composite/ mixed classes

[Vickibee]

My DS attends a small village school about 100 children. We got a letter home tonight to say that four Y! children are being kept in class 2 and the other 12 Y1'sare being moved to class 3. All 16 reception children are being moved to class 2. I understand that My DS has struggled with literacy and is working below the expected level.
My worry is that he will lose contact with his friends and be in class with younger kids. Please reassure me that this will not hold him back, he is lazy and a slow starter but has made great progress in the last 6 mo. He is upset that he will be away from his BF. Should I discuss with school or just leave alone?

Hi - retired TA (male) :

I have worked over 20 years in KS1, as parent helper, employed TA, and voluntary helper. Provided teachers, support staff and any vol helpers are capable and organised, mixed ages and Yr groups CAN be an advantage.

I worked in a combined YR, Y1, Y2 class which was totally successful. The most able younger children can sometimes work at a higher level with older groups, while the less academic older children could sometimes work on younger, less demanding activities. In my experience, children don't make a 'big deal out of ages and 'levels'; it is more the parents who perceive it as a disadvantage.

Perhaps you can even suggest he helps look out for the younger children if they are worried, or don't know what to do. I suppose the age difference might show up more in physical activity, PE and games etc, but that might be 'streamed' to even things out.

I hated it too Euphemia but it was DS that used those terms sadly so i think there may have been some discussion between the children and those words were used. As in

'You must be thick as you are being kept down'

This happened to mjy DS1. he was one of 5 children 'staying behind'. It was sold to the children as they would be helping the reception children.
All the parents were raging at the start of the school year but thinking it was a good thing by the end.
The children were able to have a lot more focused attention, and DS certainly had more than caught up with his peers by Y2, but more importantly it really boosted his confidence being able to answer all the questions and show reception children the ropes, and given responsibilities around the classroom.
(Oh and now he has just finished his A2s and is predicted AAA in maths physics and chemistry so obviously no long term damage)

boys are slow starters, my ds can't be bothered with reading and writing - just doesn't interest him. Give him an electronics kit and he will gladly do that - a doer not a thinker

oh dear my DH had an argument about all this with his class teacher and apparently used a swear word. Other parents complained about him to the HT and I got a phone call at 11 am and I had to apologise for his behaviour.

I agree that there are issues but he is a bit of a hot head and has made it worse. great

Oh no Vicki What did he say?

Oh dear. :(

Not sure exactly. Made comments about how badly the info was sent out to parents but I know my dh and he can sound very aggressive in his tone even tho the words aren't abus I've in themselves.

Ds has come home today in floods of tears, the penny has finally dropped that he will be separated from all his friends next year. At the moment he is not listening to reason and has shut himself in his room. The teacher broke the news to the whole class about who was staying / moving. Very insensitive IMO should have been done individually. He already knew cos of the letter but did not know about the others

Oh I hope your DS is okay about it.

Has you DH apologised about his behaviour (not sure why you should be apologising on his behalf)?

Ours is the opposite end of the scale - very big primary of 550+ pupils, but we still have mixed years (3/4 & 5/6) plus they mix up the classes every other year.

DS was split from his best friends at the end of Reception but has made lots of new friends. He still got to see his other friends at playtime, and I made a point of inviting them round after school at the start of the new year.

Hope it goes ok.

he wrote a letter in and apologised, however I do think the school have over-reacted as I have spoken to several people who witnessed the said incident and they said there was no swearing just a slightly raised voice.

I spoke with his class teacher today and he has achieved level 1a plus so we are really pleased with his progress but he would benefit from another year in this class. Just got to convince him of that

Oh Vicki I really feel for you. Sounds just like DS1.

I am sorry to admit this but when he started back in the September and all his friends went in the direction of the Year One classroom and he went back to the class he had spent the last year in with the 'babies' (his words) I could have cried for him.

You are clearly concerned so why not have a chat with the school and hear their reasons? If they are adamant he remains in the lower class, sk if there's the option to move him back in with his old friends mid school year if he makes sufficient progress? This might be the motivation he needs. Explain your concerns about his reaction to the news and explain his whole attitude to school could be shaped by this. Could he have a learning support assistant part time in his proper class and see how he gets on?

Roses
The probelm is that class sizes cannot exceed 30 and there simply isn't enough places to accommodate every pupil in Class 3, it will be 29 in total so even if the four children being kept back amke good progress there is no scope for movement.
I am assured that thes four children will be taught differently and that every year this happens and the children always come round and adapt. The school felel that he would benefit from being in class 2 for another year. Apart from move schools there isn't a lot I can do

In our village school all classes are composite
Nursery and Reception Class1
Year1 and Year 2 Class2
Year3 and Year4 Class3
Year5 and Year6 Class4
Each class has a teacher and 2 TA's except for Class1 which also has a Nursery teacher .
The children work in groups within the class so some Nursery children do phonics with YR and some Yr2 dc do number with Y1.

That sounds ok because years aren't being split greylady. Much better.

He got a slip of paper home on Friday saying that he scored 23/40 in the national phonics test but with no explanation of what this means. Anyone help out with this?

I don't know what the score itself indicates but I really wouldn't worry at all. The tests at most suggest which children could do with extra help in reading but this is something the school will probably already have identified.

I would ask the teacher for an explanation of the score. When we get official key stage results we are also given the school and national averages which puts it into context.
If there's 29 in class that leaves a space for your DS! I'd try another chat purely cos he sounds so upset about it. Just tower them know how badly he's taken the news.you never know.

Not tower, to let! Big fingers today.

Today the children are doing a class swap to meet theor new class teacher etc, of course DS will be staying put. He looked a little glum lining up with the younger ones but the teacher gave him some bull story about bing an important helper as he was one of the oldest in the class. My heart sank when I left him this morning.

MY Ds school will be forming composite classes next year . My DS will be going into P4 and will be in a 3/4 composite. The brightest children of P4 will be in this composite. I don't see how this works ! How possibly does the P3 group be taught with P4 who have already covered maths/English of P3 level and the P3 still need to learn this level. It is obvious that the teacher needs to split her time between the two years and then different levels within those years. It is obvious the older brighter group will be held back.