Does your primary stream year 1 children

[ReallyTired]

I hate streaming early on. Supposely its great for more able kids and awful for summer born boys who get stuck in low groups. However its dreadful for my daughter who is in the top stream and sat with the same girls for everything. The girls in the top group (including my daughter) get picked for everything. I feel that this is making all the children including my daughter arrogant and dismissive of children in other groups. The pressure of being in the top group makes the girls incredibly bitchy and competitive.

I want the school to introduce some mixed ablity teaching for subjects like Art, music, DT, ICT, registration etc. I believe that some mixed ablity teaching would improve respect and social interaction for every child. Is there any evidence for my theory that streaming actually harms bright kids?

When I was at primary school in the 1980's there were 3 tables in every class and they were literally called top, middle and bottom!

My daughter's primary does and also did in reception. We think it's a positive thing which helps keeping motivation and interest up for children of all abilities. What's the point of e.g. keeping a fluent reader in a group that's still at the very basics or vice versa?

Meant to add it's done for math, guided reading and phonics, not the rest. Groups are named after see animals and I can't detect a hint of arrogance in the more advanced children

There is a big differenve between having groups for core subjects and mixed ablity for everything and being in one stream for everything.

If a child spends their entire school day in one group it becomes their identity. My son's year 1 class had ablity groups for key subjects and he was in the top group for guided reading, bottom group for hand writing and in the middle for maths. I feel that my son's experience was better.

Nope. Only for reading, spelling and math I think. From talking to my daughter she does group work with a series of different kids.

No but the school only has one class per year. They are moved every Monday where they spend the week. The work is differentiated according to ability. small groups are taken off to the library, Those groups seem to be according to ability.

In my infant school (3 form entry) we have some flexible ability groups for some maths and english lessons. However, these change fairly regularly and, depending on specific topics, can change lesson by lesson. In some lessons the groups are not used at all. These are all within a class and not mixed with other classes.

In EYFS and Y1 phonics is taught in classes, so entirely mixed ability. Y2 was also until recently though we are currently trialing three tiered ability groupings - between all three classes - to see if it will help phonics as there is a big difference between the most able and those needing more reinforcement. The trial is for one term and will then be reviewed.

Most other lessons are mixed ability though sometimes pairs and groups within the class may be done depending on the work - sometimes MA, sometimes friendship based, sometimes entirely random, sometimes ability matched and sometimes may be a stronger pupil with one who needs more help - it really depends on what work is being done.

But def no formal streaming.

Reallytired, my daughter is a late August born. She's actually doing very well in literacy but is a bit at sea when it comes to maths. All I hear from the teacher is how she day dreams, won't listen etc... And yes, the little darlings are girls who are a year older, assemblies and christmas plays are all about them. the buzz word in education is differentiation but I have to say, I am seeing very little of it, at least not in our school!

Bitword I wonder if sometimes "differentiation" is a byword for low expectations? I hope your daughter does not lose confidence.

There are a few recent educational blogs/articles with similar views Reallytired - children can be left behind and many are.

mrz do you have any links? It's interesting that some educational professionals have the same views as a mere mum.

And it is normally ta who teaches the low group.

Streaming is terrible.

It just allows the children to fail before they have even started really and worryingly sets low expectations upon the children. What concerns me is that teachers start to talk in terms of "my low-ability group" or "my bottom set" and it then I think it becomes very hard to change their mindset about those children.

No one seems to really acknowledge that children's ability is in no way set at such a young age and can really fluctuate. In year 1 I was told my DS would barely be reading by the end of the year as he was so behind. Luckily I had faith in him and he actually ended the year on a very good level but it was worrying how quick the teachers were to write off a 5 year old and had it not been for my perseverance they would not have helped him reach his potential

You do also get a lot of arrogance in the top table children (and their parents!) and a rather defeated air about the bottom table.

I love the idea of children choosing the difficultly of their own challenges (with a bit of guidance) as it is far more stretching for them and far less labelling.

Our school have animal names for tables but it's fairly unsubtle as to who is top - think along the lines of Lions for top table and snails for bottom! Even when they have tried choosing different names within about 2 weeks the parents have already worked out which is which.

also agree that is is usually the lower groups who get the TA and the top groups who get the teacher.

It really feels as though there is a two tier education system going on within our schools sometimes.

I think there is a difference between parents of second borns and precious first borns. My eldest is 13 and I know how much children can change. My eldest is mostly in middle sets inspite of being on the top table at primary. He is in the top set for science but struggles with french. Like every child he has his strengths and weaknesses.

I feel that five year old should not be labelled as gifted unless the have done something truly extraordinary like compose their first concerto, discovered a cure for cancer or have worked towards world peace. Telling a typical but bright five year old that they are a cut above the others does no favours.

www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/01/07/differentiation-doesnt-work.html?qs=differentiation+doesn't+work

websofsubstance.wordpress.com/2015/01/25/seriously-differentiation-really-doesnt-work/

reflectionsofmyteaching.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/can-i-be-that-little-bit-better_31.html?m=1

Spanish10

Definitely not in my school. The teachers and class TAs alternate which focus groups they work with most days/lessons. No one ever just has one group here, unless it is a specific intervention programme being run by a set person - but that will never be in place of normal english, maths, phonics, reading, etc. It is in addition to and it is often a TA doing that as they are the one who has had the specific training for it.

Dd school is two form entry. There are just ablity tables in the class.

This isn't streaming!

In my school all pupils are taught by teachers

Dd is year one and stays on the same table all day with the same children. They are ability grouped and I'm very surprised that they never move.

She's just this week worked out why her table 'never gets any help' when the others do.

I doubt this is entirely true but I'm surprised they don't mix them up for different lessons.

thejosevilson.com/differentiation-the-dirtiest-word-in-education-today/

www.matcheducation.org/puzzled/2010/10/04/fighting-back-against-differentiated-instruction

In our school every class has a teacher and a well qualified and experienced (a number are actually qualified teachers) TA so we are fortunate. The whole class is taught by the teacher initially but they are then supported by teacher and/or TA. But no one group ever just has the same person - lower groups are def not always with a TA at all. Extra hands are often a very useful resource, especially well qualified ones.