Mixed classes again!

[ellieding]

Hello,

I know this has been talked about a bit but any reassurance would be appreciated.

My six yr old daughter is bright - ahead of her class. She is not 'gifted' in my opinion, just well stimulated; I haven't spent the last six years at home for nothing! She currently spends all her lesson time with a supply teacher because she is ahead of the current teaching.

Now I've been told next year she's moving from a full yr1 class into an age mixed class with only seven yr2s, the rest will be just yr1.

I'm fairly horrified tbh. She's working at a year 3 level and will now be in a class with kids just out of reception. I can't possibly see how this won't affect her. She says the teacher is going to get her to 'help' the other children but somehow I feel this still isn't fair on her own education. These kids will be learning basic phonics and numeracy, she is already reading Lewis Carroll and Dodie Smith and her mental arithmetic is very good.

I don't want to be precious about this but I just feel like it could be disastrous for her as a child who absolutely loves her school but was already bored by a year 1 level. I know they are meant to tailor it to their needs but I just can't see how this will happen at carpet time etc when they are getting their lessons. She will be repeating so much mundane stuff.

ARGH!

It works ok for DS2, but his school seem to be able to differentiate for him. It is a small school, South Wales so not quite the same as England as we have foundation phase (learning through play until the end of year 2 which has outcomes rather than NC levels). Being a small school he will always be in mixed year classes - about 12 children per year group. He is currently in year 1 and is taught phonics with the year 3/4 class. Like Mrz we have phonics right through to the end of year 6. His maths he is working at the old English national curriculum level 3A, and literacy 3B but is taught in class as his teacher differentiates tasks for him as that fits the learning through play rather than desk based ethos. As I work full time I have little time to support him at home (other than reading with him) - he needs time to relax and play, so all his achievement is down to the school's input.

Enb6 : just a word of warning about asking an academically capable child lead less capable children. They did that with me in the 70s and while I might have learned some leadership skills I feel, with hindsight, that I was an unpaid teaching assistant who never got properly challenged academically. It came as a huge shock to me about aged 14 that school work could be tough.
Please watch for that.

Hi Sparky, I feel your pain. I first came across hard work as I hit my A-levels and had no capacity to step up to the mark - I had no idea how to actually work or apply myself because I'd never had to. I still struggle now to apply myself to anything resembling hard work or anything that doesn't totally interest me. I am hoping that I'll will avoid that for my child.