rearranging Primary schools classes in scotland.

[catrachmattben]

Hi any people with experience of scottish system.We have learn't yesterday that 4 children from my dd's current P2 class are to be moved into a younger half of the school year to make 2 classes of 22 and 20 for p3.Whilst these class sizes are small the younger 20 cohert has some quite difficult chidren.
My dd is very upset about this decision he is we feel a bright boy reading 4years ahead of his age exceptionally bright with maths but has difficulties getting on with children the same age and prefers much older friends.
He has had some not wanting to go to school issues this year and we have worked with school to overcome these. He with his birthday october should be in the younger cohert but since P1 on recommendation from the nursery teacher was put into the older cohert and has been there all the way through p1 and p2.
His current year p2 class was a Job share and he is going to be in yet another and the teacher that does more time is leaving in october to have a baby.Although this job share seems to work well,we are concerned about the disruption this will bring to DD education.He has also been reading in the teacherP3/4 class who will have the older cohert from August his currant class and really likes her and wants to have her as a full time teacher.
We have contacted school with concerns about this placement and are awaiting a response anyone out there have similar experience and what are are rights to appeal against this decision.

I've had to look at something similar to this recently in relation to composite classes. Is your DD to be put into a composite class? If so, the council will have guidelines as to how they select kids for composite classes. Some councils do this on the basis of age, others look to ability. Otherwise, the classes are very small (ours are 30) and there is space for your DD in the other class. I'd try arguing that her friends are all in the other class and that socially it would be better for her to be placed there, especially given that there were issues to do with school attendance last year. You will probably not be able to insist on your DD going in the other class though.

I don't think you have any legal right of appeal against it - the school just has to provide a place for your child, it's up to them how they arrange them so long as they comply with class sizes rules etc.

I think your best bet is to stress to the school that the measures you've put in place together have been working well but that you feel that any disruption at this stage would be likely to set him back, so could they please be flexible and keep him in the class he's familiar with and the teacher he gets on with to help make sure that he continues to improve. I think most schools will try to be helpful in this sort of situation - you aren't just being awkward for no reason, you've been dealing with his issues and you think that reducing the disruption would be the best thing.

Thanks AMumInScotland this is the approach we have taken but unfortunatly we did also complain about the job share sinario which hasn't been taken well!
We put a big play on the disruptive elements to the change and how upset he was about this.
They have said that the staff will have a consultation and get back to us.
I have a feeling that he will not move on his decision, as if he does this for one child the others may complain.
DD was so very upset and will really find it hard to change next year and I am not looking forwards to the fights to get him into the school come next August.

Generally when schools do this they keep the younger children together so they are not disadvantaged by being younger. However in your DC's case it sounds as if this would actually cause a disadvantage. You may find some of the parents with children in the older cohort would happily swap to the younger class (e.g. if their child is shy, or has particular friends in that group) so it is worth asking the school to consider that.

You can make a point about friendship groups etc. which the school will take more positively than disruption.

DD is an intravert, but not shy. Is quiet,responsible and can be relied upon to undertake any task seriously(quote from class report).I appreciate why when starting school in p1 younger children are kept together,but it is not always the case that this is best for individual children.In dd case it was assessed to place him in the older cohert. He is very bright and finds school unchallenging which school is trying to address. He has had a very unsettling time at times this year not wanting to go to school.He hasn't any close friends but when upset about the move said he didn't want to leave any of the friends in his class .

If the school is trying to address the lack of challenge then I'd re-empahsise that to them. shifting him to the younger cohort will not suit. And ask tehm to check with the other parents about whether any currently down for the older cohort would rather be in teh younger one - problem solved if you can just swap.

I don't know of anyone who would be prepared to swap.I also know some of the other parents are unhappy and might also be raising concerns about the rearrangements.The cohort would like to stay together.