MIXED AGE CLASSES
Schools of course come in many sizes and there are advantages and disadvantages in all. For most Cumbrian schools mixed age classes are a way of life. Unless a school is of at least 175 pupils there is insufficient funding to provide single age groups even if there were space in which to do so. There are then bands of differing organisations all the way down to those schools with a single class covering all ages. As our numbers have increased over the last 7 years we have moved from five to six classes. Our current pattern and that for the foreseeable future is that we have three Key Stage 2 classes. This has been the pattern in KS2 for as long as we are able to determine. In the next few years Reception and Ks1 may fluctuate between single and mixed age classes according to numbers.
In order to manage this arrangement a number of factors have been taken into account by the governing body. The size of year groups changes from year to year often very significantly. Where possible, an attempt is made to keep all three classes to a similar size. Children with Statements of Special Educational Needs may need significantly different arrangements.
Four year groups in three classes has the inevitable consequence that at some point year groups will be split and taught in two different classrooms. There have been many suggestions over the years about how this split should be determined including lottery, ability and even gender. However the only satisfactory solution that has emerged is to make the split based on date of birth. This process has been reviewed by the governors many times over the years and none has been found to be better.
It should be borne in mind that at some point during Key Stage 2, every child will spend two years with the same teacher and all will be part of a split group at least once. We do not see any evidence to suggest that this process disadvantages children in any way and see many benefits such as the younger end of a year group being able to experience being the older pupils in a class.
When children spend a second year with the same teacher, they do not do the same work as all our classes run on a rolling curriculum plan that ensures that topics are not repeated and that all children cover the required work over the four years. In the core subjects of English and Maths our pupils are taught according to their ability and needs and in line with the curriculum appropriate for their year group. The key here is stage not age.
Some children are apprehensive about the consequences of separation from their age peers. Our experience is that this process enhances their ability to relate to other children and avoids any reluctance to play with children from other age groups. It should also be borne in mind that the primary business of the classroom is work not play. In order to respond to these fears we do make every effort to offer opportunities for split groups to join together whenever possible. Over the years this has included some single age subject teaching, visits and activity days and projects such as those with the National Park and National Trust. Our express intention is that this process is maintained and enhanced.
Finally, a word about timing. The decisions necessary regarding class groups for September are always left until late in the summer term. This is due to the number of pupils who join our school during the year. Each year we take children into classes other than reception, in an average year this number is usually about nine pupils. We are rarely able to confirm precise numbers until late in the summer term and therefore do not publish class lists until this time.