into y1 was going to be a big enough change for him, but to shove him in with a year 2 class seemed too big a change, but, although we have had the odd comment of 'I wish I was still in nursery, we played more' he is doing really well. He is getting 10 out of 10 on his (year 2) spellings every week, he is reading beautifully, his writing has improved more so since September than it did in the whole reception year.

I don't know if that will help put your mind at rest, and you don't even know if she will be moved yet, but try not to worry too much(easier said than done, I know!!)

[Niecie]

Perhaps they would be better off pooling all the children, Yr 1 and Yr R and splitting the whole lot into 3 equal classes with mixed ages in. If your DS1 is in the same school, it is something that they are used to coping with.

It is hard though. DS2 starts school next year and is 5 within the 1st 2 weeks so in your school he would probably be a candidate but I am not sure I would be happy about the fact he missed the 'fun' year. Maybe they will chose children who are naturally more settled and can concentrate for longer periods.

I wouldn't fancy the job of chosing the children. Nobody is going to like the decision!

[brimfull]

I wouldn't be happy with this.

What happens next year ,will she go on to yr 2?

[Carbonel]

I remember a similar post like this last year and basically the parents had no say or choice in hte nmatter at all. I would not worry about it as you are unlikely to be able to change anything and just do your best to support your dd in whatever decision the school makes

[LIZS]

I think you have groudns to voice concern. teh Foudnation Satge is compeleted in Reception adn KS1 stasrts in Year 1. Can see there might be less of an issue flexing Year1/Year2. If your child is "chosen" make sure she has ticked all the relevant Foundation Stage Assessment boxes, or that there si provison in the new class to do so, otherwise there could be significant gaps which get overlooked. At the end of the day there may only be weeks in age difference between these elder Reception chidlren and younegr Year 1's but the latter will have an advantage of having established themselves in routines for a couple of terms longer. What woudl annoy me most in that situation is the lack of anticipation , since they must have known much earlier, probably before the School Year started, that this year group was oversubscribed with no provision for an additional Reception teacher.

[fircone]

I wouldn't be happy.

Ds was moved into year 2 after Reception, without the school consulting me. The school said he was so far in advance of his peers that it was pointless going into year 1. He is an August child, so he was 5 and 2 weeks in amongst children some of whom were nearly 7.

He was quite able to do the work, but he was separated from his friends and then the teacher said he was a bit babyish. What did she expect?!

We moved school.

[dayofftomorrow]

Personally I would have welcomed this a few years back as DS was more in tune with year 1 than reception (september born, had friends in year 1 etc) it depends on individual. Only problem could be later on when returning to own year group and repeating topics

[wheresthehamster]

If you get the choice - say no. This is not a mixed rec/yr1 class by the sound of it. It sounds like a yr1 class with some rec children going into it who won't have the advantage of a foundation year

[wannaBe]

the school my sister's ds is in have done this and he is one of the ones who has been moved up and he was only 4 in July . They are in a year 1 class but have their own teaching assistant, but I personally wouldn't be happy about this.

it's worth remembering that your dd will have to repeat a year as they won't move her up to secondary early - sister has been told her ds will have to repeat either year2 or year6 - presumably because these are SAT years.

[sarah573]

Thankfully DD is not one of the chosen 5!! She has a slight speach delay (problems pronouncing some letters) so although they would have put her up on ability, they will keep her in reception because of this. I am so relieved!!! The sad thing is that the 5 kids that have been asked to move are all her friends.

[Hulababy]

DD's school considered this. As a parent of one of the Y1 girls we didn't actually relish the idea of them putting the recption childrne into their class - it would, it had to, affect the amount of help and support the older girls got, as in almost all cases the reception children would require far more help and support esp in the early days. I wouldn't have wanted if my DD had been one of the reception children either.

In the end it hasn't occured fortunately. The children are mixed for some non academic subjects - ballet, PE, art, music, etc. but not for things like literacy, numeracy, science, etc.

I would be interested in what happens eventually. What happens next year? What class would those moved up be in? Do they end up missing a year entirely and moving onto secondary school early? Or will they at some point have to repeat a year whilst at primary?

[newgirl]

sounds madness - why did they take in 35 kids in the first place? oh well, sounds like it has sorted out ok this time for the op

[FluffyMummy123]

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[FluffyMummy123]

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[Shitemum]

My brother was moved up a year along with 4 or 5 other bright and able class-mates. It was about 25 yrs ago and i can't remember how old he was, maybe 6 or 7. The ones who were moved up ended up being side-lined and not getting enough attention/input for their level. I can't remember what happened to the others but my (to this day bright and able) brother left school with almost no qualifications and undiagnosed dyslexia...

Ask the school how they are going to make sure the bright and able reception kids are going to be helped to keep abreast of the y- one-rs.

[FluffyMummy123]

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