A few more questions about groupings in year one plus

[Cortina]

I think the majority of teachers on here would say they don't think that static ability groupings, which are not differentiated for maths or literacy etc, are a good thing?

A few of us on here seem to have them (or similar) in our schools and I am trying to understand more. My questions, mainly addressed to teachers who have some sort of ability or current attainment grouping system in their classroom, I think, are:

What happens if you get children who really are all at the same level and remain so all year? You presumably wouldn't then break up a group to let others not at the same pace/level into it just for the sake of it?

What do you think would the consequences be of dividing the classroom up into equal groups of children working at broadly the same level in maths and literacy and not making a distinction between either subject?

Would this make life easier? Could there be positives that would spring from ordering the classroom in this way?

Do some people believe that there are some who are brighter and others less so, therefore a more fixed ability system is logical?

When teachers say they have ability groups but they are fluid what do they mean? Say you have 4 equally sized ability groups in your class (not differentiated) and 3 children change groups over the course of the year, is that a static or fluid system? How many movements over the year constitute a fluid system?

How common is it to see the best behaviour in the highest ability group and the worst in the bottom, the keenness of the children to learn also being on a sliding scale from top to bottom? The best work ethic being in the top group etc.

Do you think a rigid ability grouping system would likely hamper a child's progress? (Especially if they were in the bottom half of the class).

Do you think this system or any other 'ability' system really doesn't matter going forward especially so early on in a school career? Children's progress and likelihood of reaching potential will not be hampered any flaws in an ability grouping system?

Thanks.

[ireallyreallytrulyhatefootball]

Are you researching an article or something? Very interesting questions but they're quite in depth.

[Cortina]

No, not researching an article. I am very interested in 'ability' and have been reading widely around the subject. I am also now trying to be positive about a system that I can't change and trying to understand why a 'good' school might adopt such a system?

[ireallyreallytrulyhatefootball]

Sorry - just curious.

It sounds like you've done tons of research - loads of interesting issues.

[Cortina]

Thanks, no need to apologise. Any thoughts at all? What's the set up in your DC's school?

[TheStarsWillShineTonight]

According my dd, who recently moved from a middle group to a higher ability group in Maths - the behaviour is worse - so much so that it distresses her, as she likes to get on with her work. When I spoke to the teacher about it - she said they always get their work completed so they can't be that bad!
I remember being in the top group at primary school, we quickly learnt that if you got on with your work and finished it quickly, you could chat for ages while you waited for all the others to finish, our teacher only seemed bothered by whether you'd finished your work, I'd hoped things had moved on.

[Cortina]

It works like this in our primary, once you've finished you go and play and wait for the others to join you.