I’ve just had a call to say DD will be going into a mixed class Year1/Year2. Can I have some advice please?

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DD is at a large infants school. 400 pupils. Ive just had a call from the headteacher to say they’d like to put DD into a composite class when she goes into year 1. He explained that the council have allocated them 3.5 classes for her year group, so that’s the reason they will be mixing the class.

I have no experience of mixed classes. DD is an October birthday so is one of the older ones so I’m sure she’ll do fine alongside the older children but I just wondered if anyone has any personal experience of classes like this and if the children learn as well as in a non mixed class? Many thanks.

Loads of schools do this. both of mine went through primary in mixed classes.

It'll be fine. Mine have been in mixed classes more often than not.

I don’t have any DCs, but mixed classes throughout were completely normal when I was at primary school. Two mixed classes per pair of years (iyswim!) so it could have been a class per year group but wasn’t. Is that not normal anymore?

Totally fine - both mine were in composites at some point, although I did have doubts at first.

Not at my son,s school, but my primary school.always had mixed year classes i don't recall any problems.

I was in a mixed class (over thirty years ago), was undoubtedly one of the best years of my primary education.

My eldest went into a 1/2 class and it was brilliant for her, she is about to move into the 3/4 class for year 3 and I have no concerns. My second DD is about to go into the 1/2 class, the school have been great about assessing if this is the best for them and have been right so far. Most schools will assess part way through and make changes if needed too.

My DD had this one year and honestly, it was nothing to worry about.

I was in a mixed class 40 odd years ago, I liked it.

My primary school only had 2 classes in the entire school, it was absolutely fine.

Flummoxed by the HT phoning you personally- it’ll be absolutely fine

Mine went through mixed classes until they were ten. One is a medical student and one a law student now so they were seemingly fine.

Both my dc are in mixed classes and although it hasn’t caused any specific problems I don’t like it, dd is mixed yrs 5/6 but she is yr 5 and has just started having sex education lessons because that’s what the yr 6’s are being taught. She has also been quite stressed as the older ones have been doing their SATS and it’s stressed her about doing hers which she didn’t need to worry about until next year.

I was in a mixed class in primary every alternate year. I hated it but that’s because I was in the older year group and every other year the new teacher would take delight in comparing the year groups. They continually cited how well the younger year was doing compared to us slow older year. Presumably, this was done to motivate us but it made me feel humiliated.

My dc school only has mixed classes. There's less than 80 in the whole school though. Dd personally doesn't like it when she's in the older year but she doesn't really like the year group below her

I was in a mixed class at school and I'm not a primary teacher. I'm against mixed classes unless they're streamed. But if they're mixed ability I think it's detrimental to the most able and least able.

I was in a mixed class for the last two years of Primary school. There were no issues at all. It didn't feel any different to any other class I'd been in before.

Both my dc have been in mixed classes several times and it has been a really positive experience.

Our primary school do mixed classes throughout. I was concerned at first. Its working perfectly fine though. They meet and become friends with a variety of ages and maturities. Neither of my children struggled with this.

Both my children have been in mixed classes. Never any problems both getting through syllabus and also good for friendships.

Mixed classes are a necessity at times and outwith the headteacher's control but I wouldn't worry.
Teachers teach according to the level of the child so it should make no difference whether your child is in a class made up of one year group, two year groups, or several year groups. In any one class teachers have to differentiate for each group anyway, so in a mixed class it is no different. Socially there may be concerns as there will be fewer children in each year group within the class, but schools often ensure activities are planned throughout the year so that all children can mix - and next year class groupings may change anyway.
Parents seem to hate mixed classes but honestly, it'll be fine!