Have you ever experienced classes being 'mixed-up' the next year?

[sammac]

By that I mean that taking the 2 classes that are in P1(like reception) and mixing them up to go into the next year?

Apparently that's what's going to happen to ds's class after the summer. Official reason is for socialisation reasons, but i've never heard of this happening before and I think there's more to it than that. Both are relatively small classes(around 18) and 'gives them a chance to get to know other children'

Am suspicious of ulterior motives, as feel that ds has settled well into his class as he didn't know the children as he went to a different nursery than them, and by shuffling them about he'll have to start again.

Looking for more information but can't find any, but hopefully someone here will know something!

I think they are doing this in the summer term at DS's school. He's in Yr2. I don't quite get it either.

Yes, the schools I have taught in often do this when there is more than 1 class in each year group. It can be done for many reasons, but social ones are common as well as to ensure there is a balance of boys, girls, levels of achievements in different areas, creativity, friendship groups (or problematic relations), parents, teachers etc.

I don't think it is unusual.

yep this happens at my dc's school they get mixed up each year there are 3 classes in each year. I think its fairly common.
It doesn't seam to bother the children

Thanks for that- maybe not so uncommon then. Will wait and see what happens then.

They do it in our school. Most parents worry about it in the first couple of years, but you really see the benefits by the time they are in Yr5/6 as they all know each other well and get on together rather than having a them and us type situation between the two classes.

It is seen as a positive thing here (again 3 classes get jumbled). It seems to be in part to avoid children getting pigeonholed. A child may have been the best at X in one year, but then isn't in the next class so encourages them to spread their wings a bit rather than just to assume that that is their niche.

Quite common. At ds old school it was every year as the turnover was over 30% (international school) with several new non English speakers to integrate. dd's Reception class was remixed for Year 1 with no ill effects tbh and I suspect ds' Year 4 class will be mixed up for the Autumn(they've each had to do a friendship circle this week) as the majority have been together since Reception. It gives them a chance to even out the ability and social groupings. It is a bigger deal to the parents than the kids.