Mixed year teaching - advice please

[TFMinx]

Hi all, a job has been advertised and I’m very tempted. A friend works there and says it’s a great place to be, but the vacancy is for a mixed 1/2 class, something which I’ve never done before. So, could anyone give me the pros and cons of mixed year teaching? I’ve been teaching for 15 years and only ever in large, multi-form entry schools, so it would be very different if I were to get it! Thank you

I find it a massive pain in the arse because I am year 6 but year 1/2 it can work brilliantly. At that age your youngest year 2s and older year 1s are very similar. You can teach stage not age.

A tricky first year while you work out planning and logistics.....fine after that. A good place to work is invaluable and offsets the extra imo.

I've taught mixed year groups: 5/6 and 3/4.

Pros: you know the next steps a child needs to take, or the consolidating steps a child needs to take.
It's nice to see the older children taking on a responsibility to look after the younger ones.
Your more able/GDS year 1s will be able to access some of the year 2 curriculum, and your less able/SEN year 2s can consolidate their year 1 learning (providing they are working at year 1 level!).
It's easier to teach mixed year 1/2 - there are not as many gaps as there are when they reach KS2! You may be able to teach your year 1s the following year.
A good school will always outweigh a bad one!

Cons: you need to understand the progression in curriculum (I've no doubt that you do!), and plan well to avoid missing any of the coverage for either year group.
You may have to teach your year 1s the following year 😂.

Tips:
Check out WhiteRose maths hub for their mixed aged planning, as that will help with maths!
English writing assessment: put the children's books in separate year group piles and assess accordingly.

Hope that helps!

I would disagree that 1/2 is easier than other year groups. They're all hard when combined IMO!

However, I think 1/2 is hard because you still have to teach at such different stages. It's extremely difficult to meet the needs of a low year 1 who still very much needs an EYFS set up whilst balancing a 7 year old higher ability year 2.

Phonics is also a real challenge. You have to teach your year 1s and adequately prepare them for the phonics screening check whilst also teaching the spelling rules to year 2 needed to hit the TAF statements.

Having enough hours in the day to prepare for two different statutory assessments is really hard.

But as pp have said, a good school is a good school and you may love working there. Just don't assume that a 1/2 split is easier because they're younger!

Thank you all for your honesty and swift replies. I currently teach reception but have taught all years in KS2 over the years; some of my Yr3s were definitely on Yr1 curriculum (but should have been on EYFS!) so I’m not a stranger to differentiation. I agree that a good, supportive school can make a world of difference.

I agree Y1/2 is actually quite hard because of how much they learn in those years and as such what the difference between them can be. I teach Y3/4 which I think is probably the easiest mix! I've taught Y3-6 on occasion and that's not something I'd like to repeat.

For me the issue with workload is mainly having no one to share planning with unlike in a multiform entry. Thankfully in my small school we have low workload in other areas but otherwise it would be completely unmanageable, particularly in a small school where you're leading several subjects as well. A small school can be a completely wonderful place to work in many ways though - I don't ever want to leave mine!

I just thought I’d update and say that I decided to apply and today I found out I have an interview! I’m shocked to be honest; it’ll be my first interview in seven years. Now I’m panicking I don’t know anything about teaching mixed years and will totally bomb it 😬. Wish me luck!

Congratulations OP! Make sure you're clued up on year group specific things (transition/phonics for year 1 and the TAF for year 2!) as well as mixed age.

Good luck!

Thank you. I’m nervous as hell now!

I didn't get it. I interviewed really well and I had high expectations of the children during the lesson obs, but two boys who were being a little silly at their table let me down apparently. It was between me, a student-teacher who's currently doing training there, and another lady.

Sorry OP, it's a crappy feeling. It's even harder when there's an internal candidate, even a student. Hope you're doing ok!

Thank you, I'll be ok. Just feeling sorry for myself. Final four days until half term though!