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Original poster

Can anyone explain how primary teachers decide who sits where?

69 replies

peachgreen · 29/08/2023 16:33

DD (5) has just gone back to school (we're in NI). Her whole class has moved up together. She has a wee group of friends – there's four of them – who she was very close with last school year and saw quite a bit in the summer. From observing them at parties, she's probably the quietest in the group and possibly the one that gets a bit "left out" occasionally but nothing that has caused me any concern.

Last year they all sat at separate tables in the classroom and played together at playtime. This year, though, her new teacher has sat her three friends at one table, all together, and her away from them all. She's very upset although I have of course done everything to downplay it and reassured her that she can play with them at playtime, that she'll soon make friends at her new table etc etc. But I'm curious as to what could be the thinking behind the teacher's decision? It seems like most of the children have been sat with one or two of their particular friends, so I don't think it's random.

I really don't want to be That Mum so I have no intentions of saying anything to her class teacher, and in general I very much trust teachers to know what they're doing so I'm sure there's a good reason! But I am puzzled! Any teachers with any insight?

OP posts:
GuardiansPlayList · 29/08/2023 16:34

Who they will work well with. It’s not about socialising - that’s for play time/free time.

WasserUndBrot · 29/08/2023 16:34

I don’t think much though goes into it as they never consider where to place my left hander so they don’t clash!

ThoughtEvokingReflectiveFemale · 29/08/2023 16:34

Often ability.

Drummend01 · 29/08/2023 16:39

I was a teaching assistant for many years. It could be for a variety of reasons depending on the teacher. Some teachers will group by ability, some will make sure there are a variety of ability levels on each table, some will observe who chats to who etc and make seating plans that help each child remain focused, some might choose it completely by random.

I know it’s hard for a child to feel left out but I’d trust the teacher is making the right choice and see how it goes for now.

ShinyBandana · 29/08/2023 16:40

There’s no reason why you can’t ask the teacher for the reasoning behind who sits where.
In my DS class the tables are grouped by ability and DS position on the table (at the back) is so he can get up and walk around (restless and fidgety)

PaperLanterns · 29/08/2023 16:40

Have a chat with the teacher - they don’t know the kids that well yet so it won’t be anything personal.

mnahmnah · 29/08/2023 16:41

At my DC school it’s by ability from year 1 onwards. Their table may change depending on subject throughout the day.

Original poster
peachgreen · 29/08/2023 16:45

I know it’s hard for a child to feel left out but I’d trust the teacher is making the right choice and see how it goes for now.

Oh I definitely won't be making a fuss, I promise!

I hadn't thought about it being by ability at this age but actually that could make sense.

Thanks all, I know I'm being very PFB but DD was so upset!

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 29/08/2023 16:48

It depends on what you’re doing. It could be that they are seated by ability, it could be mixed ability groups, it could be by seating people with others that they are likely to work well next to (ie don’t put Reggie and Robbie together as they won’t stop talking!)

OrangeBlossom28 · 29/08/2023 16:49

I group in a number of ways. Some examples include -
Might be according to position in the classroom eg the back or side for those that need a bit of a movement break without disturbing others.
Mixed ability so that they can also share ideas/learn from each other/explain their reasoning.
Near the front for those that needs support with focusing and have less distractions as the rest are behind them.
Back to the windows so that the light is behind them.
Who gets on with who it doesn't get on, often more importantly.

HonoriaLucastaDelagardie · 29/08/2023 17:04

From observing them at parties, she's probably the quietest in the group and possibly the one that gets a bit "left out" occasionally

Teacher thinks DD is overshadowed by her more forthcoming friends and it would be good for her to have some time apart from them?

Redwinestillfine · 29/08/2023 17:06

If my dad's class is anything to go by they'll be moved around so much that by the end of the year everyone will have sat next to everyone else.

SorenLorensonsInvisibleFriend · 29/08/2023 17:09

WasserUndBrot · 29/08/2023 16:34

I don’t think much though goes into it as they never consider where to place my left hander so they don’t clash!

Ha, so much thought goes into it if you're a certain type of teacher (like me!). You'll have a list of children who must absolutely not sit next to each other, more than a few SEN who will have differing needs (standing desks, room to move/close to/far from the door, near the TA), eyesight issues, irritation issues (!) and then trying to make them actually enjoy the experience of having someone they like and who they can learn with.

