Shuffling classes/ years

[Kathryn1983]

Hi all
Anyone have experience of their DC being moved from the main year group class to being in a mixed class with the year below
for context intake is 40-45
they have set up
reception
and reception/ year 1 this year
but just found out they're going to be
reception/ year 1
year1
and year 1/2 next year so 2 classes into 3 classes
due to this my LO and about 10 of her class will now be in a new class with a chunk (numbers unknown) of reception
will they be socially isolated from the rest of their year? Will they still be adequately challenged academically?
what are people's experiences?

It was like that when I was in primary so 30 years ago.

I’m a July born so when I was in the mixed class, it was the younger ones of my year and the older ones of the year below. It was only recently I realised this was to accommodate that summer born children can be behind the winter born.

I can’t really answer your questions but what I do remember was being friends with those in my class and playing with them at play times, and us being together all throughout school, though I guess as one of the younger ones, there was never a risk I would be moved to a different class.

I also remember that despite being in a shared class for year 6, there were still several of us in my class who did the advanced SATS paper. No idea what the equivalent is now, but despite being the younger class, our potential was still recognised and supported.

All that being said, it was in the 90s.

But what if the summer born children aren't behind their year group ? Why make the assumptions they will be?
for example most of the cohort in the mixed class are struggling academically they've all performed perfectly well for the whole of this year in reception with older children all are either at expected or further depth with a handful of exceptions (who I can understand will benefit from an extra year with reception)
whereas I know several children born earlier in the year who are in the straight year 1 class who have had a tough time adjusting to school in general (atrocious behaviour) or have struggled massively academically (are still at emerging) so why aren't they in this lower class to fully support them ?
Did you stay in that cohort for the full class you were in (so mixed with year below) we're together for the full 6/7 years of primary?
were you only friends with that class or did the "year group" all play together ie year one age children? At play time etc?

I meant to say "aren't struggling academically " 🫣

Your child’s school will be doing this because they have to, due to the numbers coming in and the budget available for staffing. They have to make the decision somehow and many schools will do it purely on age, otherwise there will be endless streams of parents complaining that their child should be in the other class.
They will be working really hard to make sure all the children get the best possible year. It might look and feel a bit different in each class, but that’s okay. Children all experience school differently.

Our school introduced the same thing this year (due to funding - they can't afford enough teachers!).

My child is currently in year 1 and has been in the Rec/Y1 class this year, so with younger children. Our school do not decide based on age and she is actually one of the older children in her year so I was quite apprehensive initially, especially as she has always been strong academically. But actually it has been absolutely fine and she is still making the same progress and still socialising with the rest of her year group. In fact, I think if has been quite good for her to have the opportunity for more play-based learning for a second year.

We have been informed she will be in year 2/3 next year, so with the year above. The school has been really good at managing the changes so I'm sure this will work out well too.

My dc's school did this, my dd1 was pretty advanced and was put in the "older" class despite be younger than some others in the "younger" class so it wasn't absolute by birthday though that was the starting point. They in reality during year 2 put those reading chapter books confidently in with year 3 and those still learning to read the basics stayed with year 1. Reception was on their own though. Only 5 classes for 7 years so they had to mix and tear amounts varied eg only 6 year 6's because they lost them to private schools at end year 5

This was the norm when I was in primary school. I think you may be looking at this the wrong way round like your child is being held back a year. Would it help to think of it as the younger children have been moved up a class as they are capable of doing more?

I picked a school that would have “full” classes of a 30 multiple per year every year which would mean that no classes would be split like this.

I accept that mixed year classes can work in smaller schools where two year groups are combined, but find it much harder to understand how Y1 kids in a Y1/Y2 class have the same experience and opportunities as those in a Y1/R class. Neither is worse, but I know I’d overthink how the split was done and how it benefitted some more than others….

Our village school is really small so there are only 3 classes r/1/2, 3/4, 5/6. Being in a mixed class works well, there is learning for the older ones by helping the younger ones, no one is held back, they get set more advanced/more basic work due to their abilities not age. I would look on it as a positive.

How do you know about the levels of other children’s academics?

From talking to parents at parties when they tell me they're struggling with xyz
or that they're worried about them as they've not settled in to being still and listening yet
or that they're only on x colour book and mine is on 2 book bands ahead
or they're still on cvc words for spelling and mine is doing 5 letter ones etc

or they've had to go in to speak to the head about their kids issues etc
parents talk it's no big conspiracy whereby I've secretly broken into school to check 🫣
there is a huge assumption that anyone born after July is going to struggle but i personally don't see how putting them in with the year below where they have an extra complication of different curriculum and teaching practices helps them much either way and certainly not when they're currently doing perfectly well in a class with their year group

This is very reassuring
thanks
fingers crossed

This is exactly how we feel
of the whole year was mixed that would be fine
it's the fact they've split her year into 3 that bugs me more and the way they've handled the communication also

My eldest was one of 5 year one's in a reception/year 1 class. He didn't suffer academically although he did get upset on the first day as a lot of the reception children were crying. He also struggled a bit with having to do more written work while the reception children were allowed to play.

No not really but it's a nice attempt at placating me to be fair
unfortunately we got the impression at a birthday party over the weekend that there is already a stigma
the upper and lower and middle classes
rather than just Mrs so and sos class or the yR/1 and year 1 class
there was a lot of whispers about the mixed lower class being the kids who've struggled
fine if they all have but ours hasn't and it irks me
and this morning she was very upset and we asked why she said I'm not ready for school
I was like well just put your shoes on and you'll be ready
she said no I'm not ready to be at school I'm only 4 you have to be 5 to be in school and I shouldn't be there
bare in mind she was ready for school age 3 🫣🤣 and bored silly of preschool and unstructured play based activities and she's thrived academically and has lots of friends it's the first time in a year she's ever ever questioned her self worth and it was heartbreaking!
we've literally never discussed it in front of her so she's picked it up from the other kids? From maybe overhearing the parents at the party (it was a hot topic for sure!)

This would make way more sense
but unfortunately that's not what they've done here
theyve "said" it's been carefully thought through but reality is they've just placed them all based on age and maybe used a bit off dicussion to identify the cut offs
if it were based on any thing other than age she'd definitely be in the year 1 class

Yes this could be a problem

I'd be happier if they just announce it was only age
but they made it sound in the letter they'd agonised over the decision and placed according to ability and development
however it's clear they haven't at all it's just birth date so now it's caused a stigma to be attached to it across the parents rightly or wrongly
also speaking to the other parents the kids in this mixed class are seemingly more stressed about it as they've had their settle session : transition day with only year 1 kids so the 10 or so being shifted but they know some of the nursery will be in their class (obviously as reception by then) and they don't know who and therefore they're concerned about not knowing them and what ifs.
a concern the kids in the other two classes aren't worried over as they just get to stay with 100% of children they've been with for a year

As an update we have spoken to some other mums one of which is close friends with a teacher at the school
that mum had been doing extra work with her son to ensure he wasn't moved into the lower class
well this teacher friend apparently told her your wasting your time they've made the decision months ago to socially engineer the classes to break up some unhealthy friendships and encourage some others
Nothing to do with age or ability
even the teacher friend were a bit unhappy with the outcomes and the additional class
so all of you saying trust the school 13 kids are disrupted because of a handful of naughty boys 🤷‍♀️ whilst I'm all for inclusion it's hardly fair or even reasonable and not in the best interest of my child in my eyes

Sounds like you might have to look around at your other local schools then, to see if there’s one that is organised in the way you wish.