bright children

[mmxe]

My grandaughter is a very bright year one child. School want to move her next year to a yr 3/4 class with two of her peers. We all have concerns mainly for her social and emotional well being as she will cope educationally.
They say she is very confident but we feel thats because she is the brightest and oldest and will not be in a yr 3/4 class with children more than two years older than her. School are saying the head has final say, surely parents do. also what happens at yr6, can they move up early? She has not completed KS1 which is worrying, schools OFSTED said they were not pushing their brighter children.

[magicmummy1]

I have a bright year one dd who the school suggested accelerating a year at the end of reception. We said no. I had a few wobbles about this at the time, but with hindsight, I'm convinced it was the right decision. DD is happy with her peer group, and her teacher has been perfectly able to stretch her in her normal class.

If I were your granddaughter's mother, I would fight the school on this every step of the way.

[mmxe]

cheers, they also suggested it in reception and were told no, she really needs her peers, she is a six year old in every way just bright.

[missmapp]

I once taught a yr 6 class made up of some bright children who had been moved up a yr when they were in yr3 and were 'repeating' yr 6. Academically they were fine, and I taught them from the year 7 curriculum, but socially they struggled. Some ( but not all) found it hard to form friendships with there peer grp who were now in there'first' yr 6, and were a bit aloof. I dont think any major problems were caused, but some children certainly had a tricky last year at primary school. I think teachers should be able to differentiate within a year grp, as socially children are generally best left with there peer grp.

[BusterGut]

Is this a very small school?

[CecilyP]

I have known a few people who were accelerated at school and none of them had a good word to say for it. In view of missmapp's post, it is also important to find out from the school what will happen when she reaches Y6. It might be worth checking LEA policy as well.

[manicinsomniac]

A few children at my school are either a year ahead or a year behind. It always works because their academic ability is never the main consideration, it is only done if it going to make them happy socially.

I remember being moved from Y1 to Y2 early myself. But it wasn't a year, it was only a term and was with 3 other children. I imagine they'd got themselves into a numbers mess. It didn't impact badly on me but then it was only a term and I went back to my old class (ie did 4 terms in Y2).

I wouldn't want either of my children accelerated personally as I don't see the need for it - a good teacher should be able to adapt. I wouldn't mind so much if it was a Y2 into a Y3 class but a Y2 into a Y3/4 is just too big an age gap imo.

[mmxe]

No its not a small school, just wanted confirmation of parents feelings before they go to see head, in my opinion ( I am also a secondary teacher ) she is a very clever little girl but always will be, moving up will just upset her socially and emotionally. I don't get how it benefits her at all and IMO its just lazy teaching.

[pudding25]

I am a teacher and I think this is a dreadful idea. A good school and teacher should be able to extend a bright child within their own cohort.

[exoticfruits]

I think it is just lazy teaching to move her up-her social group is very important at that age.

[mrz]

There is a huge difference between a 6 year old and a 9 year old socially/emotionally and I would see this as a recipe for unhappiness. Good teachers should be able to meet the needs of individual children without jumping year groups.

[exoticfruits]

I have known it happen if the DC is very mature and a Sept/Oct birthday and they have just stayed one year ahead and gone to university a year early-no bother because they have been 18yrs by the time the university yr starts.
It is different if they are not mature (not all bright DCs are emotionally mature), not an early in academic yr birthday and have to mark time in yr 6 by doing it twice. Jumping more than one yr makes them a bit of an oddity-at that age fitting in socially is very important.

[Feenie]

Agree with mrz.

[IslaValargeone]

A two year jump is a huge gap socially.
I know a couple of people who were moved up, and like CecilyP they have nothing but bad things to say about it. I would have thought that the school and the parents can work together and stretch your gd sideways to alleviate any potential boredom etc.

[forehead]

My dd is in year 2 and is very bright. I was asked if i wanted to move her up a year. I refused as i thought it was a bad idea.

[serendipity16]

Is it normal to offer bright children to move up a year?
I've never heard of it at my kids school.
My eldest is in year 5 & is bright but we've never been offered that choice & had i been i would have said no.
They do give him different work from the other kids though.
He taken out of class to do a special maths class which is maths for kids in year 7 & he also gets extra, harder spellings & other work to do. My son is happy with that & i don't think he would have benefited from going up a year.

[mrz]

No serendipity, it is normal to meet their needs in their year group as your son's school are doing.

[ragged]

I am confused, OP said the y3/4 class would have 3xy2 children, including her own DGD, so why not join forces to protest with the other parents of y2 children mixed with the older yr?. y2 DD had a spell (?6 months?) mixed with y3/4 children for literacy and she was fine socially, but that was only about 5 hours/week.

[serendipity16]

Thanks mrz

[mrz]

Perhaps the other parents want their children to make the leap ragged.

[aries12]

I am surprised that a school would want to move a child who is so young up a year. She needs her peer group more than she needs anything else in my opinion. Socially, the other children will be ahead of her...different interests e.t.c. She should stay in her class group and the teacher should be able to provide extra work for her if she needs it.
She can be stimulated in plenty of other ways...reading extra books...doing little projects at home...
Would not recommend it at all.

[skybluepearl]

its a tricky one. theres friendship groups and maturity to consider. it's not just about work. can you say you will remove her from school if they place her in a different year group. surely they can't force a class move? i agree the difference between a 6 and 9 year old is massive.

[IslaValargeone]

My child too was taken out of her usual class and moved to another for certain lessons. It has never been suggested to me that she should be moved up a year. Mind you they didn't bother to let me know that she was being taught in another class full stop.