I work in a Primary setting where we've previously had the following classes:
Rec
Mixed Rec / Y1
Mixed Y1 / Y2
Y2
This year, we decided to switch to solid classes and trial an 'Experience Classroom' to accommodate our extra intake (our intake is 35 but legally, we're only allowed 30 in KS1 classes). The idea of the Pod is that the children from out KS1 classes rotate fortnightly and go into the 'Experience Classroom' to do some topic-based learning which is all experience based - cooking, sewing, music, dance etc. There's a nice mix of approx 5 Y2's, 5 Y1's and 5 Rec children that go out every time.
Covid kind of ruined our plans a little this year so we haven't run the experience classroom quite as we'd hoped. Long story short, we're looking for other creative ways to accommodate our 35 intake without going back to all mixed classes and I was hoping somebody out there might have some ideas they could share.