Have you been told about next year's classes yet? Composites? Numbers? Teacher? Friends?

[teslagirl]

A small part of me want to type Grrr. There, I've done it. I mean, the schools KNOW what they're going to do already so WHY NOT TELL US! Whilst I'm aware the obvious unspoken reason is "To give you parents less time to launch complaints", the reality is we have a pretty good idea what they'll do so please don't keep us hanging on!

It affects both DSs. We have an Infants and on-site but different school Juniors arrangement.

Briefly, DS1 was amongst the first to be 'composited', Y3/4, as there are only 43 DCs in his year and the schools operate a 2 form entry (max 60-ish). He's now a '4' in a 3/4, having been a '3' in a 3/4 last year. But WHAT are they doing next year? Rumour Control speaks of 'pure' yr 5s- so there MUST be more incomers we don't know about. Yet, for some of us, we'd prefer an ongoing composite (Y5/6) as we don't LIKE many of DS1's year group contemporaries! My view of the potential success of next year will be seriously shaped by exactly which of his year group he will find himself with! The good and studious who will 'bring him along' or the.. Others?

DS2 is going into Juniors. We pretty much know they'll be composited, Y3/4. It's less of an issue EXCEPT- and I'm on dangerous ground here- there are just a couple of DSs whom I'm keen for DS2 NOT to be with but of course I won't know whom til July 4th! Also, it'd be handy, practically speaking, to be able to foster friendships between DS2 and his Y3 classmates over the summer IF I knew who they were!

WHY, really, all the secrecy? And guesswork? The 'pure yr 5' thing has been guessed at because a teacher told his class he was 'having a Yr 5 next year'. And none of the DCs have been asked to list their 2 best friends for class division purposes. WHY?

Well said RustyBear. Teachers have no time at the moment to prepare for next year, they are still in the thick of this year.They will have to do the work and planning for next year in the summer holiday so it doesn't really matter if they know yet or not. I would imagine that schools will try and make classes as equal as possible in terms of ability and behaviour.

I second what Abbey says. I have no idea which year group I am teaching next year, let alone which subjects (I teach in a middle school). The boss doesn't know yet either as the time table still isnt complete. I don't even know which days I am working yet. Or if they will be full days.

All of myt planning, preparation and indeed moving classroom will take place in the summer with two boys under 6 and a 7 month old bump in tow.

Get a grip, tesla. Sorry to be crass but really - move your kids to a different school if it is so bad.

Would you expect teachers to want to teach the 'nasty' one?!

Phew. Got the news I wanted today.

All's well.

thank god he wont be misign wiht rough kdis

I am not sure how you are going to cope in 2 more years when he changes to secondary!

I don't think the OP is the only parent in the universe whofor one reason or anotherfeels a twinge of anxiety about class lists and classes being composited (keep misreading that as composting). My son's class will be mixed up with the parallel class next year and he was sad to see that a couple of particular friends wouldn't be with him next year. He doesn't make friends easily and though he had picked one or two as his best buddies, they obviously hadn't done the same for him. But that's life and in some ways it's a fresh start and a chance to get to know some other boys who may prove to me more kindred spirits.

A school year goes very quickly and the children in your son's class won't be the only ones he socialises with. Swimming, football, Beavers, etc, can help expand social networks. it doesn't all have to happen in the classroom. And, as been said above many times, it's the parents who have most influence at this age.

DS is staying in his composite class. The class are staying together all the way through.

we know, but then we're in scotland and schools break up this week.

Yep, another scottish one. I think it was the beginning of the month ds found out. He's also being taught by his new teacher.

I agree with Cory. I trust the school to get on with dealing with the cohort of children in the best way possible. I think we try to get far too involved in the minutiae of our children's education - without letting the experts get on with it.

Ds does know what class he will be in next year and who his teacher will be - but that is also to do with the fact that school finishes Friday this week!

I have no idea who he will be sitting with and how the teacher will orgnaise the class - that is up to her. They are "setted" for Numbers and Language - and it will be interesting to see if she moves ds from the middle langauge group back to the top one, as he is currently "in between": not good enough for the top group, but beyond the middle group. I will trust her judgement.

