Composite class / starting school worries

[shouldistop]

Can any teachers shed any light on how they decide which p1s go into the p2/1 composite class?
It looks like my wee one will be going into the composite class which I'm a wee bit sad about because of the bubbles he won't be allowed to play with the other p1s, I'm also worried he'll miss out on some of the p1 play experience.
Afaik p1 is meant to be play based learning but how can the teacher provide that for the p1s in the class and learning for the p2s?
Can anyone reassure me?
Just feeling a bit worried as ds2 still hasn't met his teacher and won't be allowed to visit his classroom then will start full time on his first day.

I agree with some of the points you have made @iwouldratherbesailing. Our local primary has a lot of composite classes with most of the lower years having a composite class in addition to straight classes. The composite may be with a younger year group for one academic year and an older year group the next academic year. The teachers who run the composite classes are great and academically I have had no problems with my DC being in a composite class. While the DC have been in a composite class there haven't been any social problems either as the teachers seem to be very good at creating a class ethos. When the composite classes return to their normal year group though the friendships with the younger or older kids are normally forgotten and the kids have to re-integrate back into their year group which can be tricky.

@Iwouldratherbesailing

I think the school could have managed it much much better. They need to acknowledge that you really need to work much harder on ensuring all kids educational needs are being met in a composite, not just the majority of the class, and they need to acknowledge that the constant stress over who is going to be in their class the following year is a big thing for a lot of kids. The attitude of our school has always been that studies have shown that it’s fine for kids so we’re ignoring what you are saying. So frustrating. Which is why if I had my time again I would absolutely apply for an out of catchment place in a school with straight classes.

Thing is that can very easily change. Our school hadn’t had composites for years and then the year my eldest started the numbers meant they needed them.

Mine was stuck in composites for a few years as part of a younger group in the year. So never with his year group until P7.

Being younger in with older children is probably the better deal imho.

Both of mine attended a small rural school so composite classes were the norm pretty much all the way through. Sometimes they would be comprised of whole years eg DS2 is a P7 in a 6/7 composite - both year groups are pretty small so no splitting. DS1 was in a larger year group of around 14 and found himself in a split year composite on a couple of occasions. This was split by ability. I was concerned at first as well, but was reassured once DS1 started school. Both of mine enjoyed it and I found no real problems with the system.
DS2 was a buddy for a couple of P1s back in August. Can't recall the detail, but the school had been split into two groups in anticipation of blended learning and the P7s were in the same group as the P1s to allow a buddy system to work.
If it's any consolation, the school were always quite late sending out info so there's probably still time now.

My dd was in a p2/1 composite starting p1 a couple of years ago. I like you was a bit worried. She wasn’t in with anyone she was friendly with, however she got on completely fine. My eldest has been in a composite class the last two years, it’s been ok but I would like him in a straight class next year. He’s going into p4.

In terms of specifics- starting times, TAs etc,please remember most schools won't know these yet..staffing exercises and interviews are still on going , and who on earth knows what the covid arrangements will need to be come August!

My DS's primary school was composites all the way through - tiny school with only 5 physical classrooms. In that situation, composites are one of the things you worry about ahead of time, but once you're actually in it then it's no big deal. I feel that it strengthened friendships up and down the school, and teachers were really brilliant at differentiating as it was part of their 'normal'.

I suspect if you were a handful of P6s in with tons of p7s you might feel a bit miffed as so much is made of the P7s in their final year, but apart from that it's not an issue,

However, I would say your school's communication is poor and would focus on that rather than the composite issues.