Class Allocations - Parent and Teacher Survey

[maxblizzard]

www.surveymonkey.com/r/5HCHWF8

I am a parent, with two daughters aged 11 and 8.

Each school year, my daughters are allocated into a specific form or class. We have found the process stressful, as our daughters have worried about being with friends and as parents, we have worried about having the best teacher. There is also the possibility of the class bully being with our daughter!

I am aware that from a teacher's perspective, class or form allocations are very difficult. They have pressure from parents and colleagues. There is a need to balance classes, to allow form tutors to properly manage the class. There may be children with special educational needs to consider as well.

I am looking at ways in which to assist in this process and would be really grateful for your thoughts. I have a few simple questions below and I would welcome any comments at all.

Thanks in advance for your time and best wishes to you and your children/classes!

Woah. Class allocation is a professional issue for schools to deal with. Nothing to do with parents.

Wow I’m really interested about how you would assist in the process of class allocations. Please tell us more!

Thanks very much!

@Getawaywithit, I'm not proposing that parents get involved, I am looking at working with schools on a new project.

@ProfSprout, I certainly will do! Things are progressing well! :-)

This sounds fascinating. What’s your experience of schools that will allow you to help with class allocations?

I love that you think classroom allocation should become a popularity contest both amongst students and for teachers.

The fact that your children get stressed about class allocations is something you'd need to talk to their actual school(s) about. Most of the schools I have worked at don't mix classes every year. My current one keeps the same classes throughout their whole time at primary, for example.

While I understand that parents might want the "best" teacher, most parents have actually no clue which teacher that would be. (The amazingly popular teacher might not actually be the one who helps their classes progress most.) Most of my colleagues are excellent but they are all very different and have their own ways of approaching their classes and the parents.

If you have an issue with how your kids' school allocates classes, speak to the school. It's not "a project".

I’m sure your intentions are good but it really isn’t your place to assist the school with this unless they’ve actually requested that you work with them on this project?

Children’s anxiety often feeds off parents’ anxiety. Hopefully you aren’t discussing with them who the ‘best’ teachers are?

I agree with all other replies!
Wow, just wow.

Perhaps your energy might be better directed supporting your dc with their anxiety rather then fuelling it ?

Class allocation is for schools to sort out and aside from letting us know of any major issues between pupils, parents attempting to "help" tends to have the opposite effect.

I do class allocation for my department and let me tell you, it takes a long time to get right. I have to consider ability, attainment, SEND needs, staff expertise - not who is 'best' but who can bring the best out of particular groups. All of my team are great teachers but some are particularly good at getting grade 5s out of middle attained, some are great with pupils with SEND etc. I then check the lists with pastoral so they can let me know if I have placed any sworn enemies together and I will adjust accordingly.

I am always happy to speak to parents and address any concerns but I wouldn't appreciate someone trying to tell me how I should organise classes when they haven't done it themselves.

Thanks for all your comments. I can see why some of you were worried! Please don’t be.

I am working on a new business with a senior teacher and a head teacher. It’s to help schools make allocations. I happen to be a parent too. My children have had good experiences with class allocations generally and we have been very happy with the way our teachers have dealt with everything.

I hope this reassures you - I’m not a busybody parent trying to overhaul the school system! 😊

Thanks and best wishes

I’m genuinely intrigued. What sort of business will help with allocations? Above and beyond what SIMS etc already does?

I don’t think anyone here is “worried”, incredulous might be true. Why on earth do you think schools would pay for this service?

I am working on a new business with a senior teacher and a head teacher. It’s to help schools make allocations.

I make class allocations, I don't need external help. Nor should any senior teacher or head teacher to be honest.

I am aware that from a teacher's perspective, class or form allocations are very difficult.

Not that often really.

They have pressure from parents and colleagues.

Parent opinion or 'pressure' is ignored in most cases. Colleagues opinions are considered sometimes, but 'pressure' isn't a thing. If colleagues can pressure the decision maker, then there are more problems in the school than class allocation assistance needs.

There is a need to balance classes, to allow form tutors to properly manage the class.

Sort of, but also not.

There may be children with special educational needs to consider as well.

Almost certainly there will be.

None of these things can be usefully impacted by external input.

This is trolling the teachers part of MN though, isn't it. Yes.. Rule, just step away..

Just in case you are seriously considering this as a business, stop now.

This is not something schools need a…what? app? System? for.

Nor do most state schools have the money to spend on something like this even if they did need/want it. Which they don’t.

Class allocations are done by professionals based on their understanding & knowledge about each child and cohort. No app would make that easier.

Plus your questions show how little you understand the process beyond ‘I don’t want my dc with the ‘difficult’ kid’

If class allocations are required in my school that are conducted by staff who know the children incredibly well. This is the only way to do it and no one external could help. Teachers are more than capable of looking at data, friendship issues, SEN needs and a myriad of other things that need to be taken into account. It's a massive job because it's very important to get right. Teachers take it very seriously.

We have an unusual PAN which means we have to split classes every year. It's a nightmare at the best of times, trying to balance the needs of all the classes and children. I can't see what external "support" would make it any easier- what would the system know that we don't? Children spend enough time being "data" in terms of assessment and progress tracking, they need to be treated as individuals when class decisions are made!

So, your children and you have been worried about the process to the point where it has been stressful for your entire family for years. However, you have also been very happy with the way our teachers have dealt with everything. Yet, you still believe schools need your help to allocate children to particular classes???
The teachers responding here aren't worried. They just generally think it's a daft idea.
What's the next step in your little project? Something to help me figure out where each kid in my class should sit and how my tables should be arranged? Something to analyse which colour background of my IWB slides would be most suited for my class? Perhaps one that tells the school which room would be most suitable for each group based on their individual little issues? (Yeah, my classroom is a tiny bit bigger next year...as is my class. My slides will be a nice dark blue...possibly...at least at the beginning because that goes nicely with our classroom name. My seating plan and the furniture arrangement in my classroom changes so frequently that the cleaners have started to find it funny and the kids are disappointed when they come in and it's still the same after a half term break. I've been doing this job for 15 years. Just let the teachers get on with it.)

I think your survey could do with a little more work OP.

OK, I'll bite.

Who the hell do you think you are?

LOL

If your survey is done in consultation with an SLT member I'm concerned.

This sounds like a completely unnecessary tool.

What will your organisation’s strategy wrt the “disruptive and difficult” children?