A very large number of Primary schools will have to go to mixed age teaching this September and beyond- we need a joined up narrative around this as a sector
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Yes there are huge demographic changes that has seen a lower birth rate for years; the bulge year groups are now all in secondary and the numbers coming into Reception are much lower
I am hearing this from colleagues all over the country
I work with Doodle, post teaching, and I’ve had some schools using it really well in mixed classes.
e.g. inputs to some, whilst others independently Doodle in maths/English/spelling. No teacher setting/marking, and learners have work at their level. Could partly help.
@profbeckyallen.bsky.social has been saying for years that all the very carefully sequenced curriculum was going to be out of the window because of the pupil numbers!
Wondering how much this has to do with the fact that is usually happens in small schools and classes where it is easier to know the children in depth & help them make deeper curric connections...
Back when we didn't have as many pupils, we had a rolling 3 year curriculum for KS3 and (if they were there) they for a shot of everything. I wonder if current spiral curruculums would be adaptable to that kind of thing.
The school where I’m CoG in Wales is 2 classes - one R-y2, one y3-6. Different curriculum ofc with more flexibility but it basically works. The older class do a bit of splitting 3/4 and 5/6 with a TA (there is one for the whole school).
Yes indeed - it’s what got me thinking. In other areas there is less experience of it and shared curricula. The small schools network is excellent- many of these schools just haven’t been small schools up until now
It’s precisely that- and because the whole situation isn’t well known it’s up to individual schools to need to explain to communities who are not always fully on board with the change
I’m a real fan of mixed age teaching and believe there is a real richness to it.
However it takes deep knowledge and specific pedagogy which needs to be thought about in advance.
Thank you- we have some great mixed age schools already but collaboration always welcome! X
I was speaking more about the fact we need to have a sector-wide narrative around the falling rolls and need for change as communities don’t always see it
Yes, some communities have really struggled to get their head around the idea and feel it’s somehow a failure. I’m not sure the new Ofsted framework will help either! Maybe your roundtable group could do something?
It is one of the aspects of the Ofsted consultation we have raised but you’re right I think there’s more we should be doing in this space.
I just think we need to reset expectations but also celebrate how brilliant smaller school models can be
It’s the norm in Scotland and really not that big a deal. I’ve taught composites & multi composites. You look at the pupils you have, work out where they are & plan accordingly. They’re usually closer in age than a 1 stream class just with birthdays bridging an arbitrary date.
Agreed, this isn’t going to solve itself and it won’t be long until secondaries are also affected. Collaborating now can avoid future reactive responses.
Comments
I am hearing this from colleagues all over the country
I work with Doodle, post teaching, and I’ve had some schools using it really well in mixed classes.
e.g. inputs to some, whilst others independently Doodle in maths/English/spelling. No teacher setting/marking, and learners have work at their level. Could partly help.
I taught in a sch with a PAN of 45. 3 parallel classes each in y1/2, 3/4 & 5/6. 2-year cycles of topics. Shared planning. Worked well.
Having 2 years meant we had flexibility in progression & chn moved at their own pace.
However it takes deep knowledge and specific pedagogy which needs to be thought about in advance.
I was speaking more about the fact we need to have a sector-wide narrative around the falling rolls and need for change as communities don’t always see it
I just think we need to reset expectations but also celebrate how brilliant smaller school models can be
Having a 1.5fe school is hugely different to having an under-capacity 2fe!