ability groups - what does you primary school do

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mystery
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by mystery »

In year 2 of my children's primary school the children are in three groups - upper, middle, lower. They are in the same group for all aspects of literacy and numeracy irrespective of whether their maths skills might outstrip their literacy skills or vice versa.

What does your school do, and what do you think of the various methods of grouping by ability?
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by yoyo123 »

if you are going to group by ability then it should be by ability in that subject, as you say maths and literacy ability do not necessarily go together.
tiredmum
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Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by tiredmum »

mu dd's primary split the class into four separate groups for maths, written english, guided reading and science. So a dc may be in the top group for maths but not for guided reading etc. Also had 4 groups for spelling homework.

In year 6 the teacher would futher split- if a dc in group 2 for maths was exceptionally good at a particular maths topic - perhaps shapes - then they would be given top group work when this was being studied.
Minesatea
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Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by Minesatea »

Split into two classes for maths and literacy. The top class is generally larger and often the children are sat in groups to further subdivide. Maths homework is set for the class but often has one or two extension questions for the most able.

A childs group for maths and literacy is not necessarily the same.
KS10
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Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by KS10 »

Class maths and group maths. The school neither hides nor advertises that group maths is based on ability - the kids are more than capable of working it out for themselves. As for literacy, different ability groups within the class, I believe.
mike1880
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Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by mike1880 »

Split into support/middle/extension groups for maths and English (different groups for each subject). Each group is further subdivided by ability into sub-groups of one or two tables each, although the sub-groups are given colour names the kids are very well aware that they're grouped by ability.

Mike
jingle
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Location: kent

Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by jingle »

Ours is also banded for maths and english. There are three classes to each year group which are split into top, middle and lower accross the year so they are taught with children of similar ability from their own or other classes. 'Normal' class work is within their own class but at colour coded ability tables. Spellings are also set for different ability groups.
ourmaminhavana
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Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by ourmaminhavana »

At my DD's school her Reception class has five phonics groups. I'm not entirely sure whether they are also setted for maths, although I know they are further up the school.
hermanmunster
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Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by hermanmunster »

not sure for my DCs as forms v small (<10). However in my class at primary there were 44 kids and we had 5 groups for spelling. Group 5 being the highest. I clearly remember the teacher saying to one boy who had written the group title on the front of his book ... "Yes G, I suppose that explains why you are in Grop 1....."
muffinmonster
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Location: London

Re: ability groups - what does you primary school do

Post by muffinmonster »

hermanmunster wrote:not sure for my DCs as forms v small (<10). However in my class at primary there were 44 kids and we had 5 groups for spelling. Group 5 being the highest. I clearly remember the teacher saying to one boy who had written the group title on the front of his book ... "Yes G, I suppose that explains why you are in Grop 1....."
:shock: :shock: :shock:
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