Year 5 class reorganisation, continuity for ds will be lost. Feels like he's getting shafted.

[Noellefielding]

My ds is in yr 4 and has been with a good percentage of his yr group since then. We (and he) have really valued and appreciated the continuity of that.

We've just been told that they are going to address a long developing but significant imbalance in these two classes to do with ethnicity, gender, and some euphemism for ability. Friendship groups were mentioned. Then much PR spin about change and the benefits therein.

So they are rejigging the the two classes of 30 kids each. My ds (and a small group from his present class) are being swapped with a small group from the other class while his class seem largely to be going up intact to a dynamic, experienced male teacher. My ds and the shunted ones are going up ( in what now feels like the B list class) to a much less experienced fairly newly qualified female teacher (Which is fine but I know that a male primary school teacher can be a significant advantage to a boy's learning).

I want to know on what grounds he's being shunted. I have asked for a meet with the HT to say I'm concerned that he's being penalised disproportionately to his peer group and that it seems unequitable. If the class was being fairly divided and then going on to two very comparable teachers I'd feel better.

Any advice on what I might say to her? I do feel he is being relatively disadvantaged to his peer group since reception.

[Noellefielding]

Sorry - I meant to say he's been with most of his year group since Reception.

[SoupDragon]

I guess the point is that someone will get shunted and someone will end up with the, in your opinion, second rate teacher.

[weblette]

The school will probably take a very dim view of you effectively describing the new teacher as second-rate.

IMHO they will very seldom give you a reason for how they mix and will almost never go back on what they have decided.

[Noellefielding]

What I would prefer is that both classes were going up to comparable teachers rather than a star teacher (in most parents' and kids' opinions and by reputation and length of experience and male) and a "who's she?" teacher.

As it is my ds is getting a potentially triple disadvantage when compared with a number of kids in his present class.

a] He's moving to a new class as a small group into an established one.

b] He's not getting the male teacher.

c] And he's losing continuity.

So he is being relatively disproportionately disadvantaged imo.

[JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar]

DS is just about to finish Y4 with a very young NQT. She is the best teacher he has had to date - tbh the experienced male teacher he had a year ago was OK but not a patch on this one.

I doubt there's anything inequitible about this - they need to do some shuffling to balance the classes better and provide the best for all the DCs in Y5. Perhaps the "PR spin" isn't spin at all?

[Noellefielding]

GiddyPickle I agree that would seem far more equitable.

No he is not a child who has had difficulties nor has he been in destructive friendship groups. I think it's because he's just in the middle groups, he's not from an ethnic minority, he has no special needs and he is not gifted and talented. By swapping my ds with a couple of children who have very challenging behaviour then they can probably sort out some of the ethnic and special needs imbalance easily I guess. This is what it looks like but who knows. I think he's part of the invisible middle of every class which I've heard teachers acknowledge in the past. The needs of these pupils can bizarrely just disappear. I don't think it's intentional; I think it's just how education works.

[gerontius]

a) After a couple of weeks no-one will remember who was in which class last year.

b) Well, half the boys can't get the male teacher. Why is your DS particularly special?

c) In many schools classes are mixed around every year, which doesn't seem to cause the children long-term damage.

[Noellefielding]

weblette good point well made, just a good bit less experienced.

I'm certain she will not change her mind but I want her to know how concerned I am about the possible negative impact on his education. I want her to tell me why it's any good for him.

JenaiMarr of course that may be true but a small group seem to me to be potentially bearing a greater hit for this.

[Noellefielding]

gerontius I don't think that's true. This yr group have been close since Reception. My ds barely knows the other year group. I think the loss of continuity for a small group is a disadvantage.
Sure there may be advantages. But why not mix them all up? Why not spread the classes between two comparable teachers.
Otherwise it looks like an A class and a B class. That's how the kids see it. They were punching the air when they heard they'd got the male teachers and looking pityingly at the rest. I'm just really disappointed for ds, I don't think he's special I just wish it was more equitable.

[LostArt]

This has happened at my DD school and they used the 'imbalance' excuse too. But in reality it was 5 or 6 children swoooping classes. It became clear that they were trying to separate a couple of trouble makers.

This shift of yours may be to give the new teacher a slightly 'easier to deal with' class, which will probably benefit your son.

I know it is easy for me to say, but try not to worry. The new teacher will probably be very good, wait and see. Complain if there is a problem next year, but give the new teacher, the school and your son a chance first.

