Would it be possible for Primary DC to keep their current teacher next year?

[UndertheCedartree]

Just wondering how feasible this would be?

I'd love my Y3 DD to keep her current teacher for when she goes back in September (into Y4). He will be in the best position to help her catch up and will make the transition much easier. My DD is on the shy side and I feel having to get used to a school environment in September (hopefully!) again is going to be a bit stressful for her. I'm sure it won't take her long to settle back in though, once she's with her friends again. She really misses her teacher and would love to be back in a classroom with him!

I’m sure some schools will do this for some classes. But there are many reasons why it’s not possible for all classes. Year 6 teachers won’t have anyone to teach. Some teachers have already taken a class up, and a third year with the same teacher probably isn’t ideal. Other teachers will be moving on, etc, etc,

There was a thread about this the other day. The trouble is Year 6 and Reception. EYFS is quite a specialist area and you couldn't expect a Year 6 teacher to move down there. You couldn't have the Year 6 teachers supporting elsewhere for the year and employ new reception teachers as a) there wouldn't be enough of them and b) you couldn't employ them permanently as then you would have too may staff (budgets are extremely tight anyway) and you wouldn't find enough reception teachers across the country willing to take on a job for just one year.

There is scope within schools for one or two teachers to move with their class if it was felt a particular cohort would benefit from this.

I've asked our school if they will consider kids going back to their current teachers initially, then transitioning to the new class and teachers by October half term. I think the kids will have such a lot of strangeness to deal with after such a long absence, that going back to someone familiar will really help. I realise this would mean delaying start for new reception class, but in the circumstances, and given how much school the other kids have missed, I don't think that's a major issue. It's worth raising with the school and with other parents as they may not have thought that far ahead yet.

I'm not sure if it will be different this year.

But I know my DC school don't do this. I think one of the main reasons is that children would possibly form a very strong attachment to the teacher which may not help later.

So even if teacher moves up year group they will get a different class (assuming the classes are not mixed up).

My DS especially will really miss his teacher. He absolutely adores her.

I think most children will adjust fairly quickly to a new teacher, and there’ll be other children who for whatever reason haven’t gelled with their current teacher whose parents will want the opposite. I’d not want teachers to have the extra work of moving years, they very rarely do at my children’s school. Some teachers will leave, some will be entirely new, no one has a clue if it’s full time, part time, I still don’t trust they won’t repeat the year or move academic years to calendar years.... I’d save worrying about it until August to be honest. My children’s school is small enough most children are at least slightly familiar with most of the teachers anyway.

I can see why this would seem appealing, but I'm afraid it would be pretty unworkable. Although teachers are qualified to teach all of primary, they will be more experienced in teaching the year group the currently teach, they will know the curriculum better, and have resources that they find most effective.

You also have problems with first and last year groups which are probably the most specialised, if every teacher moves up, you would presumably move the year 6 teacher to reception, which I don't think would work well.

I think it should be (based on previous attainment/Sen for example) an option for a child to repeat a year if needed.

DS had the same teacher for years 1 and 2 due to a reshuffle. It was great- they hit the ground running because she already knew them all and where they were in their learning. He made great progress and they all adored her.
I would be happy for him to have the same teacher or the current teacher of the year above, both are great. He knows the year above teacher as he’s PE and Games and IT as well so transition no problem.

The problem with children repeating a year is they still have to go to high school at 11. So they miss year 6 and don't go up without their friends.

*with 🙄

The teachers know the curriculum for their own year the best. Making everyone move would make it harder, not easier.

If you feel your child is going to need to catch-up, I would start tutoring her yourself.

That isn’t the case Kitkat

It's possible in some cases but not really a reasonable workload for teachers who would have to rewrite the entire primary curriculum and adjust to teaching in a new year group. Wouldn't work for EYFS and Year 6s, wouldn't work if the teacher had already had the class for 2 years etc

There is some talk at a primary school here that children will remain in their current year groups come September meaning same teacher if they stay at the school. I wasn't sure to believe this, but then my son who was due to start in September, the letter we have received from his new school, implies that he may not be starting in the first term of the academic year. I'm not saying this is what is definitely going to happen and by no means no one has confirmed this, but schools seems to be definitely be planning for this just in case and being open as possible about new starters etc. I know they tend to receive confidential emails from DfE and I wonder if this is something they have been told to possibly prepare for. But schools are planning for a wide range of possibilities come September time.

My daughters primary has already said they will be going back with the same teacher. This will be til the Oct half term, when classes will be hopefully back to normal.

