To kick up a fuss re school classes

[LucieLucie]

Opinions please...ESP from any teachers would be appreciated.
(Scottish primary)

Ds is February born so started school aged 5.5 rather than 4.5 as in Scotland we had a choice, this makes him among the oldest in his class. Ds is aged 10 now and just about to finish p5. There is a boy in his class who is a full year younger, having started aged 4.5.

Anyway ds has had a terrible time at school so far due to various reasons and due to a recent house move is on his 3rd primary school which he has grown to love and has now made good friends.

He came home from school yesterday really upset because the class lists for next term had been issued and the rest of his p5 class are moving up to p6 with the exception of ds and 2 other boys, one of which is the whole year younger and a couple of girls who are being put in to a composite 5/6 class. WHY?????????

He feels he is dumb now and thinks it must be because he is not clever enough. I am furious as I can see how this has affected him, his confidence and after finally settling in and enjoying school this is the last thing we need.

Any suggestions why this decision has been made?? We have had no issues reported regarding his learning or ability. Any suggestions on how to tackle this as we want him to move to the older class where he wants to be. I realise this may sound trivial but its a big thing to my ds.

North light -thanks for the info re class sizes. That's the first possible logical reason I have heard that could have been a deciding factor here. However I really would appreciate an explanation from the school. I was unprepared for this and that makes it very difficult to accept and deal with my ds at the same time.

I won't go in guns blazing but I do get myself extremely emotional about my ds schooling as it has been difficult so far and just wanted him to be settled and happy.

I feel we cannot take any more of anything. I feel like taking him out of school and home educating him. I work ft though so not an option sadly. I just want him to fit in. I am just devastated sorry for going on an on but am at the end of my tether on so many issues this is a huge blow.

Clouds and Trees - We don't have school governors in Scotland. However, unlike England, we do have maximum class sizes and it is this that leads to fairly routine compositing. It can mean that only a couple of children go into a composite.

All local authorities have an eye to their budget and schools have to composite if it means that an extra teacher would have to be employed otherwise. Sometimes a case can be made if the knock on effect would be too disruptive or if numbers top thirty-three close to the end of session.

I should add that primary one and two are also restricted to twenty-five.

maybe his bossiness and outspokeness is an advantage perhaps they see him as a asset to the class and he will cope very well, please try and get it out of your head he is being kept back he isn't he is still a P6 he will be treated as a p6 and do p6 work, and he will probably put in a full p7 class anyway

Clouds-I don't know the answer to that until I speak to the school on Monday.

I appreciate that I am repeating what other posters have said but there are a million and one ways to spilt a year group. Ability and age are just two ways. Your ds is not being held back a year.There is no difference in teacher straight classes and mixed classes. You teach the children in front of you and not the year group number.

Since mixed classes do occur pretty much all of the time, teachers are aware that they have to keep a record, possibly on the back of an envelope, of what they have taught so there are no repeats unless necessary.

OP speak to the school I Monday and ask why he is in that class rather than the other. You may not get a reason other than someone needed to be to keep class numbers right. I have to say I wasn't aware that Scotland had rules about class sizes for mixed groups.

Thanks mrs jay

I am just devastated sorry for going on an on but am at the end of my tether on so many issues this is a huge blow.

sounds like this is the straw that broke the camels back which is why you are probably over thinking it, does he get on ok at school does he cope well normally sounds like you are both of similar natures and worry, dont worry he will be fine, contact school on monday and tell them what you told us,

Aw Lucie, I know it's hard but try not to worry abut this. He will be given work appropriate to his age and stage. In my own school this year's primary fives have been a lot more mature than the generality of primary sixes. Your son could easily find that he has more like minded people in his new class and/or he will enjoy the responsibility and status of being one of the older ones.

Playtimes and lunchtimes as well as the journey to and from school, loom much larger in children's minds than they do ours. He will be interacting with his peers during this time and that will be socially important to him.