We are happy that ds is at a mixed school with kids from all backgrounds. He knows who the "good" boys are and who are theones t watch out for. He is learning judgement for himself. He's certainly no angel (but is well liked in the school) - but one of his best friends does get into trouble quite a lot (for reasons too complex to go into here but which are not all his fault) - but ds is very astute in his understanding of why his friend got punished and is not tempted to copy him.

I find the OP's attitude alien to me. I am not sure she is doing her dss - or herself, given the stress it generates - any favours (even though on this particualr occasion the "issue" has been averted).

Far better to develop a general relationship with the school so that you understadn what issues they have to face. My dh is Chair of the Parent Council, I am also involved (and was previously the Chair of the School Board until they were all disbanded). We do this to support the school because that will ultimately benefit ds.

Maybe the OP could bring her considerable talents to bear in suporting the school as a whole rather than micromanage her ds' lives?

(BTW: I wnet to a state comprehensive in a good area, got fatastic exam results and went to a top notch uni - as did a whole group of my friends - but would still say that my school was not as good as the school my mum taught at which was far better at catering for all the kids and not just the academic ones. School is not just about exams/SATs)

We found out yesterday which class DD will be going into at Kindergarten (reception)

I was a little disapointed tbh as I didn't recognised many of the girls on the list that will be going from her nursery class into her Kindergarten class, as the 7 or 8 names I have heard her talk about and who mums I chat to are all in the other class.

DD is happy with it all , is happy with the choice of teacher and there are several girls that she knows from nursery.

At the moment there are 15 in each class, with a maximum of 20 so am very happy with that.

It is funny how that I really wanted to know the details etc but know that I do know it doesn't actually make any difference does it, although there are 2 mums that have got their DD changed into different classes so I guess for them they did need to know asap.

A very sensible post prettybird.

Not saying a agree with TG but I do feel there's a heap of hypocrisy on this thread with everyone saying 'ooh just chill.'
You only have to read the plethora of threads about school appeals etc to know that not many MNers are that relaxed and fight tooth and nail to get their kids into church schools/selective schools/schools with 99% A-C at GCSEs...

You might have to fight for the right school but once they have a place you should stop hovering and let the staff get on with it, they have the overall picture.

Litchick on Tue 24-Jun-08 14:32:20
'Not saying a agree with TG but I do feel there's a heap of hypocrisy on this thread with everyone saying 'ooh just chill.'
You only have to read the plethora of threads about school appeals etc to know that not many MNers are that relaxed and fight tooth and nail to get their kids into church schools/selective schools/schools with 99% A-C at GCSEs... '

It would only be hypocrisy, my dear, if the posters telling OP to chill were the same ones who fight tooth and nail for the selective schools etc. My children are at comprehensives and I refuse to be held responsible for the educational views of other people just because we happen to be posting on the same forum.

Besides, I think a good case could be made for wanting to get your dc's into a school with good teaching without feeling called on to micro-manage their social life. Totally different issues.

It is at least partly a question of when you should trust your children to be mature enough to make their own judgments about behaviour/moral values etc.

As the mother of a child with SEN who is in a mainstream class I take HUGE exception to the OP's reference to 'the good and studious and...the others'. DS2 is neither 'good' nor 'studious' in school in the conventional sense of the word. He is unlikely to 'bring anyone along academically'. I am appalled to think that parents may not want him to be in the same class as their DCs for these reasons. And he is NOT an 'other' .

Haven't even had a sniff of this sort of thinking in the school he attends btw. Just the opposite in fact.

Fair dos Cory.
Just couldn't help a wee smile myself.
As for micro managing I often wonder where people get their energy from.

We don't get told which class our children will be in next year. I do know which teachers my children may have as the year teachers don't change (unless one is leaving)

They do visit their new class on or around the last day, the older children are ok telling me but I do sometimes have to work out by asking questions which teacher the younger ones will have as they can't remember who's class they visited, lol I think they don't tell the parents so they can complain or try to make changes

Our classes stay the same children but we do not know which teacher until the last minute. As I am considering changing DC's school would like to know next year's teacher as if it one of the cr*p teachers we have at our school I could sort it out this side of summer and do the change for september - which is probably one reason they leave it till late