Why do you think DS's Year 2 teacher has done this

[Peanuts33]

DS's year 2 class have been sat on tables according to ability since September but she has just mixed them all up with children of differing abilities on the same table. Just curious as to why she would do this at this stage in the year.

Is that for all lessons or some lessons? It could be for a particular subject where she would like them to work with different people and where mixed ability groups work well.

Sometimes children of lesser ability thrive when sat with more able.

Better ability children can help/support the less able

Children learn to accept that all children are different and it doesnt matter what ability any other child is. Everyone should be treated as equal.

Maybe she is fed up of parents complaining that their kids should be on higher set tables.

Weaker children sat on a table with weak children can get very demotivated and demorilised.

Just some thoughts that come to mind

It's for all the lessons. I'm not overly bothered but DS was saying today that some of the new children (one from the top group and one from the bottom group) on his table work things out out loud and it is putting him off as he works things out in his head. Just think its a shame as he seemed to be working well with the children on the old table.

Unfortunately there are always disruptive and noisy children and sometimes the children who have previously sat next to them need a break as well.

Teachers cant control who they get in a class so have to spread the different personalities around.

Your DS is going to have to learn to work with noise and disruption around him. He is only in year 2 and it gets worse as they go through school. He has to train his mind to switch off to noise but focus on what the teacher is saying. Its a new skill and it is hard but he can/will be able to do it.

Above all, dont let him get anxious about it.

It's a good exercise in trying to get children to work independently. They should still have their own individual targets.

A bit at ability tables in everything anyway. Maybe maths and literacy but most other things work better with mixed groups.

I do this due to personality mix. All of my lower ability children are very well-behaved, which is more than I can say for a couple of the higher ability children who are extremely annoying idiosyncratic.
Mind you, we do split for phonics/literacy and numeracy every day.

i think it benefits all at this age.

He will learn to work his way thru these changes. They like to mix them up and see what works in the class. Don't worry about it too much because they will mix them up again and again ime.

I believe my dc's school do it too.

It could be a subtle way of splitting up a couple of children who were a problem to each other. Mix them all up thoroughly and then in a few weeks put them back into ability (ish) groups but with the two children separated.

our school has done this too. splitting up those who disrupt each other!

In DD's class all the tables are mixed ability all the time. Have been throughout her time at school. Its small classes - 15 - but it has definitely worked effectively at her school. She's now in Y4. The teachers often mix the tables up every half term so children are sat with different people every so often.

I totally agree with it. I have a 9 year old who excels and a 6 year old who is on the bottom table for everything and can barely read or write. Ive just had parents evening apparently shes lazy. I think she should be put on a table with some of the higher achievers and this may make her work a bit harder. We have tables and i dont agree with them. I dont think my eldest would suffer if she was put on a table with somone wjos struggling