Teachers changing year groups

[Royaldada]

Is it more common for KS2 teachers to teach different year groups every year than it is Rec/KS1.

The reason why I ask this is because apart from a change in job share teacher. Next year's Rec/KS1 teachers are the same as this year's but in KS2

A Yr 3 teacher will be teaching one Yr 5 class and a Yr 4 teacher will be teaching the other and both Yr 5 teachers will be in Yrs 3 and 4

Both Yr 6 teachers are the same

and I wondering if this common or not

Not uncommon ime. A refresh every so often does no harm and teachers need a breadth of experience to progress.

No, I don't think it's more common to have movement in KS2 than KS1, although it may perhaps be more common for EYFS teachers to stay there. Really it all depends on the school and teachers concerned, decisions are made based on the teachers' experience, their career aims, support needs within the school, all sorts of things.

Some heads move all their staff every year but others recognise expertise in certain year groups.

Really? so someone with a MA in Early Years education shouldn't be utilised where they are most qualified

It depends on the school. Switching year groups isn't really that big a deal in most of them. Year 6 is usually one of those years you tend to get "stuck" in because people either are ok with teaching it or they don't want it.
Some of it comes down to personal preference. I'm much better in Year 5/6 because that's where I've always been. Have recently changed to Year 4 and it's taken me a while to get used to them. They are little and needy and slow and seem to be incapable of so many things.
It'd be rubbish any lower down. I'm not very good with small children in educational settings because I'm very much of the opinion that I shouldn't be asking 4-year-olds to sit down and write. They should be outside playing, learning how to take turns and make friends. (I have to admit, I had a horrific reception placement during training and it's put me off completely.)

So far, however, we've always been asked and most heads I have worked for will consider personal preference and expertise. I generally say that I'd be ok with any KS2 year group and I'm able to adapt. I'm happier in UKS2, but it's not a big deal if I get put somewhere else. (Reception, I might have an issue with...and I'd need LOTS of support.)

At our school the Reception and Yr6 teachers tend to stay where they are for at least a couple of years at a time.

Otherwise it's fairly normal for teachers to move around to different year groups.

All but one of the KS1 teachers have previously taught in KS2. Most of the current KS2 teachers were in a different year group last year.

'It can be quite easy to get 'stuck' in infants imo. To teach well you really shoukd have experience of as many year groups as possible.

There does come a point where expertise can become complacency.'

I have taught only infants for the last 15 years - I clearly don't teach well then!

At my DC's school there is some staff movement in years R to 5, but the nursery and year 6 teachers seem to always stay the same.

I work in an infant school - so EYFS to KS1. We have changes every year for teachers and TAs.
This year we have a new teacher in Y2 and EYFS, a Y2 teacher going into Y1, an EYFS teacher going into Y1, and a Y1 teacher going into Y2. Also have TAs swapping between year groups too, plus at least one new TA.

There are some teachers who relish the challenge of a different year group and others who see their specialism in one particular area or Early Years, for example. However all teachers can be asked to move but usually a Head takes preferences into account as well as strengths and weaknesses. Obviously a happy staff room is important.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that a specialist teacher is complacent but there may be a need to refresh from time to time. Some teachers are never keen to teach another year group but it is not always possible to accommodate what they want for 15 years. To some extent a teacher who only teaches one year group is perhaps not DH or Head material. It may be that other teachers need exposure to teaching a different year group in order to progress their careers. All of this has to be balanced against high quality teaching for the children.

Our SMT ask teachers and TAs for their preferences, and take those into account. This is especially important when changing between EYFS and KS1, less so between Y1 and Y2 - EYFS needs a different type of teaching and approach than Y2 for example. But ultimately SMT make the decision, based on the needs of the school and its pupils, whilst also taking into account the needs and wants of its staff.

It's normal in my school.

I think three years per year group at a time is the best. A year to find your feet, a year or two of doing it really well, then after teaching the same curriculum for three years change it up to keep fresh.

I can't think of anything more dull than doing the same year every year. I agree it leads to complacency and staleness.

It's quite common where I am for teachers to specialise in their PGCE to either do lower primary or KS2.

Not sure how a new class can be dull

EYFS and nursery teachers sometimes have different or specialist qualifications which mean they are more likely to stay put. I'm EYFS trained (MA) but have taught across all the primary age range. Don't enjoy Y6 that much, but I'll do whatever I'm asked. I like a move now and again. Agree that 3 years is about right in one age group before you have a move.

mrz I find it dull to teach the same curriculum year after year. Three years, four tops.

Some teachers are moved to pull up standards following a less than satisfactory year of teaching for whatever reason. I've been pulled out during a year to bring children up to standard who were having an appalling year.

I like to move around and will happily do FS to year 6. It is frustrating working with staff who have limited understanding of lower school or upper school. Especially when you think about the level of differentiation that can be needed in a class. I've taught ks2 children who need work at an ks1 level and visa versa.

I agree that staff who can not teach the full range have no business being dh or head. But it happens.

The thing I love the best about teaching is that every year is different. Even if the curriculum hasn't changed (which is hasn't majorly in Wales for a while) and if you are in the same year group (I've been in my year group for 5 years now, which is what our head thinks is enough time to become established and 'expert' in your age group) then the children are always different. You can innovate even the same topics so that you don't teach them the same way. I like a change every now and again and got to choose to move down to the year group I'm now in a while ago when the head looked at restructuring everyone.

I've taught for nearly 20 years. All in KS2. In the same school even. And have taught mixed classes, single year classes, y5/6, y6, y5 and y4. I've been responsible for overseeing 4 different subject areas. I can't equate what and how I taught back when I started to what I do now and it could have been a completely different school for the differences that there are.

We are 2 form entry and our head wouldn't change both teachers in a year group at once and have 2 people who are 'novice' at that year group starting at the same time.

Three years is maximum for me too. I do supply ( out of choice for the flexibility) at the moment and it's the best of both worlds.

I could be in FS one day and year 6 the next. Bizarrely though the only year group I'm not that keen on its Year 3.

The what you teach remains the same but the how can be different every single year ... Throw away your planning at the end of the summer term and start each year as if it is your first ...best advice I was ever given

I do feel that somehow it seems more acceptable to only teach in KS2 and get a headship or deputy headship. I haven't met many headteachers who have taught reception as any point in their careers. I have taught across the infant age range and teaching reception is very different to teaching Year 2. Often KS2 teachers are moved down to the infants and put in year 1 and try and teach them like mini juniors which just doesn't work.

I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with being a specialist - it doesn't make you a bad teacher or head or deputy as long as you respect the fact that others are specialists to and value their skills.

I think it's important to have experience in all three primary stages if you want to be a deputy head or head (or SLT) but don't think you need to move every two years (it seems to be one of those oft repeated myths) Ive taught every year grout from nursery to Y6 but prefer reception (a great buzz to teach children to write, read and foundations of maths you don't get in other year groups. To me UKS2 is least rewarding but thankfully others feel differently.
I once worked with a teacher who moved from Y6 to KS1 (his request) and used exactly the same planning as he'd used in Y6 ...
A good head will deploy staff where they are most effective.

What's the point in reinventing the wheel every single time when you don't have to?

Even if you plan from scratch every year (how time consuming) it's still the same old merry go round of topics.