Mixed Year groups....

[frustratedmummy]

Hi there, long time since I asked about kumon. Anyway we decided against it for DD, she was/is doing so well we could achieve lots of similar activities at home and spent the pennies we would have spent on kumon on Family days out

So to my next topic, mixed year groups, my DD, 9 in november, is in quite a small school and she has started Year four, in a mixed year class ( some able Year 3s, all of year 4s, small group of 12, and some year 5s, ) I shall be looking at some DIY mentoring next Easter onwards as think DD would be suitable to sit the 11+ for the grammer school. She is on the YG&T register, and is over acheiveing compared to her peers, she is happy content and i never push, infact can be a little lazy, she just seems to enjoy school and thus far has had excellent reports. I am wondering though whether this mixed group is going to hold her back or shall it actually benefit her, and would love to hear anyone's experiences of mixed year groups, and if has has any effect either way on ones child.

Many thanks

[pixiequeen]

Both my DD's have been in mixed age group classes for most of their primary schooling. I think how successful it is depends on the teacher. Our experience has been that when an able child is in the younger half of the class, there is more opportunity to tackle work for the year above, since it is being set for other children anyway. The years when the child is in the older half of the class are less successful academically (we did some extra work at home) but a great confidence booster.

Only exception was when DD1 was in year 5 class with most of year 4 - the teacher had previously always had only year 5's and still seemed to pitch her teaching at them, rather than the year 4's. Not sure how the less able year 4's coped.

Socially I think mixed age classes are good. For an able child such as your DD I would just keep an eye on the level she's working at - frequent visits to the classroom to look at her work and make sure she's making progress worked for us.

[frustratedmummy]

Both my DD's have been in mixed age group classes for most of their primary schooling. I think how successful it is depends on the teacher. Our experience has been that when an able child is in the younger half of the class, there is more opportunity to tackle work for the year above, since it is being set for other children anyway. The years when the child is in the older half of the class are less successful academically (we did some extra work at home) but a great confidence booster.

Only exception was when DD1 was in year 5 class with most of year 4 - the teacher had previously always had only year 5's and still seemed to pitch her teaching at them, rather than the year 4's. Not sure how the less able year 4's coped.

Socially I think mixed age classes are good. For an able child such as your DD I would just keep an eye on the level she's working at - frequent visits to the classroom to look at her work and make sure she's making progress worked for us.

Thanks pixiequeen, really helpful :0) I know I probably shouldn't get too bogged down with it and socially is probably of benefit to her, academically though this is an important year and want her to knuckle down in the sense, and wondered if having all these years together is helpful or not.

[Snowdrops]

Yes, my dd spent her primary years in mixed groups too. As has been said, if the teacher handles it right it can be quite inspiring for some of the younger ones. The older ones can get something out of it too, but I think it benefits the younger ones mostly.

[frustratedmummy]

Thanks snowdrops. With my DD being the middle year, does she kind of miss the boat kind of thing.

[pheasantchick]

My DS has been in a mixed year group also,and it was fine. In many ways, its no different to a same-year group as the teacher structures the lessons around the different abilities. ie. brighter kids expected to do more/harder work then less able one. Also, the the September/August birthdays are the practically the same age also, despite being in different school years.

Actually, my son mixed year was probably his most productive year and he made the biggest leaps in that year.

[Tolstoy]

Pixie's advice is pretty much spot on. My children have only been taught in mixed year groups.DS3 is currently in the middle of a y2 - y4 mix. DS1 was in the same class from Y4 till Y6 and he passed his 11+.

Primary classes will always have a wide variety of abilities that have to be accommodated regardless of mixed year groups.

In our experience it was only ever a problem for DS2 and only when he got to y6.

DS1's class had a large group of academically gifted children in it DS2's didn't and for various other reasons he was not being taught to his ability. Ultimately for us and him it made little difference as he passed his 11+ and cruised his level 5s.

The teachers however did have to put up with some apparently challenging behaviour from him and I was annoyed by some of the comments on his final school report because of this.

Edit written before previous post so sorry if - am repeating anything.