Splitting up best friends in class or keeping them together?

[Daisydrum]

My DS is very upset that he will be split up from his best friend and separated into different classes due to a change of classes post lockdown. He thinks they bounce ideas of eachother well and help eachother whereas the teacher thinks they disrupt eachother. I’m very respectful of his teacher and will support the school in their decision, however I remember the same thing happening to me at school and just wondered if I’m being unreasonable to think that they actually work well together?
Would love my fellow mumsnetters opinions and teachers on their point of view. Thanks!

How old is your ds?

Hi, he’s 9

If the teacher has already taught them both together and find they distract each other, then that's final - and frankly, I'd be glad.

If two friends did work well together and didn't disrupt the class then I'd expect the teacher to want them to remain together anyway.

I think you should probably take the Teachers advise, it might be good for him to mix with other people anyway

If they do a lot of talking etc whilst bouncing ideas off each other it might be disrupting the others in the class. Just a thought. I taught older kids and I tried to accommodate friendships where I could, but in the end some of them had to be separated - nice kids but just couldn't shut up.

Split them. Their friendship can be supported outside of school and they will both be compelled to widen their circle which is good for their social skills.

I think you should take the advice of the person who spends most of the day with them at school

If the teacher says they distract each other, I would believe the teacher.

Teachers don't normally split children up like that unless there is an issue.
Your DS says they work well together but that could mean they have a laugh with each other and distract each other so that they are not concentrating on their work. They might be distracting others around them.
Or perhaps the parent of the other child has expressed concerns that their child isn't making as much progress as they could or perhaps feels the friendship is too close.

Go with the advice of the teacher who is dealing with the situation all day.

*the teacher thinks they disrupt each other

I just wondered if I’m being unreasonable to think that they actually work well together?*

Maybe, just maybe the teacher who is teaching them might have a point. They can still be friends outside class.

I would encourage them to be friends with lots of different people.

The teacher will be making the decision from the viewpoint of how the class works as a whole. I understand your son being disappointed, we’ve all been there. But you make new friendships and often positive things come out of it.

@justanotherneighinparadise Thank you. I think that’s hit the nail on the head.
They probably think they are working well but are distracting other children in the class.
Which I fully understand isn’t acceptable.
The other boys mum has expressed to me how upset he is too.

I think all friends are going to say they work well together. There's certain colleagues I work better with than others (some of whom I class as friends) but I also know sometimes we can distract each other too and this is perhaps even more true for children. He's hardly likely to admit that although they helped each other with one piece of work they were distracted for the rest of the class. Trust the teacher, they will try and do what's best for your child and his classmates.

I've had my kids split up from best friends on more than one occasion. Whilst I have always supported remaining friends outside school....because of school organisation often it does mean a cooling of the friendship while the kids mix and play with others. But then those strong friendships have remained and been rekindled when they come back together.

Definitely listen to the teacher.