I cant wrap my head around this set up...

[Confused095]

Hello, I'm hoping somebody can help me understand the set up of our local primary school...
DC1 will be starting school properly September 2022, but we've managed to get him into a nursery class for this September.

So this school he has a place at this September are set I'm years 0, 1, 2, 3, Etc etc...

Unfortunately, after speaking to schools admissions, it is unlikely he will be able to continue in this school when we reapply for September 2022.

But the school that we have a high chance of getting a place has a different set out.
Instead of yr 0, 1, 2, 3... etc. Its yr 0, yr1 & 2, yr 2 & 3, yr 3 & 4.
So basically the classes are combined?
I just dont understand how there can be potentially a 2 yr gap between children in the class?
Or is it that they will have say an August child and a September child in the same class?

I'm sorry if what I've wrote is confusing, I just can't understand the idea of blended school years and how it works.

If anybody can help me understand it I would appreciate it.

DS primary school has mixed classes. There are 77 children in the whole school. Only 4 in one of the yr groups.

They have R & Yr 1, yr 2 &3, yrs 4,5,6.

The older 2 classes may change depending on numbers. (2,3 4 then 5,6)

My DDs went to a school like this and we loved it. As others have said, there are plusses and minuses.

Plusses

• small school means the staff get to know each child individually
• more flexibility for higher achievers to work with higher age groups and lower achievers to work with lower age groups
• smaller friendship pool means the DC learn that they have to get on with people
• pretty much always space in after school activities

Minuses

• year groups can end up skewed to girls or boys easily, or end up very small if people leave
• fewer after school activities
• less choice of friends
• more of a culture shock transitioning to a large secondary school