mixed year 1 clases

[IamAporcupine]

DS is in reception and I've just found out he will be in a mixed year 1 class. He is my first and I didn't grow up in the UK so I am totally new to this - how does it work?
Also, not all children are in a mixed class, some (actually most) continue with their reception classmates - any idea how is this decided?
Thanks!

anyone?

(and apologies for the typo in the title )

Might be different as I'm from Scotland but at my last school when deciding which children to put into a mixed (composite) class they chose the more independent children who would be a good role model for the younger children and who would be able to work fairly well while the teacher saw to the P1s (our first year). Also they would choose children who were far enough ahead so that they younger year children were unlikely to over take them in ability. People seem to see composites as being an inbetween stage but this has never been the case in my experience.

As far as work went they did the same topic work and differentiated literacy/numeracy work (as you'd get within a year anyway). Depending on availability they'd hopefully work with both the younger and older years on some projects.

Thanks JennyBlueWren
That makes (some) sense re. the older children, but how do they choose the young ones?
Also, I really do not understand the reason behind doing this?

ps - I've just re-read my OP and it does not make a lot of sense, sorry I am ill today...

Hthe reason will be either a mixed match co-Hort say 45 year ones and 20 reception - 65 kids - so they split into 3 classes

Realistically it will be down to teachers salary and school layout

Also there isn't much between an august and September child age wise /maturity sonwont make much difference

But the young ones have not been divided by age, as two boys that are both October children are in different classes.

It must be the fever, because I really do not get it

Well they look at

Twins
SEN
Additional needs
Struggling children
Behaviour
Then maybe ability

No none teacher can handle all the difficult children - they need to be spread

In our school they have a one and a half form entry - so 44 kids in two small reception classes of 22 each, then from y1-y6 it's one separate class for each year and a composite for y1-2, 3-4 and 5-6. The separate classes and composites each have approx 30 children.

I can't say I know how they divide them up, but I do know that mostly the kids that needed more support were in the single year classes.

At our primary they are in a mixed class one year, unmixed the next. DGS was in mixed Y3/4 last year, Y4 this year, Y5/6 next year.
It balances the numbers and as all the children are grouped in subsets anyway it doesn't really matter.

TheWeeWitch that's what they are doing in our school I think?

I cannot understand how it would not matter. I guess it is because in my experience primary school was just one class with desks facing the front and the teacher explaining one subject to all.

Even if they are divided in groups, can teachers really teach two completely different levels?
Do the old ones not get challenged enough? Or do the young ones get pushed a bit too much?

Hopefully a teacher will come along and help out with the composite class question, OP.

Day the subject is time

Level A - knowing hour and half past
Level B - knowing quarter to past
Level C - knowing hours seconds
Level D knowing mins and hours
Level E knowing how to calculate time
Level F working on bus time table

(Rough idea - IYSWIM)

Writing -

Level one - include capital letters and full stops
Level 2 use finger spaces
Level 3 use connectives
Level 4 use complex sentences

So yes they can teach different levels - you expect pupils in one set to achieve X and pupils in another set to achieve Y

Ok, I can see that GreenTulips, so do teachers explain subjects separately to each small group based on their level?

Now that I think about it, he also had red/blue/green groups in reception - were those different levels too?

Reception wouldn't be in levels - so green group maybe looking at different size water jugs - which holds the most - which least etc
Red group are making letters using playsoh
Purples are with the teacher reading or writing
So not levels

In year one they do groups for maths usually but say A sorting shapes B are with the teacher - C are funding the best way to build a tower

• so then they swap on Tuesday etc

Some are whole class - Teacher talks or shows them the shapes - talks about virticies edges and faces - then they do an activity - some may still use flat shapes some 3D shapes - but they all get a go - at the end of the week they are assessed - example - do they know what an edge is? How many faces dose a sphere have? They either get ticked off or not - BUT next year they do shape again and see where they are at

many thanks GreenTulips

Any chance that they do have some type of levels even in reception? My son said the other day 'he wished he was not in red group as they get asked to do more'

I assume you are a teacher - what is your opinion re. mixed classes?

My son's school say they base the mixed class solely on age. I know for a fact they don't because a spring and a summer born, that I know of, have gone into the mixed class (8 Y1s and 16Y2s).

There are 14 children who are Autumn born. Plus the 'younger' Y2s are supposed to be in the mixed class (the 16 children) but my friend's child who is August Y2 (mid August) is in the full Y2 class - not the mixed class.

We know as parents they actually stream children and organise classes by ability. My school did it to. I was supposed to have 9 Y2s and 13 Y1s. My Y1s were a mix of Autumn and Spring borns. MOST of the Autumn borns were in the Y1 class. They told parents it was a straight cut off according to age.

Big Fat Lie.

bangingmyheadoffabrickwall it is def not based on age on my son's school. They claim it is based on friendships but I do not buy that either.
I wish they could just tell the truth - what would be the problem with that?

I've worked in schools where it's been decided based on the nursery assessment focusing on PSED basically ones the nursery staff felt could cope best in a class with older children.

The headteacher sent a letter this week saying that she is happy to talk to any parents if there were any concerns etc.
Should I take the opportunity? She is very approachable, and I would not mind a bit of reassurance . I just want to understand how they will make it work and how will benefit (or not) my child.