Anybody have experience of a mixed Reception/Year 1 /Year 2 class?

[AnneMarieW]

DD is at Nursery in a small state primary. Unfortunately the school has recently had to merge their Reception class into the Year 1/Year 2 class due to falling pupil numbers and budgetary problems.

I do like the school and it’s our closest one but it will now mean DD going from spending a couple of hours a day in a class of about 8 other 3 year olds (she only goes in the mornings), to spending all day in a class of more than 30 4 to 7 year olds if she stays there next year. It’s a big change and I’m not sure how well she will cope as she is quite shy and easily overwhelmed.

So I am considering sending her to another school next year - either with a smaller Reception class size or a mixed Nursery/Reception class. Based on last years council data, she should easily get in to other schools but I had originally hoped she could be at a school closer to home.

Is anyone’s child in a big mixed class like this or has anyone taught in such a class?
Thanks for any advice.

I've just started teaching a mixed nursery, reception and year 1 class. I'm absolutely heart broken. I've spent the past few years creating an Early Years classroom for nursery and reception children. Each year group with their own planning, resources and specific inputs. Results have been amazing with 90% passing ELG across all areas last year and previous years. Pretty much play based curriculum with short inputs. Now our academy has added in Year 1 to my group. The children are wonderful and it has been lovely to see them flourish this half term and for me to see how my hard work in EYFS supports them in KS1. Now I'm flummoxed as to how to spin all the plates of two seperate curriculums where I refuse to push the EYFS to have a watered down KS1 curriculum and how to tie in with the rest of the school but allow play for Year 1. The rest of the school follow schemes. I'm currently teaching back to back groups but that's exhausting and I'm not able to use my high level skills in the play. It's making me so sad already and it's only been half a term.