Does this decision on classes seem logical? Advice from teachers pls.

[ELZGirlz]

I have a DD aged 4.10 currently in EYFS. Yesterday, we received a letter informing of classes next year.

In September, DD will be staying with the same teacher she has now. She will be in a mixed yr 1/EYFS class with only 6 other children in year 1 with her. She has been put in with no friends. There is to be another yr1 /EYFS class with the same number of year 1s in there. There is also a seperate yr 1 class with 30 children in. This has been clearly done on ability. That is so obvious. The numbers are currently 44 in my daughters year group and 35 coming into EYFS. Would it be more logical to have a year 1 class, a mixed yr 1/EYFS and an EYFS class. This is a bolt out of the blue as in previous years, the decision has been fairer and currently in juniors, where she has to mix there are three yr 3/4 classes and three yr5/6 classes. Surely it would be fairier to have three mixed yr1/EYFS classes.

My DD is incosolable, she has been split from all her friends and we have had a very difficult year as her teacher has been so negative about her. In the letter, the Headteacher shirks aLL RESPONSIBILITY, claiming she was not involved in the decision making process of allocation of children to classes as the class teachers know them better. WTF-surely she has responsibility to decide if allocating the children like this is fair 1. on ability and 2. excluding friendship groups.

DH and I have written a letter to the Head, asking for a meeting with herself and the KS1 co-ordinator. A letter has also been copied to the Chair of Governors.

Any advice would be very grateful. Thanks.

[mnistooaddictive]

These decisions are not taken likely and I imagine they have carefully considered all the options. They have lots of info you don't, and have to consider the best interests of all the children, not just yours. I inagine they are facing cut budgets next year and this will have an impact. You make suggestions for better ways to organise the classes but to be fair, you only have knowledge of your dd not the other 80ish children involved. I am sorry your dd is upset but you need to put a positive spin on it for her sake. If there is a problem with her Teacher then speak to the head about that.
There us such a huge range of maturity at reception/y1 and I imagine this is what they consider the best way.

[Ben10isthespawnofthedevil]

For me the important bit is the teacher and the negativity. DS has been diagnosed with SN this school year (Y1) and the teacher has been very negative to him.

Therefore prior to the decision being taken about which classes the children would be in I formally requested that DS not be in that teacher's class next year regardless of whether he is in the Y2 or mixed Y1/Y2 class. If you have not made this request in advance then it will now be very difficult for them to move them around.

[admission]

The head as leader of the school is responsible for agreeing the class arrangements. For them to blame the teachers is just cowardice and pathetic.
Having said that the school having made the decision are very unlikely to now change their mind. It would be anarchy. Just something that you might like to check. They have deliberately kept the number of reception pupils low in nursery year classes, does this mean that they are actually running the classes with school teachers or do they not have qualified teacher status?

[SarkyLady]

Our school did a very similar thing.

I understood the motivation but what really pissed me off was finding out later on that quite a few parents whose children were initially in the 'lower' class complained and had their child moved 'up'. It seemed like the set of kids in the final 'lower' class were not necessarily those for whom it was the right decision but those whose parents trusted the school to make the right decision or felt unable to challenge them.

(I wasn't personally involved in all this as I was happy with my son's allocated class)

I would want reassurances to to with why they think this is best for you lo and whether they plan to do all teaching in these class groups.

[ELZGirlz]

There was anarchy last year when the Head completely re-structured KS2. Parental pressure forced her to change her plans. We were told a few weeks ago that they wouldn't mix EYFS/YR1 but have three mix yr1/2 classes. Within two weeks the plans have changed. I didn't feel the need to air my views as I didn't think there was a chance that she would have the same teacher. I have asked for reasons explaining their decision. Also in a parent meeting last year, the Head reassured the parents by telling us that she had learnt from her mistakes and wouldn't in the future mix EYFS again. Thats why I haven't aired my concerns. I have now lost all trust in the Head as she hasn't stuck to what she said to parents a year ago.

[ELZGirlz]

Sarkylady, the numbers are low coming in as people are now chosing not to send their children to this school due to the decisions made and inconsistencies in the senior managemant and Governors decisions. I live in a village, about a third of people who live are now turning their back on the school. As we only can afford to run 1 car, which my husband uses for work and I have 2 other DD there, its very difficult to find another local school with 3 places available in their year groups.