How does the playground work at your child's primary school?

[LifesTooShortYOLO]

DS has just started reception and from what I gather Play times seem quite daunting.
The reception children go out to play first and then the older year children come out after their lunch to join them. There is a line on the playground where the reception children can't go over but the older children are allowed to come over to the reception side 🤷🏻‍♀️
My DS said it got really busy yesterday and he got upset the teacher told the older children to go back over to their side.
Just wondered if this is the norm at schools? Do they all usually mix?
Will my DS get used to it?
I suppose it's just overwhelming to start with and hoping he will get used to it.

We have separate EYFS &KS1/ KS2 playgrounds at our school. So the really big kids and littlest kids are in separate places. At the moment reception children go out to play separately from Y1 and Y2 (who go out at the same time), but they will gradually integrate them over this term.

Reception have their own playground, but also sometimes use KS1 playground, but KS2 playground is separated.

When both my DDs were in Reception they played on the big playground with everyone else at the same time. There was a rota for the football area (and the climbing frame I think) so different year groups got turns.

Yr6 was encouraged to look after the little ones at DD2s school (average year size was 12 so a small school).

My son has just started.too. I'm not too sure, but I think they are all in the playground together, but each individual year group has their designated days on the slides/climbing equipment. It's an infant school though, so no 'big big' kids.

Ours is separated, the young ones are behind a fence in their own dedicated play area so they don’t get bowled over at playtime.

In ours it’s split into different yards for EYFS/KS1 and KS2.

I believe in the summer term the whole school plays on one yard and the field.

My kids schools has a separate playground for reception year that the older ones can’t go in

We have a totally mixed playground but it’s a small, one form entry school. Reception have their own play area during lesson time but break & lunch is out in the main playground.

DD has a really good friend who is in Yr2 so she’s been excitedly running to play with her & the big kids apparently 🙈

It must be overwhelming, particularly at a bigger school if it’s a complete free for all. I remember having separate playgrounds in primary school. But equally, he will get used to it as with everything at school! Are you sure the big kids are supposed to come over to the younger kids side or are they just being a bit rule breaky?? I suspect they might be! I imagine the rules are KS1 on one side & KS2 on the other. The older kids are probably just being annoying & coming over when they shouldn’t!

I've worked in a lot of Early Years settings, and there's nothing "typical" - some schools have a separate EYFS playground, some a separate EYFS/KS1 playground, some only have one playground for YR thru Y6, and have rotas for the play equipment - that last situation is more common in London than the rest of the country, though.

It all depends on what resources a school has.

There is a smaller yard on one side for Nursery and Reception (together), followed by Y1 and Y2 together afterwards.

Then there is a large top yard which is for the years 3-6 - but these are staggered so I think no more than 3 years at once.

Single form entry.

Our Reception have their own playground.

Separate for us too. But it’s quite a big school (3 form entry). Is it a small school?

Nursery and reception now have a joint garden and playground since last year. Reception used to have a small enclosed area outside their door before they moved rooms, it was used throughout the day with access all the time. At lunch & break from around October they could go out into the main playground, more encouraged later in the year. No other years allowed into the enclosed area. All years have a rota for the MUGA and play trail. Small school with single form entry, have had composite classes in the past but not at the moment with 24 kids in DS Y2 class.

Ours has a KS2 playground, a KS1 playground, and a play area for EYFS.

During the summer term the EYFS children move on to the KS1 playground in readiness for moving up to Y1.

Reception has their own section of playground until Christmas, then they join everyone else. No one else is allowed in the reception section.

Nursery and reception have gardens to play in.
Yr 1 to 6 play in the main playground however there is a line like you describe separating yr 1 and 2 from the bigger ones. Yr 1 also have garden which can be separated off from the main playground when they are playing outside during learning time (year 1 do lots of play at our school)

3 playgrounds: Nursery and Reception, KS1 and KS2.

Currently Reception stay on the Early Years Playground but are out at the same time as KS1 and KS2, after half term they will go onto the KS1 playground for lunch play, the KS2s can see and talk to them but don't go over to the KS1 side. KS1 can see the EYs Playground but it's got a gate on it that can only be opened by an adult so they can't get through.

In the summer term they'll let everyone apart from Nursery onto the field at the same time and because of that they don't stop children going onto either playground.