Are all schools late in letting parents know...?!

[rainbowsandsparkles86]

DD is at a 2 form entry primary. She is just about to finish Y1. Classes were mixed from reception going into Y1 and the Deputy Head had suggested to another parent that there was a "strong possibility" that they would be mixing again for Y2.

It feels like we are the last to know compared to other local schools what is happening for Y2 and children, including DD, are beginning to worry about who will be teaching them next year and whether they will be friends. Absolutely get that this is school specific, but just wondering if hearing this late is usual?!

It was all announced on the second last day of term at our school. Seems pretty sensible - the kids know what's what before the summer, and the parents have minimal time to complain.

Our school only told the staff where they're going to be in September last week!

In every school I've ever worked in, the children find out on transfer day who their new teacher will be and which peers will be in their class. They then go out that day with a slip informing their parents who the new teacher will be and inviting them to pop in and meet them for 10 minutes after school that day, if they wish to.

It's very common not to share with parents until the children have experienced transfer day with their new teacher/class. That way it is set in stone. So many parents seem to think they have a right to dictate these decisions or change them if they're not happy. Not telling them until home time on transfer day eliminates this somewhat (although you'll always get one who complains regardless!).

If you know of friends with kids at different schools who already know who their new teacher is and who is in their class (in 2 or 3 form entry schools) I'd say that's more unusual than them still not knowing at this stage. Most kids definitely won't know yet. As I said, some schools are still only just getting round to announcing the plans for next year to their staff!

'Trransition'?? From Y1 to Y2? Really?

Ours find out their new class and teacher 2 weeks before their transition morning. It goes out in a letter to the parents along with the child’s report. I’m a governor at the school and we don’t have a significant issue with parents asking for classes to be changed… I think we’ve had 3 requests in the 6 years I’ve been a governor there.

We have to move children around each year as we have a PAN of 40 so every year group is split up, one way or another. We let parents know in the last week, I ALWAYS have complaints!

We were told over a week ago. Transition/ meet the teacher has happened already and continues until the end of term. But- this is a small barely full school, classes in a religious school. Classes used to be over crowded, 14-23 is normal size now. I like the fact that the children have had time to meet and greet their teacher and talk about which subjects are their favourite/ not so. What their hobbies are etc.

When dd1 was in infants they used to give them a letter on the last day of term and then go and hide
They didn't mix the classes up, but would make sure they had a going up day into each teacher for the next year.
What it actually meant was unsettled children (dd hated change anyway and that really stressed her out) and upset parents on the last day, trying to see the teacher with any questions/concerns.

When dd2 and ds were in infants (classes mixed each year) they would have a going up day where they got their new class and saw their new teacher at the start of July. The head would then make themselves available the next day to see any parents with concern. Result was children were much more settled at both the beginning and end of the year and parents generally slept on the decision and decided it wasn't a problem by the next day.

Although not a major transition point, like Nursery to Reception, Reception to Year 1, Year 2 to Key Stage 2, Year 6 to secondary school etc, moving up to a new year group is generally known as 'transition' in schools.

Moving to a new classroom, with a new teacher and potentially different classmates can be a big thing for many children. Most schools acknowledge the importance of a transfer day to allow all children to settle smoothly into the next year group, even if it won't be a major fundamental change.

Ours were horrific
parents got told in a letter that was brought home the day before the settle session
the kids already knew!!!
and the told me today they planned not to tell parents at all until AFTER the settle session!!

Ha ha bless you
the reason they don't inform earlier is to avoid the parents complaining and making demands
the decision is made months before!
think of it as alike to the mysterious meeting that gets put in to announce a restructuring at work

I’m a teacher and only found out who my class will be next year yesterday! Parents are being told tomorrow and we have transition days on Thursday and Friday.

Yes, because messing about switching classes around is something we do for fun.

It’s a disaster for SEN children though. No time for careful transition. Ultimately everyone suffers if they aren’t coping in class due to poor transition planning.

Our classes were mixed at the end of reception but we found out very very late in the day. Maybe a couple of days before term ended. I hope it doesn't happen again. No news on who the teacher might be either.

Yes, this is why I’m glad our school do it a few weeks before the end of term. There’s no way my autistic son would cope with finding out as late as some of the stories on here.
In fact we had a phone call from the school about our son’s transition before the general letters went out to everyone, due to his SEN.

At DD’s school they have a transition day with a week to go and they mix the classes up every bloody year. I can understand some rebalancing each year in three form entry school but I don’t know why they insist on mixing it up every year. Some kids seem to stay with a consistant group whereas others don’t!

My LG is in Y1 going into Y2 in September. We have been told the classes as in who is teaching which year group, for example Mrs Smith - R,
Mr Thomas - Y1, Miss Small Y1/2, Mr James Y2 etc
But I don't yet know who her teacher will be, whether she will be in the Y1/2 class or just the Y2 class. I do have a good idea though because this year she is in the Y1/2 class and therefore I assume will move into the Y2 class next year but this is yet to be confirmed.

Ours is a single form primary so no kids moving around, just moving up.
We were told last week who the next years teaching staff and TAs will be.

Nursery had their 1st moving up day last Wednesday and the second one is on the 10th along with all the other classes.

How the school coped in my single class entry primary not moving us about and mixing us and how awful it must have been to teach a ser of children with secure attachment to each other 🫣
any behaviour issues were just dealt with and managed without physically separating people and thus disrupting others
I can understand some rebalancing if a two form entry as an extra tool in one's belt as a school bit surly only if there is a big issue with a particular group and I can even understand when a school has to mix year groups due to numbers and funding but don't pretend mixing years is somehow in the best interest of all the children 🫣
and informing last minute is 100% not in the best interests of anyone other than the school to enable them to minimize NOT the upset or complaining but the amount of complaints that lead to demands on their time