Mixed Age classes.....what will happen?

[KatyMac]

My DD has just completed year 2 (in class 2) This class has Y2,Y3 & some of Y4 in it. Apparently it teaches the children at the level they are at.

So (again apparently) my DD has completed all of Y2 work most of Y3 work and some of Y4 work (esp maths, sorry numeracy)

My question is what work will she do in Y3 (and then in Y4), as at the rate she did this years work we will be there by Christmas.

This annoys me (in case you hadn't noticed) as DD can't write neatly or tell the time (and I think they are fairly important skills) despite being 'very clever' or 'quite bright' depending on w.hich teacher you ask

I think the key phrase is "it teaches the children at the level they are at" - the advantage of such a mixed class is that they are more likely to be given ability appropriate work rather than age appropriate work.

My dds are in a one teacher school and will be taught in a P3-P7 class (we're in Scotland), which is particularly advantageous for dd1 as she is P4 next year but has completed most of P5 work.

Writing neatly will come with time; telling the time (dd1 isn't that good at it either!) may need a little extra work. Maybe a word with the teacher re. these particular skills will put your mind at rest? Have you had parents' evening yet?

IMO as long as my dds aren't either bored with the level of work, or struggling to keep up, then I'm happy with their progress.

my dd`s will be starting at a school with mixed age classes in september. my 6 year old (who will be in year 2) will be in a class with years 1 & 2 & i couldnt be happier for her because in this school the children are allowed to work at ability level rather than age (unlike her 3 form entry current school) Miaou is right, the neat handwriting etc will come with time.

But (and yet again apparently) when they have completed Y4 work they move to next class - I'm not sure I want DD to be only Y3 in a class of Y5 & Y6

I do agree that it is good that they work at the childs level - I just worry that she is being pushed

im not sure id be keen on that either. are you sure that they would put her in a class of year 5/6 once shes completed all the year 4 work & not just give her the year 5/6 work within her own yeargroup?

They seemed to say that upto Y4 work in tha class then the next class

I don't think she would cope emotionally with that as she is very immature

Given a choice I'd never again go for mixed classes. DD is now Y6 and very able. She is doing nothing at school at the moment - new teacher and dd was out of school for 8 months. Nothing to stretch most able. They taught numeracy and literacy ability wise across year groups for a while and dd y4 and ddy6 were in the top group. Y4 dd is bright but there's no way her work could stretch or interest v able y6. Two form entry is ideal as far as I can see, but as we live in the middle of the countryside, no local schools have such a big intake.

In my experience, mixed aged classes work well. Our school usually has 2 classes per year group, but due to falling numbers in the last few years has had to have mixed classes. It has worked really well, with all children working according to their ability not age. For some activities children are in age groups - so for example my youngest is in a mixed Yr 2/3 class so he and the other Yr3s go to Junior assemblies, plays etc, while the Yr2s in his class go to infant events.
I think if your daughter was kept in the same age group but given Yr 4/5 work that would be OK, but not to move her into a much older class group. My eldest son is in Yr 5 but has been working on Yr 6 and Yr 7 maths stuff, along with 2 others, so it can be done within a wider class.

Having done both when I was primary school age, I certainly got more out of the mixed age/work to ability setup than I ever did out of the multiple class per year everyone does the same setup we moved to when I was about 8. I then didn't do anything new for the next two years.

I'm now actively hoping to get ds into a small school with mixed age classes, as opposed to our local one which goes to the opposite extreme and has the bizarre sounding (to me at least) setup of one large class of 60 per year, albeit with 2 teachers.