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Education

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Original poster

Anyone any experience of mixed reception and year1 classes?

19 replies

pesha · 13/09/2005 22:29

Dd started school last tues and i only found out on thursday from one of the other mums that its a mixed class. So she's going part time with just 1 full day a week till november and the year 1 children are all full time.

I am mighty peeved that the school never saw fit to tell me this before, i went to the parents evening, induction days, met the teacher etc but noone said anything . The person who told me is the mother of one of the year 1 kids, the 2 other mums of reception children that i know also had no idea.

I dont really know anything about potential advantages/disadvantages of mixed classes. Does anyone have any experience of this, did you find it helped them or hindered them or didnt really make much difference?

OP posts:

kcemum · 13/09/2005 22:44

Our school runs a mixed reception/year one class, both my eldest 2 dds went through it, and my youngest will start in January.

It hasn't hindered my children at all and by the time they get to year3 they are all in their rightful classes.

Original poster

pesha · 14/09/2005 09:51

Thanks kcemum. Anyone else any experience?

OP posts:

jellyhead · 14/09/2005 10:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

geekgrrl · 14/09/2005 10:09

our school has mixed classes. It seems to be a real bonus, the new starters have children who've been there and done it to help them settle in. It all works well and encourages them to make friends outside their immediate age group.

I can't think of any disadvantages to this.

Carla · 14/09/2005 10:12

dd2 was in reception when last Easter they saw fit to move her into a mixed y1/reception class. Presumably so they could bung a few more children into the reception class. First I head of it was a little scrap of paper I saw her stuffing into her bookbag. For something as important as that, I personally wouldn't rely on a 5 year old getting that piece of paper to their parents.

She's now, of course, in a mixed y1/y2 class, and I still haven't made up my mind about it. How does a teacher teach a mixed class?

And I do think it's terribly unfair that when a child of that age has forged friendships/become familiar with their surroundings, they're plucked out and put somewhere else.

I just hope, kcemum, that she doesn't end up in her 'rightful' place. I'd hate to see her uprooted again.

Can you tell I've got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about this one?

scotlou · 14/09/2005 10:27

My ds is at a 2 class (in one room) primary school. So P1-3 are in one class and P4-P7 in the other class.
Works great. Remember, kids today are usually taught in groups anyway. Theer are also etcahing assistants / nursery nureses to help out. The advantages are that an academically stronger P1 can - if appropriate - be taught alongside P2 and aweaker P2 taught with a P1 group (without any attention being drawn to it). Also, becuase kids are used to other ages, they mix well and there are few problems regarding bullying etc.

Eaney · 14/09/2005 14:14

I went to a real small school and my teacher had to teach 4 classes in one room. Can you imagine/

My DS is in a mixed yr1/2 having moved up from reception. I was told that it would benifit him as he needs stretching. My concern is about what happens next year when he goes into yr2 properly. Will he be repeating what he has already done? He spent all last year telling me he learns more at home and was, I think, a little bored. The thought of compounding that is a little scary.

The other worry for me is the social side. My DS still hates getting dressed and undressed himself and already he has been identified as the slowest in the class. In some ways he is ahead of his peers in other ways he is behind.

kcemum · 14/09/2005 15:17

Carla, It all depends on class numbers at our school, in KS1 classes they are only allowed so many children (not sure how many) but in KS2 they are allowed more per class.

So by the time all the children enter year3 they are where they belong.

suedonim · 14/09/2005 16:03

My dd is in a class of P5-7's, having been through a class of P1-4's. It's absolutely brilliant, children can learn at their own level and they learn to mix with a range of ages, which I think is more family-like that children all being of the same age. When the child is a little one they have bigger ones to look after them and when themselves are older they get to do the nurturing and caring role.

nell12 · 14/09/2005 18:59

I taught in a mixed YrR and Yr1 class. As long as the teacher is organised and all the lessons are clearly differentiated (set to both YrR and Yr1 abilities) then the positives are endless; the kids grow up and settle in to school quicker, they strive to achieve and catch up with the Yr1s and they get to feel smug when they can see the yr1s are doing harder(!) work. The YrR kids then setle into Yr1 quicker as they have already experienced it.
The only downside is if the teacher is not prepared; YrR is possibly the most demanding of year groups and if the teacher is not on top of everything, things can get chaotic.
However IMHO, Yr R/1 mixed class = GOOD!!!!

batmum · 05/03/2006 19:07

My son is in a year R/1 class and complains bitterly that he is made to do loads of work while the year R's get to play. It has put him right off school and I have a struggle to get him there every day. Everyone has a different experience and I'm sure it suits some, just not mine! Now what!!?

DominiConnor · 07/03/2006 12:35

Pesha's experience shows that you need to visit the school, and most seem happy to let you.
That being said, most classes at this age are mixed, so it ought to be your assumption.

We've picked a school for ours that is mixed from 4-7, separate for academics from 7-16 and mixed 16-18.

He prospered in a mixed environment.

carla · 07/03/2006 12:37

pesha, yes, and I hate it. Lots of other mums think it's great, though.

But I hate it.

carla · 07/03/2006 12:41

dd2 is in y1 now, and when they got their new interactive whiteboards a special maths teach was sent in for the afternoon, for some reason.

I looked at the questions she'd written on the board, and thought poor dd2, she can't even read that question.

If they get it right, I'm sure it can work. I just don't think our school has got it right.

Enid · 07/03/2006 12:56

dd1s primary splits year one between Class One and Class Two (on ability). Dd1 is in Class One, so with the reception kids. She loves it as they pair a year one child with a reception child and it has given her a LOT of confidence. Next year she will move into Class Two when she will be with SOME of class two atm.

The confusing thing is you are never sure who is going to be in which class from year to year.

carla · 07/03/2006 13:01

Enid, if it's on ability, then that's a totally separate issue, and probably one that I would agree with. In dds school, it's how many they can fit into the class.

carla · 07/03/2006 13:02

And what happens when it's time to leave one school for the next?

DominiConnor · 09/03/2006 15:01

I looked at the questions she'd written on the board, and thought poor dd2, she can't even read that question.
You sure ?
Like you we try to support what 2.0 learnx at school, but I know for a fact that he suddenly appears to know things that we weren't aware of him studying.

cazturn · 18/06/2006 09:48

If you go on to the www.tes.co.uk/staffroom website you will see a thread I left on the 'opinions' 'primary' and 'Early Years' boards.
It was about proposed 2 mixed year r/1 classes in September of which my son would be in one of them (as a reception child).
The parents of the soon to be year ones were up in arms about it and felt it was not fair to any of the children in either year groups.
I was quite happy about it after taling to the teacher and head and getting a clearer view of their expectations and plans for the class. Ask the head and the proposed teacher and read my thread because some of the posts on their give a good perspective from parents and teachers.
thanks

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