To raise this with the school?

[FishfingerFlinger]

DD is starting reception this year in a 2 form entry primary. 6 other children from her nursery are joining the same school. None of them are her BFFs but they’re all people she knows and spends some time with. She’s a fairly confident kid and I’m not expecting major settling in problems.

We’ve just received the class lists for September and ALL the other kids from nursery are in the other class, meaning she won’t know anyone at all in her class.

Should I raise this with the school to see if they will move her with her nursery friends? Or will it just single me out as THAT parent in our new school?

I'd definitely raise it with them! How ridiculous putting all 5 others in one class and then one child in another. I wouldn't be happy tbh.

There will be loads of friendship shifts once they start school I wouldn’t panic. Your DD may have made new friends anyway. It also may be that although two form entry they actually do lots together (my dd in two form entry has door open between classes and kids go between, so actually not a big harsh split)

I wouldn't. Most children join knowing few or no-one. It's a good opportunity to make some new friends and she will still see her nursery friends at school.
Unless you think it will be an issue for your child.
DS joined knowing a few kids, but made entirely new friends immediately.

I would politely mention it at school. We get lists from lots of nurseries and divide them into two reception classes as equally as possible. Number of boys/girls/Autumn/Spring/Summer birthdays/ nurseries attended/EAL/ SEND.
Request your preference- you have a good reason but don’t be too downhearted if it’s not possible.

I wouldn’t personally, my DD started reception knowing no one and it was fine, she made lots of new friends so quickly - I don’t think she’d have noticed or particularly cared if anyone from nursery had been there to be honest!

DS knew two kids in his class before starting reception and barely spoke to either of them after about 2 days! I wouldn't worry tbh.

I wouldn't. Plenty of children start school not knowing anyone.

I probably wouldn't if I'm honest, unless it's to ask if she can be kept an eye on to ensure she's making new friends. I wouldn't ask for a class move, especially if she hasn't been split up from a 'best friend' - perhaps by pointing out what's happened they'll rejig things, but I wouldn't expect it.

I think she will be fine if she's a confident child. My DD moved to Y3 and had no one from her class in her new class, just a couple of girls she didn't know very well from the other class of her infant school. Her best friend went to a different school. It so happens that they and one entirely new girl are now her best friends; she's also made friends with other girls and boys.

As they aren't bff's and your child is confident I wouldn't worry.

Nobody from my child's nursery went to her school and she was extremely shy/quiet. Within a very short time you couldn't tell who went to school nursery and who didn't they all mixed very well.

I wouldn't say anything. It's very very young and they make new friendships in no time at all. DS started at a school with five reception classes, he knew one child who was in another class. He was also one of the youngest with some children more than a year older than him. He made friends quickly. Classes were also mixed every year, he coped fine.

There will be lots of reasons. Some schools group summer borns together, some won't want to unbalanced boys/girls/SEN.

Too many big personalities can swamp quieter kids etc.

Your daughter will have new friends in about a week and really wont care.

I wouldn’t say anything either. Unless there are other issues you haven’t mentioned, I’m sure she’ll be absolutely fine. My DD knew no one at all when starting and despite being very shy, it really wasn’t a problem.

They won't be able to move her without moving someone else. It seems strange, but they were probably balancing a range of factors. I would probably leave it and tell her they can play together in the playground. Friendships change so rapidly in Reception. DD is in Reception and a few weeks ago the Reception classes were allowed to mixon the playground (previously separate areas due to COVID). DD made a new friend that day who she talked about non-stop for weeks.

My DD started Reception with 6 of her Nursery friends, she's still friends with one girl from Nursery in year 2 but there's now 4 others in their group as well who went to different Nurseries.

My daughter knew one girl in her class when she started. They had absolutely nothing to do with each other within a few weeks because they developed totally different friendship groups. My son knew no-one at all and had a close group of friends very quickly. By all means mention it, but your child is likely to be absolutely fine not knowing anyone in the class.

Personally I would leave it. Mine went to school nursery and got split from the entire class including his BFF of 2 years. The teacher explained why and although I wasn't sure she was absolutely right and DC has thrived and gained confidence.

I'd leave it, unless there are strong reasons why, as a pp says they can't move your dd without moving someone else.

At 4, children don’t have friendships in the same was as older children do. I can guarantee, as someone who’s taught in Reception, most children make friends on their first day at school.

Actually, thinking about this, if you’ve received a class list that’s very worrying! Schools should not be sending out lists of children’s names to other parents - it’s a safeguarding no no! I’ve never heard of this happening.

The thing is you said they're not even bffs, just kids she knows. She'll get to know the kids in her new class very quickly. It's a total non issue

@soontobe60 it's often done here, first names only so children aren't identifiable by anyone but their parents and those that would already know that they were in that cohort of children. But knowing if Jane if in bees or butterflies class isn't a risk

None of them are her BFFs

On that basis complaining to school would make you "that" parent sorry

Lots of children start reception without knowing any other children

I wouldn't worry. Mine started Reception as the only kid from her nursery going and with lockdowns no chance to meet anyone else before school started. By the end of the first settling in session she had two friends!
Depending on set up you may find they see each other anyway - DD's school is two form entry but Reception is just one enormous room with enclosed outdoor area so all 60 kids were in there together and mingled for most of the day.

I have had 2 girls go through school, 1 knew no one in her class. The other knew 10, she is in year 5 now and only speaks/plays with one of them. My eldest even picked a high school NONE of her class mates applied to, her reasoning.... I want to meet new people, I've spent the last 7 years with that lot! I was so worried.
It seems a big deal to us as adults, but children really dont notice, your dd will be to involved exploring her new classroom and meeting new people to realise her friends aren't there! X

This is the sort of thing I panicked over when my kids were that age. But when they started primary 1 they made new friends. They are very young and will adjust. My daughter who is 9 now can’t even remember her friends from nursery now