Only five children from year in mixed class

[Barbs2]

My son will be going into year 2 in September and we have just found out that he will be one of only five children from the whole year who will be in a mixed class with 20 year 1 children.The head has taken the youngest five children and placed them with the year 1s. There are 2 pure year 2 classes containing 29 children and this mixed class of 25 children. I have no great issue with mixed classes having carried out some research. What I do have an issue with is the small number in the class from year 2. My son will not be with the peer group that he has just spent the last three years with and at the end of next year will leave the majority of his new friends behind to move up to junior school with children he has not been with for a year. I feel that these five children are being unfairly treated as to me the social side of school is just as important as the curriculum in terms of development. I have spoken with the Head and have an appointment with the new teacher ( Who I admire as a skilled teacher ). Has anyone experienced a similar thing or can anyone offer me advice about what I can do about this? The Head is standing firm stating that my son will be "fine". I have been otherwise impressed with the school and my daughter ( moving up to year 4) and son have both been very happy at the school. My son has really progressed this year and is very happy. I don't want him to be set back by something that I seem to have absolutely no control over. Can I do anything about the situation as a whole or can I negotiate with the teacher about mixing more with the other year 2 classes in certain subjects? Please help. I want to keep my happy thriving son.I already do a lot out of school with other mums despite working full time.I am planning to write to the Goveners and the parents of one of the other children has already done so.

I work hard with both my children at home and have no question about the ability of the teacher to teach well within a mixed class. I am supportive of the school also and am actively involved in most events etc. It is the social side of my son's development that concerns me. I think that the school have got this so wrong for these five children.

Barbara

I have a very similar problem. My child himself had to inform me that in september he and 3 others from his year were put in with the year below and that the rest of the year 2's were all going into the same class together. I only found out this information on the last day of term which has left me very cross. I managed to contact the head only to be told that my child works slower than the rest of his year and it won't be unfair to place him with he rest of his year. I was totally shocked by this - the school have never mentioned that he was having problems, he then stated that they are only allowed 30 to a class and they have 34 in that year so 4 had to go in with the year below has there's no room for them. I feel this is unfair and they should mixed the year 1's and year 2's equally. I am finding it very difficult to now sort this out as the school is shut, i have emailed and left messages and even spoke to one of the govenors - but he sides with the school and thinks the school is doing it's best. Really considering removing them from the school as i have lost all faith in them.

This almost happened to us with our son, His year had only 7 boys (a larger number of girls) and it was decided that as it was such a small class year, year 5&6 could share, but this would mean splitting his year by the school year, so September to feb would share with year 6 and feb to aug birthdays share with year 4. our son being older for the school year would go up, however only one other boy was to go up with him, the other 5 boys were may - August birthdays, 3 of whom were his best friends, the boy who he was moving up with actually was very immature for his age, and the complete opposite to our son. Thankfully we were notified of this very early in the term, as the head knew there was going to be trouble.

1 of the August birthdays boys mums had already marched in assuming as her son was bright he would go up, It caused total chaos and the only way they could do it fairly was by the calendar, they were not allowed to do it any other way, and by no way moving up the brainier ones and keeping down the not so bright. (well that was how it was explained to us all)

They were all going to be covering the same work, so it wasn't as if some were going up and some were staying down, but of course all the parents had opinions.

My daughters school uses mixed classes as 45 intake.

I dident think it be huge issue until I started.

odd to note shes feb birthday so never actually been in split class.

she started off in reception class of 27 as was slight undersubscribed that year-they had job share teachers and classroom assistant.

The oldest 13 who were in r1 had one teacher and seemed to progress more quickly they were combined with the youngest 15 in year 1.I do feel that was due to the good quality of that teacher.

Then year 1 one of her best freinds was in youngest group.

so 13youngest were put in r1 with 15oldest in reception and my daughter was in class of 30 pure year 1.

Fair to say the girl taht was her best freind all through preschool and reception no longer is. There was another girl she rowed with cosnatntly so was kind of pleased they were split.

Then at parents evening daughters teacher said how hard it is balancing 30kids as in r1 the teaching assistant takes the 15reception kids to play -as they learn through play and teacher then taught 13 kids so they had effectivly smaller class and manay of them now ahead of kids who were in pure year 1 class-do feel this has been factor and mines been disadavantaged by that.

Now going into year 2 they decided to mess about with it yet again.

now its not purly15oldest going into class 2/3 its been done on ability.
Now daughters upset as lost 2of her freinds from year 1 class and 1 boy is march birthday so she keeps asking why hes in 2/3 that she wanted to be a big girl and be in 2/3, is it because im behind at reading mummy. Like her confidence wasent already low.

thats another issue.

once again shes in pure year 2 class of 30.
waiting to find out how mcuh teaching assisatants there are.

Im on the pta and spoke to the new 2/3teacher and she says out of all the split classes its hardest as you effectivly teaching infants and juniors key stage 1 and 2.

thinking back in our schools case r1 was a good class to be in as basically the learning through play meant the 15in that cass had more 1 to one I dont think that would happen in otehr split classes.

There are not many split classes round here.

just 3schools locally.

daughters freind goes to infants with 75intake so 3 classes of 25 so least bit smaller.

Tyhres another tiny school where there could be 3different years in 1 class and heard good things about that school.

my 2nd child is sept so would go intoi r1.

mine wil go into pure year 2 then probably pure year 3 unless they decide to mess it about again..

only plus side does stop the girls especially from being cliquey.

i would say 5 as a number is not a split class its a last min add on.

also theres been issues in year 1 probably a girl thing but the classes havent mixed socially in the playground theres been a few tears and rows-teachers response to that is this is one off its not been that way in other years,

We were also told they mix for certain things-im not quite sure what .

my freinds daughter due to teacher change was inr1, according to freind shes a genuis but has had the same teacher 2years ina row and is very sensitive. she worried about year 2.

on plus for me heard good things about year 2teacher things shes possily one of best in school. but do wonder if she will get help she needs plus reintergrating socially again wondering if the youngest will all stick together.

in hindsight i wish i had considered the split class better.

yes its becoming more common but not due to ohh thats best for kids its its comvieniant for school and primary shortage.

good luck

I've taught composite classes with only 5 or 6 children from the next year group and to be honest it has never been an issue for the children. They still see their friends at break times and lunch and it is only during lessons they work in their own class.