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3 children with the same name reception class - would you be annoyed?

275 replies

Twozealotmorethan1 · 12/07/2017 21:24

My son is due to start reception in September. It's a large school with a 3 class intake per year. We got class lists through this week and I was surprised to see that there girls with the same name have been put in the same class rather than spread between the three. They are the only three girls in the year with that name and the name is relatively common around here, but not overly so (for what difference that makes). For the purposes of this post, let's say they are called Sophie. Aside from not making it easy for the class teacher of that class, I think it's quite unfair on the girls, especially as in this school, unlike some others I've heard about, the classes stay unchanged throughout the primary school and so these children will be together until age 11 at least.
I can't help think that it's inevitable that the girls will become known as Sophie P / Sophie E etc according to their surnames and may even be more likely to attract unkind nicknames as they get older e.g. 'Big' Sophie, 'Fat' Sophie etc.
I realise it's not always possible to avoid having more than one child with the same first name in a class and I know various factors are taken into account when setting class groups but I can't help think that in a school with three class entry this could have easily been avoided? I would be a bit irritated if I was one of their parents. I have a younger child who will go to the school too in due course and am tempted to feed back to the school politely that I don't think this approach is helpful. What do you think?

OP posts:
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Twozealotmorethan1 · 12/07/2017 21:25

Gah! Line 5 of my OP should say 'three girls' not 'there girls'!

OP posts:
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melissasummerfield · 12/07/2017 21:26

i think you have too much time on your hands, please don't bother the school with this, its not even your child!

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Anatidae · 12/07/2017 21:27

It's quite common. We had seven Andrews in my brothers scout group.

It shouldn't make any difference in class - kids will have nicknames and teachers can just say "Olivia P" or "Olivia S."

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Floralnomad · 12/07/2017 21:28

Perhaps these 3 girls already know each other and their parents have asked for them to be in the same class . MYOB ! It's absolutely not your concern .

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FacelikeaBagofHammers · 12/07/2017 21:28

Ehhh. So you won't allow your kids socialise with other kids of the same name?

I think you're making a big deal out of nothing tbh. It's a part of life kids will have to get used to!

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ineedamoreadultieradult · 12/07/2017 21:29

It's fine to have a vague thought of 'I wonder why they didn't split them up' then move on with your life. Any further thought about it is a total waste of time.

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MayhemandMadness01 · 12/07/2017 21:30

Honestly, time to get a life! Not your child, not your place to comment. The actual parents might have requested them being in the same class for all you know.

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peripateticparents · 12/07/2017 21:30

I had a child who was one of three of the same name in a school with only one class per intake year. They were quite happy with being 'Sophie E', and still labelled their items with the moniker, even 6 months into homeschooling. I think you are worried about nothing. They'll be more likely to be labelled 'big' sophie when people don't know any other way to name/discuss them (such as sophie e).

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SavoyCabbage · 12/07/2017 21:31

Names are the last thing that you consider when doing the class split. Well, not really as it's not even something that you would consider at all as there are so many other things to think about.

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Viserion · 12/07/2017 21:31

My DS had 4 with his name out of a class of 9. Only one boy did not share the name. It was fine. They divided the year group by personality, not name.

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CremeEggThief · 12/07/2017 21:31

Don't be daft, OP.

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Missingthesea · 12/07/2017 21:31

It may be that the classes are arranged according to the children's ages. For example my DGS is August-born and has always been in a class comprising the youngest children in the year.

If all three Sophies were born in the same few months it's just the way it goes!

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Crumbs1 · 12/07/2017 21:35

You're not serious about feeding back to school, surely? What business is it of yours. I had five with same name as me in my class all the way through school. We all ended up being called completely different things totally unrelated to our shared name.

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Newtssuitcase · 12/07/2017 21:38

I think you should keep your thoughts to yourself or risk being labelled as bonkers.

So what if they are known by their surname initial? My DS2 was in a class with a child with the same name and for years he would sign his name "Sam K" (not his name) even in notes and cards to me. "Dear Mummy, I love you, Sam K" Grin

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mrz · 12/07/2017 21:40

I once had seven Ellies in a class and five Mias. It happens with popular names. I can't see a problem putting them together. Ensuring there aren't two children with the same name in a class certainly isn't a useful criteria for class organisation

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Fourmagpies · 12/07/2017 21:41

My DS1 has been James P throughout his school life as there was another James in his class. Even out of school his friends still call him James P. It doesn't bother him or anyone else. There were 4 Sophies in their 2 classes, 3 in one, 1 in the other.

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TheFaerieQueene · 12/07/2017 21:41

You really had to scout around to find a reason for starting a thread. Jesus.

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SavoyCabbage · 12/07/2017 21:41

I've three Lily-Mays an Ellie-May an Annie-May and an Ella-May. With various 'may' spellings.

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grandOlejukeofYork · 12/07/2017 21:42

If you call your child a common name, it's going to happen. No, I wouldn't be annoyed, except perhaps at myself for the choice!

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Dawnedlightly · 12/07/2017 21:43

😂
You are that parent. And your child hasn't even started yet Shock😂

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missmapp · 12/07/2017 21:43

My son was one of three in his class, he is known as *J and happily refers to himself as that, even though both the others with his name have left !

It seems a big issue now, but really isn't - they will be fine

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BertieBotts · 12/07/2017 21:43

Grin OP in the nicest possible way, I think you're going to look back on this and feel that it's just a teensy bit PFB.

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llangennith · 12/07/2017 21:44

OP you can start whatever thread you like. People don't have to respond.
When I stated grammar school 49 years ago there were three others with same name as me (a typically 50s name) and we were all put in the same class. There were two other classes in the year but they put us all in one class. Stupid!

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MaisyPops · 12/07/2017 21:47

Things that go into class mixes:
Equal ish ratio of boys and girls
Mixed spread of ability (depending on what's known from nursery)
Mix the children who are EAL up
Try not to have all the children with SEND needs in one class
Mix of ages
Mix of personality types (if there's a feeder nursery so they know)

Names won't come into it I'm afraid and I think you'd be silly to mention it.

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Crusoe · 12/07/2017 21:48

I spent my whole primary school life as 1 of 3 "Crusoe's" in the class and the whole of secondary as 1 of 4 "Crusoe's."
It's a total non-issue

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