My ds and dd have both been in composite classes.I was not happy with the decision and requested a meeting with the head teacher.Only after I became very angrye and upset did the head agree that if I was not happy after a couple of months the decision could be reviewed.

He will have been selected to go in the composite class because he will be able to handle the change and adjust fine into the class, composite classes are generally smaller and the children get much more 1 to 1 time, my dd done much better in the composite class she was in one p1, p2 and p3, she is the same age as your ds and has been in full classes p4 which resulted in her needing learning support by the time she reached p5.

I dont blame you for being upset lucie.I myself was very upset and conveyed this to the school.I would go ahead with asking for a meeting to outline your concerns.Dont be fobbed off if you are still not happy.

It seems odd to select one of the oldest for this though...the OP has had no concerns raised over his abilities....surely they should have chosen the younger ones?

I was explaining that in Scotland, age is usually the deciding factor but not the only one. I would be very surprised if this decision is changed now though. Class teachers do not make these types of decisions so the best course of action is that you contact the head in Monday and ask for a meeting. Are there lots of other composited in the school?

I think age is irrelevant tbh I just remembered dd1 was in a composite class as well ( she is older and my memory is a bit rubbish) and she was 1 of the oldest she is an april birthday,

If it is not changeable OP I would explain to DS that he's been chosen for that class as they needed a responsible child...one who could cope with the change and to set a good example. He might do ok out of it....after all he will be one of the most able in all likelyhood.

Another reason may be that if you have not longed moved, is to keep continuity and stability with the same teacher.

Don't go in all guns blazing, but it is appalling that the first he knew about it was in school, without consultation or informing you first.

Pudcat- no continuity or stability as he will get a new class teacher and a whole new class except for the other five p6's he will go with. Not ideal for the new boy imo.

Help-yes I agree, it's the ack of consultation and communication that's the issue here. I think schools often underestimate the impact decisions like this can have on an insecure child.

Further back thread someone suggested emailing the teacher/head but we can't as they only publish the general admin email address. We are stuck seething until Monday then it will be difficult to arrange a meeting due to work etc, I feel helpless.

Speak to the teachers. Find out the reasons. Listen to their point of view carefully then explain your concerns and hear their thoughts on those. It may be that you decide this composite class is the best place for him based on their evaluations or they may hear something fro
you that changes their mind.

Either way you need to keep the drama out of this for your son. He does not need to know why you're up at the school and if there is no choice but for him to be in that class no matter how fuming you are you're going to have to greet him with big smiles and a good news natrative anout it, to ensure he looks forward to next term and returns to school with self esteem in tact. And if he is moved to the other class you'll need to find a narrative that is not about it being better than the other class as it'd be awful for him to repeat that and unwittingly damage some other child's experience of school.

Good luck, you sound like a very caring mum and whatever the outcome he's a lucky bit to have you on his side.

OhMerGerd- thank you, you talk complete sense.

My ds does pick up on my emotions so I need to be careful how I deal with this, and good point about not painting the situation for others in the composite in a negative light.

Hopefully I will be calmer by Monday and less emotional. Discussing it here has helped massively already, thank you all very much .

Just another perspective from Canada! Our school has a lot of mixed classes, some parents worry about it but when the alternative is closing the school altogether and sending kids on a bus across town, we don't complain too much.
There was a 5/6 class this year as well as a full 6. It's the last year before middle school, so they have a "graduation", overnight trip, etc. Even though the 5s were in that class, they didn't do all the special 6 things. I'm sure it's the same at your school. Some kids have to be in with the younger ones, if everyone complained how could they make up the classes? And they are usually much smaller groups with more teacher attention. Ds1 is one of the oldest in his class, has just finished grade 4 and next year he'll be in either a 4/5 or a 5/6. I don't care which it is.

I think u need to get a grip really. You are acting like your child is being put into a p3 class.

I was in a split class (as we call them here), i was in the older class along with 4 others. The teacher loved having us as we were mature enough and intelligent enough to get on with our work.

This happens because there are too many children, not enough teachers & not enough schools in this country.