mixed classes

[astaire]

My 7 yr ds did well in his sats and gets glowing reports but now all his friends have gone up a class and he hasn't. One child who ds said was not going up turns out after the summer holidays to be moving up after all.Do schools give into pressure from parents. Its dented my confidence let alone his.

confused sorry. Surely he moves up with his age group regardless of his SATs etc? Or is it that they are now in a year 3/4 class and he in a Year 3 ?

Yes the others have moved up to a year 3/4 class.

I'm not sure you should view it as they have moved "up" simply that they are with a different mix of children. Was it even ability based anyway or perhaps age or social ? Do they stream them for any subjects so he sees his friends in classes otherwise.

Yes, I spent the summer being reasonably positive about it and telling him he could still play with his friends at break.It was learning that the child,whose dad is a big noise on the PTA,moving up unexpectedly that made we wobble.
Ds was crying in class when they were all told at the end of term and he feels left behind.

I am 100% sure parents can push the situation. My friend is a teacher and said that she did not want her child to go into a mixed age class. She came up with some big cock and bull story as to why (her child always graduated to older children blah blah) and said she would hold the school responsible if her child did not thrive. They did what she wanted. This is from a school who say in their prospectus that parents have no choice in the matter so if you take a place there you must know they may end up mixed. This same friend also went in when her son was borderline between top and middle sets. She pushed and pushed saying "I'd rather he be the bottom of the top than the top of the middle" and once again got her way.

Yes I'm sorry to say it wouldn't surprise me in this case and that makes me think less of the school. Shame, it is by and large an excellent school.
I guess it will all even out in the end. His teachers have all said what a lovely child he is bright, caring,creative and so on.
My Mum said she and another girl at her school failed the 11+ and her parents made a big fuss got her sent off to a grammer school where she had a breakdown and never recovered.