The left handed thing, though.. I should know better as I've two left handed children of my own, but I've missed this before!

HappiDaze · 29/08/2023 17:09

The teacher isn't psychic

Just tell her who your DD wants to sit with

How is that being 'that mum' it's just a perfectly normal request

CuriousPorg · 29/08/2023 17:11

Just be 'that mum'. We are all 'that mum' at some point. Ask the teacher, there may be a really good reason and something you might want to know about the four of them, or it could be completely random.

ohfook · 29/08/2023 17:14

I used to group all of my ones who consistently needed help together. I felt that drew less attention to which ones were struggling than shuffling seats every lesson to pull the same kids up to work with myself or a TA. After that I separated out all of the kids who I knew wouldn't work well together or who I knew had issues with each other. The rest just were put in the spaces.

I never had it right in the September though as I would just be going off what the previous teacher had told me. Sometimes, depending on the class, I still didn't have it right by the following July!

Upwiththelark76 · 29/08/2023 17:20

Mention it to the teacher - especially at the start of the year .teachers want the children to be happy . Honestly they do. Especially so for children moving up from reception to year 1 . It’s a big change . There might be a reason such as grouping according ability in which case she can reassure you that she will monitor friendships and make sure your child always has someone to play with .

Lovingitallnow · 29/08/2023 17:27

It'll depend on loads. Ds can't sit near the TA because he likes to chat to adults. Other kids need to be near the teacher. Some need to be near the board. In our class some avoid the window. Some need to be separated for chatting etc.

UsingChangeofName · 29/08/2023 17:54

Primary school teachers are all individuals.
There will be as many different ways of thinking as there are classes.
Quite likely, they might move into different groups for different lessons.
Some like to move children around every couple of weeks, some like them to have a 'home spot' for the year. Some don't actually have specific 'home seats' at that age.

Original poster
peachgreen · 29/08/2023 17:59

Thanks everyone, really useful!

OP posts:
lanthanum · 29/08/2023 18:11

Almost anything except friendship! (Although friendship can sometimes be a factor in how well particular children work with each other - but that could be in either direction, or even a different direction for the two kids involved.)

DameEdna1 · 29/08/2023 18:19

I used to group the children in tables of four, with children of different abilities next to each other but of a similar ability opposite (so, they work with 'shoulder partners' for activities that work well with mixed abilities and 'face partners' for activities where I wanted to differentiate by ability, if that makes sense). I'd also change the tables every half term, so children would end up with new partners unless there was a grouping that was particularly harmonious.

I never grouped by friendship groups- I'd work entirely on who I thought would work well together.

Imo it's fine to say to ask the teacher how they determines groupings. Maybe they'll do a switch-around partway through anyway?

knobkopf · 29/08/2023 18:24

It's very often to do with ability to make it easier for the teacher to differentiate the work. So one table might get support work, one or two tables extension work and the rest get the work for the middle ability range.

I wouldn't go in just yet but see how she is. However, if she is coming home upset about it all the time then you should mention it to the teacher at some point. I'm a former teacher and we'd rather know. If might be difficult to sit her with her friends if it's to do with ability but there might be some compromise to be had.
I remember a boy in my class who seemed absolutely fine. The mother came in in June (so he'd been in the class for months) and tore a strip off me saying he was distressed because he had been split up from all his friends when the classes were reorganized at the beginning of the new year (move from Reception to Year 1). I can still remember her yelling at me now, how could you not know he was split up from his friends and had no friends in this class?
Well honestly, he really did seem ok, he played with other boys at playtime, seemed ok in class.
The whole thing could have been dealt with if she'd come in (calmly) at some point in September and raised her concerns about his friendships.

So please don't be afraid of being "that Mum". If your child is upset about something at school and it continues over a period of a couple of weeks, you really do need to chat to the teacher.

Zonder · 29/08/2023 18:26

Another teacher here. I've done it for various reasons but I would be open to a parent coming and speaking to me about it. I wouldn't want to find I had put 3 friends together and 1 separate, especially if the separate child was the shyer one.

wineandsunshine · 29/08/2023 18:29

Teacher here - honestly, it's a learning curve for us all!

Ability, friendships, behaviour, lesson type....I tend to move mine half termly so they build up new relationships.

Mention it to her teacher if she's upset though - I would want to know 😊

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