DS moving into Y1 in a mixed year group class with Y2 - how does this work?

[Eggrules]

DS is in Reception and will be moving into Y1 in September. 15 of the most able/mature will move into a mixed year group class. The rest of the year will be mixed up/together (not sure).

I understand that teachers/ schools do differentiate work now. Since the start of Reception, DS and a few of his peers, have gone to Y1 for some literacy lessons. The two YR classes mix together really well and also take lessons in mixed groups. This has worked well so far. We have been told that the children will feel a change in gear in Year 1 with regard to the learning atmosphere.

What are the benefits of a mixed year group?
Is this hard on the Y2 children?
Has anybody had any positive/negative experiences?

I was 3 when I started school and turned 4 in Sept. It seems a shame that your DD was kept down but I can see why it is is better in some cases.

I asked him who told him he was 'really smart' and he has clammed up - he is normally very secretive about school. I has told him I am very proud when he tries his best and that is what is important. I said all mums and dads think that their children are very clever. I have never compared him to another DC or talked about ability. He is doing well with reading but on a par with his peers in other subjects as far as I have been told.

I will wait to see what other info comes out - hopefully the criteria will clarified.

BTW I have just realised I haven't mentioned to him that he is going into Class x. It must have been discussed at school. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the DC speculating.

I haven't mentioned the fact he goes up to Y1 except to a lovely mum of a girl he goes with.

the school has to be really careful how it handles this , as at my sons school they have had split classes this year and last july was just awful when the mums whose kids were being kept in rec for another year went a bit mad to be honest, as heard some of the mums whose kids were going in the mixed yr1/2 class say things like, oh my child is 1 of the brightest and they are obviously needing help to be kept back (or those kind of things).
now, my son is 1 of the kids in the yr 1/2 class and i must say he has had nothing but positivity and made loads of new friends. T he only thing i worry about now is in sept when all the yr 1s will be back together again, due to big intake in sept , so no mixedd classes, what is he going to learn. ?? he already does the yr 2 work and a few of us mums dare not ask due to reaction last july as we may seem like bragging... oh gawd.

The mixed school year has been done for a while as far as I can tell. I think this may be the reason it isn't clear to me. Lots of parents (and one of the teachers) went to the school. I'm not from the area and don't know anybody with older siblings.

You raise a good point regrading Y2/3.

This happens in my sons school and he was kept in a mixed reception class for 2 years. It has been a disaster for him and he's now in year 3 and still struggling. He didn't make any progress in Yr 1 at all as there was very little incentive to work with a noisy reception class around him. Every year the school do this and every year they get it wrong with parents for the reasons other posters have said.

Well said should. It's 9 years ago now but I still feel sad thinking about it. Watching all his friends 'go up' and being 'kept down' in the 'baby class' as he put it.

It is tougher for the children being held back. If my DS is being told he is 'really smart' for being in the mixed year group, how will the older children feel?

My DS goes up to Y1 now. I am not convinced DC should be sent to a younger age group. I suppose the school do the best they can with the resources they have. Labels can be a self fulfilling prophecy.

I remain unconvinced of the benefits.

Eggrules - well...her self esteem suffered so much especially as their was a bit of 'I'm clever so I'm in class 2' etc etc. One of the mothers said to me, when her ds and my dd2 went 'up' to class 2 'Billy says it is all the thick children that have stayed behind'. I had great pleasure in looking frosty and saying well dd1 stayed in that class for 2 years actually and she is certainly not thick [stern].

To be honest, her self esteem never really recovered and we ended up taking her out and sending her to private school which was the best thing we ever did, if financially crippling!

THERE not their ARGH sorry

There are no benefits! Our school had to do it because it only has 4 classrooms. Its a space thing.

They told me they did it on birthdays. That would have been a good explanation if DS's friend who was a month younger 'went up'. When I asked they then said 'well it was done a bit on personality too'.

At our state primary they make the decision on who goes up to class 2 when the 4 year olds go in for the taster day the July before they start

I am feeling all cross about it again. I need to let it go after 9 years perhaps.

LOL! I still feel cross about it too and dd1 is in year 7 and doing brilliantly well

DD1 is nearly 13 and doing really well academically too nummus. So ha! to the person who kept him down with the 'babies'.

DD? he's a boy. DS even.

God I still feel like showing her reports to the reception teacher !

#moveon

Ooh yes, lets do it nummus. That wouldn't be an OTT thing to do at all nummus. The sad thing is that he starts a new school in 2 weeks because it's not working out for him where he is. Academically he's doing well but the confidence/social side isn't happening at all. Don't think I can blame the mixed classes in First School can I?

Of course you can!

Dd1 suffered terribly with lack of confidence and tbh dh and I were amazed when her new school talked about how talented at maths she was, and how organised and independent.

When she won a cup for achievement at the end of year 6 I swear I felt like waving it in Mrs Reception Teacher's face #forgoodnesssakemoveon

I hope it works out for your son at his new school. poor love

We have mixed classes and my son is in yr 1. He is mixed with reception. He has really benefitted as he didn't come along much in year r but has learnt so much this year, which I think wouldn't have happened if he had moved into the yr 1/2 class. The only problem I have is that next year he will be in the mixed yr 1/2 class which is absolutely right for him, but I also have two reception children who would have been put in the yr 1/2 class but will be kept back in the R/1 class so my oldest doesn't have his little siblings in the same class. I am not too happy about this as I am worried it will hold my bright Dd back, we have her and Ss1 on the waiting list for another school so fingers crossed they get in by next year.

Thanks nummus. I don't know who is more excited me or him.

DC haven't had any problems being in mixed yr classes. A big benefit for DC school is it means they can keep intake size flexible & class sizes down (y3-y5 DC are currently in classes of 26-27).

I loathe people saying that a child has been "moved up" or "held back" when they are put in a mixed yr class. Neither phrase is remotely accurate.

Fab. I hope he really enjoys it.

I know Adventures but those are the words the children use as that's how they see it. DS referred to being 'kept down' as that's what it was to him.