Why do schools mix classes –

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Some children find transition particularly difficult, this can be because of an education or medical need or that they are anxious or worried. Teachers will design personal transition plans for these children.

If you are worried about a transition for your child please speak to the current class teacher. Some cookies are necessary in order to make this website function correctly.

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Better resilience in developing friendships in a safe, comfortable environment — arguably even more important in the older year groups when they will be moving to secondary school soon and be taught in various groups. Being part of a year group team and not just a class. Building more relationships and connections with children in their year which will benefit them throughout their whole school journey and in the wider community. Enabling new children to settle better into school.

To promote a greater sense of community in a large primary school. Strengthening the whole school community as families will also have the opportunity to develop relationships with other families within the year group. Principles The arrangements for class mixing are based on the professional judgements of Class Teachers, the Grade Coordinator and the Primary Leadership Team.

We will always consider what is in the best interests of individual children and classes as a whole when making decisions. Principals regularly report negative reactions from parents when their child is placed in a composite class. Students are selected on the basis of ability but more importantly on the basis of not having behaviour issues and of being able to work independently.

Some American researchers claim the negative effect on achievement from being in such a class is counter-balanced by the fact that these kids are usually highly capable, leading to a zero-sum effect.

Some research has cautioned if the mixed-grade and other single-grade classes are in the same school, and if there is selection bias of students for the mixed-grade class, then the achievement outcomes in the advantaged composite class are being compared with those in the disadvantaged single-grade class.

A study of students in Grades 2 and 3 in California in showed much poorer results on standardised tests for students in composite classes. Studies in New Zealand , on the other hand, found minimal differences in results for children in composite classes where no selection bias was involved in formation of the class. Being a younger student in any type of class has been found to be more influential than the type of class.

Schooling and education are not just about academic achievement. Results over a large number of studies are still not statistically significant or unarguably conclusive, but they are more strongly positive than for academic achievement. Being a younger student in any type of class has been found to be more influential with regard to social behaviour than the type of class. In order to draw any firm conclusion about achievement or social-emotional development in a mixed-grade class it is therefore necessary to know the particular type of mixed-grade class, how it is formed, and most importantly, what goes on inside the classroom.

A long history of research into genuine co-operative learning shows consistently positive results, for both homogeneous similar-ability and heterogeneous mixed-ability groupings. Learning with others in genuinely collaborative groups is effective and can be organised in any type of class, but mixed-grade teachers have more opportunities to group students flexibly, in different ways at different times.