Teachers - I need help please re composite class

[CocktailQueen]

My friendd's dd is due to start school,in Scotland in August. She will be 4y 9m. She has been put into a composite primary 1/2 class but with only 6 P1 kids in it - two other girls, three boys.

The teacher is an NQT this year, teaching primary 7. Next year she will be teaching 30 primary 1/2 kids aged from 4 to 7 (Because in Scotland you can defer kids to start school a year later). How is it possible to differentiate for such a wide range of abilities? There will be no TA.

What positives will there be for my friend's dd being in this class?. There will be no mixing with the primary 1 class - they do class topics, not year topics. My friend is worried she will be left out and will only have a few people to make friends with, and it will affect her education.

I have told her to write to the school and ask all these things, but what do you think? How can teachers do this? Why put such a young dd in a mixed class?? How will it work? Any advice? Thank you!

[CocktailQueen]

Thanks, Angels - that's helpful. :)

[indyandlara]

I'm very surprised that she will only be 4y 9 mths. In a composite the oldest of the younger children are with the youngest of the oldest kids so the age gap is as small as possible. That I would check out.

As for the rest, any teacher will be used to awning for a huge ability spread. You can have a p5 class with children working between Early and Second levels so that's no biggie.

[PacificDogwood]

Various of my boys have been in various composite classes, including P1/2 (also Scotland).
They happen to be spring born so were amongst the older one which I appreciate is a difference to what you are describing.

However, we've had nothing but positive experiences with composite classes - the smaller size makes a difference, the kids have been sitting on tables of 6 so small group work is done by ability rather than age IYKWIM, and they have certainly mixed with the other P1s (or other year groups - I think we've also had a P3/4 and, most recently a P6/7)

Is is a small school?
IME children do adapt amazingly well.

Having said that, being of the German ilk that I am and being used to an average school age of 6, I struggle with 4+ yo going to formal education, but that's probably for another thread.