Sets

[Calliekins]

So my child has survived 2 years of Secondary Education. Really pleased with how they are doing, how they've settled into that move up from Primary to the next level. No issues or concerns raised by the Teachers and positive feedback on the annual Parents Evening and Progress Checks. Now started Year 9 and some classes have changed. Contacted the school today and spoke with Assistant Year Head wanting why my child had been moved when there'd been no concerns. Basically told all classes are mixed abilities now no longer sets and that my child had not been moved down. I feel as though that's just ridiculous. If classes are mixed abilities why even move a child. I am confused!!!

What a strange time to go mixed ability in the run up to GCSEs - sounds bonkers to me.

I agree it’s an odd time to change, but if groups were set before, then some students will have to move to make it mixed ability, surely?

I absolutely agree! I just can't get my head around mixed abilities in one class.

DC's school had mixed ability for everything (except maths). No particular difference in results between them and the similar intake local school that setted for everything.

I would worry about maths, but mixed ability per se is nothing to be concerned about.

For GCSE it might also not be possible to have more than 1 class at a time due to timetabling.

Unusual to start in sets and then go mixed ability.

It's usually the other way round.

At gcse though you will find some groups have to be mixed ability - if 27 people have chosen German then they are all in a class together regardless of ability.

English is often keen on mixed ability at year 10/11 as they all sit the same paper. Science tends to split by whether they are doing double or triple.

In yr7 and 8 did the top set follow a different syllabus? One of my dc was at a school where in yr 7 and 8 the top set did an extra subject which was squeezed in where other sets did the standard subjects. By yr9 that subject had become just another option and so all the subjects were mixed sets. Could it be something like that?