Form group or mixed groups

[Confusedandazed]

In yr 7 of your child's school do forms stick together in non streamed lessons. And how does streaming work?

My school keeps the tutor group together except for Maths and English which are streamed. This is in Yr. 7 and 8. In Year 9 they are also streamed in the 3 sciences. I hope this helps.

Sorry, your second question:

For Maths the initial sets are done on data from Year 6. Thereafter there is a test every 2 weeks and every 4 weeks students can be moved up or down a set (based on their last 2 test results). The sets cover the same material so it's easy to move group. The number of students in each set is reduced according to their ability. In Year 7 setting is simple as all students follow the same course (higher up the school it gets tricky).

For English we don't have sets per se but a small group for the weakest students and a group of high fliers. These are identified after 2-3 weeks by the subject teachers and reviewed each term. As English isn't really quantative we make it clear that both groups are for students who benefit from being in a smaller group for all sorts of different reasons ( e.g. shy, poor concentration, etc) rather than just ability.

Also for PE and swimming we put together 2 tutor groups (boys and girls).

Our school there are 8 tutor groups per year.
Year is separated into 2 halves, and in y7&8 these halves never mix for lessons.

Set lessons are set across the 4 tutor groups.
Unset ones

• some are just tutor group
• some are mix with the other tutor group in the 'house'
• some are mixed across the 4 tutor groups.

NB streaming is different from setting. Setting is per subject, or related subjects e.g. humanities; streaming is by key subjects so if you are skewed ability e.g. great at English but poor at maths, it messes you up.

At a school a few miles from up they are streamed A,B,C and then setted within the stream. But it is hard (impossible?) to move streams. Whereas if pure setting is used it is easier to move up and down for individual subjects.

'For English we don't have sets per se but a small group for the weakest students and a group of high fliers. These are identified after 2-3 weeks by the subject teachers and reviewed each term. As English isn't really quantative we make it clear that both groups are for students who benefit from being in a smaller group for all sorts of different reasons ( e.g. shy, poor concentration, etc) rather than just ability.'

Does being shy make a student the 'weakest' or a 'high flier?'

And if the weakest, how is it helpful for a shy student to be put in with children who have poor concentration and other behavioural problems?

I have a dd in Yr 10 and 1 in Yr7 at the same school.
It's changed, and I guess it's one of those things that alters year in, year out.

dd1's was brilliant. they were mixed into different groups for all sorts of subjects. About 2 subjects done in form group, about 3 they were 'set' for (by ability according to SATs in the first instance but there was quite a lot of shuftying around during the Autumn Term) , and all the rest they were mixed into mixed ability groups, but differnt groups from their form group.

It was great for friendships. My dd went up to secondary with quite a few good friends, but this way, although still friendly with them, she gained several new friends, and it must have been much easier for those who moved, knowing no-one, or just a couple of people, as there weren't strong friendship groups in each class and everyone was meeting new people.

dd2 seems to have been mixed up less, and I think her experience has been poorer for it. Sadly, they have also 'set by ability' less in her year group too.

I have 2 - one Y7 the other Y8 - they were set for Maths, English and science at the end of the first half term when they had been tested, and for languages at the start of Y8. They were set for PE too, which I thought was odd - good at netball, does not mean good at shot-put for instance- but hey ho...

they stayed in their tutor groups for the rest of the classes (History/art etc)

At DS's school they are set from the start of Yr 7 based on SAT tests, CAT scores and the school's own general paper which they sit on induction day. DS only ever sees about 5 people from his form in other lessons, and he complains they don't really feel like a unit when they have to compete as a form at sports day or in quizzes and other activities.