KS1 Teachers, please help me with my problem

[Berrie]

Ds starts school in September. I do a bit of supply work in the schhol nearest to us and so it would be really convenient for him to go there especially once both dc are at school,and I can do even more. It's closest to us, meaning we can walk each day (good for us all)and I would expect that most of the children around us will go there too.
The other school is across the other side of the village and I can see us going in the car on rainy days and days when we are running late.
My problem is that the close school has too many childen for 1 teacher in the lovely 4+ unit but not enough for 2 teachers meaning that the 8 oldest reception children (which dc probably will be one of) will go into a year one class. I am concerned that ds will feel left out of the 'proper' room and may feel that he is not as clever as most of the children in the class. I know that the teachers will do their best to make sure this is not the case but children pick up all sorts of ideas that are wrong/ unintended.
I also realise that lots of school have mixed age classes and indeed that all classes have a huge range of ability in them anyway. I'm just concerned that in his first experience of school, he does not pick up negative assosiations which might put him off for ever.
Please give me your thoughts, I just don't know what to do for the best.

[Berrie]

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[AMumInScotland]

If the school is used to having mixed age classes, then they will be able to make sure your DS does not lose out. You could even make a positive of him getting to go in with the bigger ones.

I'd certainly pick the closer and more convenient one myself.

You may also find that all the reception children work together for some parts of the day, so they all get a chance to mix together.

My DS was in mixed age classes all through primary, and the school was very flexible to make sure they all got the same chances to do fun stuff and mix together. For him it was great, because the wide range of abilities made it simpler to move between groups for different subjects.

[Enid]

we have mixed year classes and they stream by ability not age! Still doesnt seem to matter and they manage it very successfully for the most part.

[littlerach]

Same as Enid.

[Berrie]

I don't think he'll miss out necessarily, I just don't want him to pick up the idea that all the other children are 'cleverer' than him.

[Enid]

well he shouldnt if its by age.

[Berrie]

This is where i don't know you see as i don't have KS1 experinece. Won't the Y1's be able to do all sorts of things he hasn't learned yet?

[Enid]

yes they do the same topics but work at differnt levels

[Berrie]

So Ds will look across at children who have begun to read and write and feel lacking then. In Ks2 every child knows how the group ranking works however you dress it up. Is it not the same?

[Enid]

well, you've said it is done by age. So you can tell your son that if he doesnt go up it is because of age. if he does go up, then I am sure they will structure it well. I think you really need to go and look round the school and see for yourself how it works - ask the teachers if you have these concerns and I am sure they will be happy to put your mind at rest.

[Berrie]

Thanks Enid. It's not something that usually happens, there are just more children in reception this year. I'm in school several times a week doing tutoring but there is nothing to see as there are only 29 currently in reception. I've been told a TA will take the group into the 4+ unit somethimes but he will be a visitor in there and not part of the class. He is not very confident.
I'm probably wrong but I just can't see him understanding why he's in that class, just picking up a sense that most of the rest of the class are much more self assured and comfortable in school as well as all being able to do far more than he and his little group can.