We discussed going back into our old classes for 2 weeks in September. Then realised this was a massive nightmare, that as long as we do the right things in class, then kids are resilient and they'll be fine. Vast majority anyway, and lots of those who will struggle would have struggled anyway so will have have measures in place to support.

schools are planning for a wide range of possibilities come September time

It's a nightmare. Millions of different plans, most of which will have been a waste of time.

This used to happen at my DCs primary school anyway. Teachers moved classes and sometimes ended up with some of the same DC. So it's not impossible

I can see that would be the big issue if all teachers stayed with their class then it would leave Y6 teachers to have EYFS which couldn't happen. The teachers often move a year within my DDs school but not with the same class. It is 5 form entry so lots of chance to move around but not as extreme as Y6-EYFS. I like the idea of them keeping their teacher for the first half term then transitioning but obviously that would have an effect on the new DC joining the school. I just think it is going to be so hard for the new teacher starting with a new class they don't know all at completely different levels - some far behind, some ahead and having to catch the class up.

No, I really do not want this.
DS has the same teacher this year as he had last year. Initially I thought it would be good as no stress over the summer but by Christmas he was bored and I also felt the teacher was letting a lot of things go. It has been so difficult to motivate him in home schooling. I am really hoping a new teacher and being in school at least some of the week is going to help matters.

"I just think it is going to be so hard for the new teacher starting with a new class they don't know all at completely different levels - some far behind, some ahead and having to catch the class up."
*@underthecedartree

This part of your post really undermines teachers as professionals. Every single year, teachers deal with children coming in at different levels and they adapt accordingly. It is our job, it's what we are experienced in.

Teachers aren't concerned about 'catching up', honestly, we have to reteach basic punctuation every September after a normal Summer - we are prepared for the academic revision to come.

Parents keep saying on here that they aren't trained teachers but keep making silly demands like repeating the year and keeping the same teacher. Had the kids been back in school they would have had another 10 full weeks of teaching (NI). I cannot comprehend why people want a whole year retaught due to missing out on this - what would we teach Sept-March?? It's madness!!

On your issue, I have spent almost 3 years resourcing and perfecting schemes of work for my year group so they are differentiated and as engaging as possible. You seem to suggest teachers can move classes on a whim although admit it would be hard for the Year 6 teacher to teach Reception . This just compounds the fact that people think teachers turn up 5 minutes before class and leave 5 minutes after the kids. The whole profession is constantly berated and solutions offered by people who know very little about it and it starting to get on on my very last nerve* 😡

I really hope not 😬

@Saoirse7 - I have constantly praised teachers on this forum. But I think your type of response is the reason that parents turn against teachers. I have made no 'silly demands' nor have I 'offered solutions'. If you actually read my post - it was a question - is this possible? Others managed to point out the pitfulls without being rude.

I appreciate teachers have DC at different levels. But this year is a bit different. A lot of DC will be behind (or very behind) where they would be normally. Some will be way ahead. My DD's school have talked about helping her 'catch up' as have many teachers on here. So while you may not be interested in helping DC catch-up clearly other teachers are. I suggested keeping the same teacher - not repeating the whole year! I'm not suggesting teachers moving on a whim! Teachers in my DD's school move years all the time. So again maybe you couldn't manage it - other teachers can!

And yes - you may be a trained teacher but I don't need to be - I'm perfectly capable of home educating my 2 children myself, thanks. Save your bitter posts for those who actually are against teachers. My DD's school has been amazing and I couldn't be happier! The teachers there don't have your awful attitude!!

Interestingly, @Kitcat122, that’s not the case - it is not obligatory to start secondary school at 11. Once a child is in a particular cohort in primary, the secondary school would have to justify that it was in their best interests to miss year 6/7 to join their correct age cohort. Which is very very hard to justify, considering that the child would be missing a whole year of curriculum content and skills.

@UndertheCedartree

I can see that would be the big issue if all teachers stayed with their class then it would leave Y6 teachers to have EYFS which couldn't happen. The teachers often move a year within my DDs school but not with the same class. It is 5 form entry so lots of chance to move around but not as extreme as Y6-EYFS. I like the idea of them keeping their teacher for the first half term then transitioning but obviously that would have an effect on the new DC joining the school. I just think it is going to be so hard for the new teacher starting with a new class they don't know all at completely different levels - some far behind, some ahead and having to catch the class up.

Why can't year 6 teachers teach EYFS? Once qualified you can teach any year. Teachers may favour teaching a certain year or key stage or even specialise in certain areas, but it's headteacher's decision at the end of the day and with a teaching qualification, you can end up teaching any year.