can mixed classes ever be better than a straight yr class?

[mumofthreebeauties]

DS is going to be in one with younger children.

think you are all over reacting tbh

Have no experience of mixed classes as parent or teacher (don't teach primary) but I would imagine mixed classes in a good school can be made to work well and can work well for some/ many kids. I can see how the youngest/weakest would struggle and the oldest/brightest but maybe for all the kids in between in would be a good thing? What I'm saying is, as is evident, on this thread it depends on individual experience and you can't generalise one way or another. I think I'd need a lot of convincing to send my dds to a school that did this though and I'd really want the school to justify the decision (ie wouldn't want the reason to be just small class sizes) and would want evidence that it was going to work (for my child).

No - wait until your dd's are older Enid you WILL be there amoungst us

mixed age classes have caused me sleepless nights .... IMO they are an educationally and socially flawed concept

yes never say never

I think they stop doing it after year 2 anyway

Both my boys have spent time in mixed classes and I really liked them as I think the notion of only spending time with people who are are the same age as you slightly strange in terms of preparing them for "real life".

My boys go to a school which has mixed classes. approximately 15 children in each year, reception class is stand-alone, and then year 1+2, 3+4, 5+6.

I have nothing to compare, but my (and my children's)experiences are mainly positive.

Eldest just completed his first year in secondary school. He is very bright and able, and never seemed to have any problems with being bored or held back.

Middle child just completed year 4, has some literacy problems, but has received good support from teacher and SENCO.

Youngest child just completed year 3, will cope anywhere.

Most children and parents are content with the school. Obviously issues raise their head, but rarely about the mixed classes. Parents are usually anxious when they start, because they don't see how it could possibly work, but then appear quite happy with things once they've seen it in action.

Big plus: the children makes good friends across three years, rather than just their own year - very useful once they go to high school, especially as they tends to disperse to several different schools.

Big minus (for us) two lads in the same class every other year can lead to excessive competition between them, lol. Wasn't a problem when they were year 1/2, but has been noticeable in year3/4. They've got a year's space now until they're together again.

It CAN work, and it can work well.

Thanks for all the experiences. This is the second yr DT1 will be the older in a mixed class. His twin is in a straight class for his yr.

DT1 was picked because he is more immature although is academically slightly better.

He had problems last yr being in with younger children when DT2 was not. He was bored with the work and played up.

I'm worried the same will happen this yr. I wonder if its the academically less able that are in with the younger ones but he is the youngest finishing yr1 and is still only 5.

it would be bad for us (and relevant as we're about to move to a village which has mixed classes in the local school). dd1 and dd2 would be in the same class. Which would rather highlight the fact that my 6yo is being overtaken, academically, by her 4yo sister. am not keen for that to happen. Can't see how that would be beneficial for sibling relations.

3 out of my 6 have been in mixed year groups at some stage in the juniors. The school only did it to help a 40+ year group through the school.All other classes were 20-25 per class.From memory they employed an extra teacher to see the 40+ class through the infants but the school couldn't afford it in the junior years.
The classes were mixed 3/4 & 5/6. I don't remember there being any problems. Mine certainly didn't suffer socially or academically.The teachers were very experienced
though and the school did employ an extra TA so there were 3 TAs in the juniors.

any other teachers agree with TillyRose..

My DD goes to a school with mixed aged classes. It's a small school - 60 pupils ish in total (vs the 60 pupils per yr primary school I went to!) My parents were a bit worried about the mixed classes but she has got on fine, although they have been setting her work from the year above.

I think that there are many factors really - the quality of the teachers is an important one. The teachers & head at dd's school seem to be really good & give them work that is suitable for their ability. It seems to have worked fine here. I also think that some children would achieve the same whatever kind school they went to.

I don't think it's a bad thing socially either as the children tend to play with each other regardless of age, whereas I think this happens less in fixed age year groups.

top of school mixed 5/6 then move on to huge secondary school - makes for a big shock!

Dd1 has just finished Y7 at grammar school - she has found the socialising really difficult after spending 2 years with the same people (ours were split a bit differently - half of Y5 with Y6 and other half with Y4. Imagine the trauma of being kept down and away from your friends!). I worked in this particular school and saw children fail to flourish. Also there for Ofsted and the report was far more glowing than was deserved - previous type Ofsted visit. They just don't offer all the necessary opportunities for all groups of children. One boy I know was accelerated into the top class and spent 3 years there, basically repeating the same work. Year 6 also do not do the transition to secondary work properly at this school. Dd definitely felt she'd missed out.

yes sweedish my ds was accelerated and then left to fester - dd was shifted when the rot set in

the school was a beacon school till they abolished them and fabulous ofsted.....its a crock of #$%^

NAO just read your HE posts - seems we have very similar views. (Totally off topic - it's hot and I'm babysitting so can't see Superman)

My two dd's have been in mixed age classes at our village school in Scotland. The school is split into P1-3 and P4-7. DD1 was there for three years in the older class while dd2 has been in both classes (though she spent a year abroad while she was P2 and we are now abraod again).

The education provided is excellent, maybe partly because mixed-age classes are smaller. Children are taught to their ability whether that is high-achieving or SN. Socially, it is v beneficial, with boys and girls of all ages mixing and playing freely with each other. Older ones happily help out with the little ones and the small children love the attention they get from the big ones, more like a family setting I think.

Senior school isn't a problem. All the village schools are grouped into a cluster, enabling them to visit other schools, take part in different activities and get to know other people socially. Thus when they go to senior school they know plenty of other children and seem to settle down well.

My DS was in a mixed class last yr him being in the younger year (Yr!). He was largely taught to the YR2 curriculum and this has worked fine. We were told that he was put in this class as he was is quite ahead in a few areas.

Thing is the teacher had decided to keep all the yr1 kids when they become yr2 and will bring up 15 or so reception kids. So apparently she will have the more academic yr2 kids and the more academic Yr 1 kids whereas last year she had the YR2 kids who were struggling (maybe because English not a first language) and the YR1 kids who had the least struggle.
Not sure how this new arrangement will work but DS very happy and frankly I am too cos she is a great teacher (most of the time).

i think so too sweedishmum!

my dds mixed year 2/3 class of 22 (that she will be in this september) will be mainly year 3. i think theres only about 4 very able year 2 that will be in that class. thankfully this includes one of her best friends from her current class who is a year below. thats one of my very few issues with the mixed ages/small schools thing. if the children get split up from their friends, & also the fact that dd2 has only 5 girls (including herself) in her own year group to choose friends from. she will be in year 1/2 class in september & have more choice, but then next year may risk being split up from friends if she either remains in the same class or moves to the higher class. thankfully the sibling issue doesnt effect us as dd2 is 2 years below dd1. both my dds are very clever girls & hopefully will continue to flourish at this school. can only go on my current impression that the teachers seem well capable of dealing with mixed age classes. perhaps this time next year i will have a different view? dd2s year 1/2 teacher as of sept currently teaches year 5/6 & dd1s year 2/3 teacher currently teaches year 4/5. so a bit of a change all around there.
we will see.