[LostArt]

what the hell does 'swoooping' mean!

[Noellefielding]

am hearing very good things about this teacher and am starting to feel more positive. am going to see ht not to ask for anything but reassurance. I already feel a bit better any way.

[Noellefielding]

Sorry Lostart, meant to say thanks and many good points. Thanks for all advice here, I appreciate it.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I second what someone said upthread about young NQTs

I do find that in some primary schools male teachers sometimes get a reputation above their capabilities

the v v young (female) NQT my ds had for two years was without a doubt the best teacher he's ever had...and nobody wanted her as class teacher either at first!- she really "lit a fire" with him as far as learning was concerned and brought a lot of things the kids had previously thought of as dry to life...

I'd wait and see if I were you. It's always disappointing when you get these sort of shunt-arounds at the end of year- but you never know how it's going to turn out. You might be pleasantly surprised

[bigfootbeliever]

This happened in my DS's class when he went up to Y3. Most of his class including him got the most awful woman imaginable. No control, wet as a drip and to quote her at parent evening:

"don't worry about his spelling, you dont want to make him stressed do you?",...

but the daughter of the chair of the PTA got tranferred out of that class and into the parallel class who were getting a super experienced and well respected teacher.

Of course I'm sure it was just a coincidence that the PTA chair's daughter got transferred and no-one else.......

funnily the headteacher was the woman's best friend too.

Dont you just love equality????

[bigfootbeliever]

Further to my post above, I should add that DS was moved to an indie prep school after that disasterous year. I'd rather pay to get what I want that wangle it out of friendships and psuedo positions of importance.

[Fossil]

Know how you feel Noelle. My ds has been in three different classes since he started in reception. I have three class photos which have three completely different sets of children in them.

He is being moved back to his 'original' class for year 4, i.e. the one he started Reception in. Sent a letter expressing my concern to the head 6 days ago and still haven't even had so much as an acknowledgement.

[CardyMow]

My DC's school for the last 6 years have routinely shuffled every class/year group. I feel it gives the dc a much larger pool of friends when they go up to secondary school, as at some point in their primary schooling, they will have been in a class with everyone in their year group. You may find that when your DS joins Y7, he may be in a form class with only one other pupil from his primary school...who may have been in the other class to what your DS was in. At least now, he will still know all the dc in his year group when he goes to Secondary.

This year is the first that my dc's school isn't doing this, the shuffling, they are only shuffling after reception and Y2. And I'm quite upset that they aren't shuffling either of my DS's this year!

[Fossil]

I don't have a problem with that if they shuffle everyone, but in my case it has only been ds and 4 others who have been moved around like a ping pong ball. Everyone else has gone smoothly through keeping the same friends, going to parties, etc. My ds's little group don't 'belong' anywhere. Agree thought that it gives them a larger pool of friends.

[Noellefielding]

Many good points here.

Since original post I've discovered his new teacher is solid and sound and may well be perfect for him so I'm happy now.

But I think it's about how were weren't warned and then there was no one to talk to immediately to reassure us. That would have made a huge difference. And it is about fairness bigfoot, that kind of preferential treatment is unacceptable. I know one of those 'super' heads who specialises in turning around schools in special measures. He told me that his biggest problem with failing schools is inadequate staff who you can neither change nor get rid of.
Ds had a woman in year 1 who must be on some kind of tranqs, it's like talking to someone underwater. Dh and I both think that year was like a neutral year for him. Of little use at all. But she's been shunted around the school and I don't think any training could actually give her the personal and communication skills one should have to be a teacher. Not much to ask is it?
But I'm happy now I know more and if we'd been told more thoughtfully I wouldn't have been so upset.

[deaddei]

I wish they'd shuffled dd's class in primary- 2 form entry, by year 4 there were 35 in each class and only 12 girls in hers.
Ds had only 8 boys in his.

[Acanthus]

I think state primaries can be pretty poor at communication. But it all sounds fine. Kids aren't bothered so much who they're with in class, they will still find their old friends in the playground. (You were totally overreacting, but i think you know that now )

[Noellefielding]

I was overreacting because it was handled poorly. A little preparatioin and a chance to talk about it immediately would have made all the difference.
And actually the kids do care about it. A few kids have lost almost their whole friendship group and are devastated. It does seem disproportionately hard for those kids.

[Acanthus]

They haven't lost them, they'll still be in the playground. It'll be fine after a fortnight.