To be worried/annoyed about the mixing of year groups?

[Pushpushpoosh]

School have just emailed the new classes for school next year and are saying they now have to mix yr 1 and 2 and yr 3 and 4 into the same classes.

I'm worried and slightly annoyed about this as there will be 3 classes for each group so why could they not stay with their own year group, or just mix the oldest and youngest from each year group for one class. My just turned 5 year old will be in a class with almost 8 year olds and that just doesn't sit right with me.

There's not alot I can do as a parent about this I know, but can anyone share positive or negative experience of mixed year groups? Aibu to have concerns?

Unless it's a very small school it's really unusual to mix more than two year groups. Is it possibly just missing some punctuation and they're mixing Yr 1 and 2, and mixing Yr 3 and 4? Rather than all four?

Do you mean there will be three yr1/2 classes and three yr3/4 classes?

Mixing two years is normal. The eldest yr2 kids will have just turned 7. Not be nearly eight.

Yes 3 year 1/2 classes with 3 different teachers and 3 year 3/4 classed across 4 different teachers.

Sorry yes just re read my post they're not mixing all 4 year groups 1 and 2 together and 3 and 4 together

Entirely normal in some schools.

Mixing two year groups together isn't an issue - it happens all the time.

They tend to be smaller classes and with multiples of them they'll be able to have a good mix so that ability levels are as close as possible.

For a lot of kids they are a very good thing.

My son went to a tiny school of 70 children, 2 classes in the whole school and most of the time they were together. It didn’t bother me as he was only foundation stage but I did wonder how they’d teach them all when they’re at different stages of learning. If it’s year 1 and 2 together I think that’s fine

It's the norm where I live. I don't think my kids have ever been in a single grade class. It's worked well for us.

At the beginning of the school year your young yr1 will be just 5. The oldest yr2 child will possibly have just turned 7 & will not be 8 until they go into yr3 so I said yabu.

It's done routinely in the school I work in, and both my DDs now aged 23 and 18, went through primary in mixed classes. It's honestly a non-issue, don't worry.

Our school does this, exactly as described above. It's because there are too many children for 1 class per year group and not enough for 2.

There are no issues at all. In fact it allows a lot more differentiation. We also still stream for phonics, English and maths, which mixes the classes further. It's good for social skills and provides opportunities for new friendships, and also can help balance out personalities in each class as there is a bigger pool to choose from.

Completely normal.

By mixing as they have it means

• planning for classes can be the same as they are all mixed
• no parent complains that their child is in the mixed group doing 'baby work' with the year below
• no parent boasts that their child is so advanced they are in with the year above
• similarly for emotional maturity

However they organise the split group (age, maturity, ability, shoe size) some parents will find something to be upset about

This way is equal for everyone.

I think that is better than a y3, a y3/4 and a y4.

It’ll be a pupil numbers/financial decision. Too few children in each year group to make two full classes.
However, many years ago my dc’s one-form entry school did this because the unruly behaviour of certain year groups. This allowed them to split up the children. Although the school never admitted this was the reason.

I wouldn't be happy with this, there is a big difference even in two years.

Personally I'd be looking for another school if at all possible.

My primary school was small so each class had 2 year groups. Never a problem. There needs to be differentiation anyway.

The other way, mixing the oldest y1 and youngest y2, would create an odd scenario where the middle third of the year were always in a single yr group class, and everyone else switched each year. It also assumes that the youngest children are the least advanced and oldest children and most advanced, which isn't necessarily true anyway.

While yes, there will be a nearly 2 year age gap between the oldest and youngest in the class, most will not be at either end of the scale

It's normal in smaller schools and works fine as long as the teacher is good at differentiation (which the vast majority of teachers are)

We've had this at two different schools. The school where it didn't work had other major issues.

Ours have always done thus, and it’s always worked out fine.

I was in a mixed class 45 years ago, nothing but positive as far as I remember.

Ds's former secondary mix form classes so you have 12 year olds with leavers, worked fine.

What doesn't sit right with you OP?

I teach a mixed year class - I have EYFS, Y1 and Y2 (4-7 year olds). I have 2 different curricula to teach at the same time. There are many strategies to make it work and mixing 2 year groups is no issue at all.

Really relived to know this seems like a none issue to most and has worked well for others 🙂 thankyou