Ability Tables in Yr 1 - Help please : ) - Primary Teachers??

[argeybargey]

(I posted this under a different title but thought this might attract more responses)

Can anyone/ teachers help with this please? Thanks in advance : )

My DD1 is a September birthday and has just started Yr 1. In Yr 1 they didn't seem to do much reading. They seemed to colour in a lot. And watch telly. I started doing a bit of reading with DD @ home (ORT) . She was in top set in rec (it wasn't hard to work this out although they named sets after animals).

DD1 is now in Yr 1 and appears to have been 'moved down' a table. If that is where she needs to be to support her in her learning then I don't have an issue with that but I would want to be sure that she was being taught in such a way as she has the chance to meet her potential. Can I stress that this is for HER sake Not mine.

Anyway... I really could do with knowing how tables at this age are 'arrived ' at?
I ask as my DD is a bright, quirky young lady -if a bit on the busy side in terms of getting down to work bless her,can't IMAGINE where she gets that from : D - and her reading is pretty good, (ORT 4 - they havn't started ORT 2 yet in school, on any ability table ).
It may be worth mentioning that sometimes she can get a couple of her sounds muddled, most days she gets them all though(I know because we practice at home). She did say that they had to do their sounds for the teacher last week and that she 'only got one wrong'could this be why they'd move her to a different ability table? (I am assuming yes).

So :Are ability tables in Year 1 just arrived at through assessing reading ability alone?Or knowing sounds? Or does writing come into it, maths also; - and general attitude to learning?

Also (sorry, one final question) there see ms to be a bit of a mix within her group too - two who I'd say would be higher ability, two somewhere in middle and I don't know who else she is grouped with..Altogether there seem to be four groups with around six-eight children per group.There are around 33 in the class.

[Clary]

I hope not as many as 33 in an infant class!

Anyway, that aside, I think groups are done in different ways.

These could have been done in yr DD's class based on other things than simple ability at this stage.

There could even be a deliberate mix while the teacher decides how to set the class. Is the class the same as last year or have 2 or 3 classes been mixed up?

Don't worry anyway, ability grouping in schools changes as the year goes on.

[argeybargey]

Thanks Clary - I was beginning to think that I was the only mumnetter still awake :D

• There is a mix of children in DD's class made up from half of last years three reception classes (There are two year 1 classes).
  

I was going off the fact that at least two children that my DD was grouped with last year now appear to be in what I am guessing is a top ability group, as they seem to be in with the other children who were also in top ability groups in the other two classes last year.

Do you happen to know what they look for when deciding though ? Interested to know as it may shine some light on where my DD needs some help (ie- is it a focusing thing/struggling with maths or whatever)...

[Clary]

I would ask the teacher if you are worried - but of course in a "how can we help DD" way rather than "my DD has been moved down!" (I am sure you wouldn't do that).

I am not a primary teacher but have some experience. I agree, groups are often done on ability, but from what you say yr DD's table is mixed ability so it may be for a settling in period while they get to know each otehr and the teacher.

Are there really 33 in the class?

[PrettyCandles]

It could be that at the beginning of the year they haven't yet set the ability groups and are still finding the children's levels. In our infant school they often 'tweak' the groups, particularly within broad abaility groups, in order to accommodate different learning styles. Sometimes that can be to help an easily-distracted child (eg by moving a chatterbox to another table with with generally more focused children).

TBH, in the first week of a new academic year I wouldn't worry about it or even bring it up. If by the end of September your dd's reading books are not at the level you think appropriate for her, then it may be time to talk with the teacher.

[Clary]

Yes my DS2 was moved from one writing table to another in yr2 because another boy on his first table was kind of in competition with DS.

Teacher asked if we would mind if DS was moved (suspect the parents of other boy would have minded!) we said not at all.

But I am agreeing with prettycandles it can simply be to solve another problem of distration/competition/kids too friendly/kids not getting on etc.

[argeybargey]

bump Any one else like to share their experiences with ability groups/tables in yr 1 ? I'd be really interested to hear.

(Yes, there are 33 in the class. I know :(

[taffetacat]

My DS ( now Y2 ) was on different tables for different subjects in Y1. He didn't generally talk about it much, but I do know he was in the highest ability group for comprehension tests and spellings. Maths they seemed to mix up a bit, he went out for a separate G and T ( I know its not called that anymore but thats what they call it at DS's school - backwater.... )literacy group and that was about all I got to know about.

I do know that whilst he didn't switch groups, some of his peers did, a few extra kids for example joined his spelling group after the first half term.

This year, he's in a Y2/3 split and they have spent the first two weeks from what I can gather testing them in lots of different areas and they have been able to sit where they like. I think that will change next week.

I thought 30 children was the maximum legal limit for KS1 class size.

As other posters have said, I would leave it a few weeks, do you have a parents evening this side of Christmas? Maybe thats the best time to get some more information about how they decide on the tables.

[redskyatnight]

At DS's school at the beginning of Year 1, the children were grouped (for reading) based on the reading level they were on at the end of Reception. The groups were organised over the 2 classes and some "levels" had multiple groups. The class teachers then reorganised at (I think) half term based on "their" assessment of the children and to eliminate the cross class groups.

Also to note that the groups were not purely based on "ability" but also on confidence and mix of children. There was definite overlap (top of one group being very similar to bottom of group above).

Whatever way your school has done it I would try not to worry :)

[Fennel]

Our experience of the groups isn't just based on ability either, even if they are loosely grouped on that. It's also affected by children not getting on being separated, or children who constantly chat together.

When 2 of my dds were in the same class one year (small school, 2-year classes) they were both in the top groups, but each got moved out of one cos they would squabble and kick each other.

it is a bit random.