Year 2 teacher moving to reception

[MOSagain]

Is this normal?

DS starting in reception in September and yesterday we found out about the classes. It seems that his new teacher has been a year 2 teacher for a number of years. To be honest, I didn't have any views on this, was more upset (for him) that he has been split up from all his best friends from nursery but a few parents have commented that they have concerns.

Surely teachers are highly trained enough to be able to adapt to different age groups. It seems that the school tends to shake things up like this every few years and wondered if that was normal practice?

Grateful for any views/comments

It is completely normal for teachers in my child's school to move around and teach different year groups.

I am doing this ... we are trained to teach a variety of ages .. plus she may well of taught Reception before. It is good to move year groups.

thanks, thats what I thought. To be honest I thought it was a good idea but a few of the other mums put doubts in my mind.
Thanks for the reassurance

Yup, normal: our school moves teachers round from time to time, but tends to do it within reception/KS1 and separately for KS2.

The teachers in my DC school tend to move year groups every 2 years or so (or when they request it).

Two of DD's 3 reception teachers (she is in a class of 90 with 3 teachers) are usually KS1.

The EYFS Head was DS's yr2 teacher.

I work in an infant school and yes, the teachers and TAs do move around the classes and year groups fairly frequently.

Think it is good practice for staff development and helps introduce fresh ideas into the curriculum

teachers often move around years, it is all pretty fluid. All teachers are trained to teach a variety of ages.

My daughter's reception teacher used to teach yr3 and she has been an absolutely exceptional reception teacher this year.

Very normal. Seems more unusual for them to get stuck in with only one year group for yrs & yrs. I heard that DD's school only lets teachers do 3 yr stints in y6 because it's so stressful.

Oh my goodness.. when you qualify as a primary teacher you qualify. I think it is much better to move teachers around so it keeps people on their toes and fresh. A good teacher will be a good teacher wherever they go.

Totally normal they move around like this at my kids primary.

I had a few comments from parents that I had been 'promoted' when I moved from Y1 to Y5. It appeared that they were under the impression the the cleverest teacher taught Y6, with a sliding scale of achievement all the way down to Reception

My daughters year teacher now teaches my sons reception class. Very normal.

Ha Humphrey

You know what they say - to teach, you only have to be a page ahead of the class in the book...

I would only be concerned if the year 2 teacher had been a year 2 teacher for many years. The demands of teaching a year 2 class (encouraging independence) are very different from that needed for reception. At ds's previous school a teacher asked to move and the head of that part of the school wouldn't allow it.

Completely normal, I've taught every year group. From nursery to year 6.

Our HT doesn't insist we move but my friend works in a school where after four years they have to move to a different age group.

I each week teach nursery, yr3 and yr6 (as Deputy covering NQTs). It's really normal to move.

It's completely normal. Teachers in our primary swap year groups from time to time. I think that it is in fact considered good practice.

Completely normal.

Quite amused at the idea that some parents think teachers might stay in one year group for their entire career!

All perfectly normal. In our DC's school, they swap all the time. Over the last 6 years, since a very good Y6 teacher left, they've been trying to find the magic formula that gives them that x-factor again for SATS results. They're trying to find the "Holy Grail" of teachers.

BTW cazzybabs, isn't it "well have" not "well of"? Wouldn't normally say anything but you've mentioned you're a teacher.

You do tend to get "stuck" in Year 6! Teachers either love it or wouldn't go near with a barge pole! The same can happen with Reception. I've been teaching 9 years and have taught every year group except year 4, Yr 6 is my favourite but how long I will last is another matter!

It's excellent practice to keep staff moving in schools. 2 - 3 years in one age group, then move on is they way good managers do it.
When I trained, the course apparently qualified us to teach 3 - 13 yr olds!

If you have QTS you are technically qualified to teach any age group.
I'm not sure I agree that it is excellent practice to keep moving staff but it is common in some schools others take the view that is best to place staff according to their strengths.