Playground layout reception age

[theresnouseingrumpin]

My son is in reception and at lunch ALL kids from reception to year 6 share one big playground

A few ppl have said that theirs has their own reception playground and others have said years reception 1 and 2 share then 3-6 share

He has an outside are for free play when not in the classroom but for actual 1 hour lunch break it's all kids sharing R-6

I thought reception kids were supposed to have their own separate playground? They did in the schools my kids went to.

Turns out I was wrong, asked today and reception and year 1 share a playground

That’s a very specific requirement that many schools wouldn’t have space for. In some schools reception might only be a handful of children! All the schools I’ve worked in, reception have been out with y1/2, usually not with y3/6 as well though. 11 year old boys charging around playing football and 4 year olds don’t mix very well. But I guess there may be some schools particularly small ones where everyone is together.

My sons are at a six form entry school so needless to say each year group has their own playground space.

The school where I work, Reception- year 6 all together. Nursery have their own garden. But sometimes out on the playground as a treat to see siblings. But extra staff out to watch them.

My DDs school- all out together all the time but only 60ish in the whole school.

My son has just started reception and his school has:

Preschool only playground.
Reception only playground.
Large playground which gets used by all years. Reception, Y1 & Y2 play together on this playground after lunch.

So reception kids are exposed to the 'big kids playground' in prep for Y1.

Ours is Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and 1 class of Year 3 (3 form entry) on one playground then remainder of Year 3, and Years 4-6 on the other. They rotate which Year 3 class is with infants weekly.

DS is in Reception and all of primary are together in one playground. 350 kids. It's working fine.
Then the secondary school use the playground at a different time.

Health and safety usually drives separation of children into different age or stage groups. EYFS should be separate because outside play is a separate part of their learning. They have differing needs from 10/11 year olds.