[cb2]

Hi
Just after some feedback from those of you who have had your child in a composite class.

Thoughts? Good/Bad/

Are you pro or anti composite classes?

TIA

[mummytotwo]

Any class is really a composite class. As you can have 18 months difference in ages and 3 or even 4 years difference in abilities.

like any class a teacher has to plan/cater to this wide range of ability/level

[cb2]

Thanks mummytotwo I guess you are right as there can be varying abilities in a straight grade class

[Julie3Girls]

How good a class is very dependent on the teacher. And yes, I was going to say the same about every class being a composite.
My DD2 has been in a 1/2, 2, 3/4 class. Honestly, there has been no difference whatsoever.

The only negative experience was when DD1 was in a 2/3 class, because we are in NSW, working with a "stage" curriculum, and this was a cross stage class, as well as going across the infants/primary divide. So there were some issues there with the class being split a lot, teacher priorities etc. But it was really a matter of how the school ran the class - they have needed to have a 2/3 class again this year, but had two of them, with a lot of teacher sharing, and I haven't seen or heard of any of the problems we had a couple of years ago.

On the positive side, I have found that DD2 thrives in the lower half of a composite, as she does well having a bit of friendly competition, and there is a bit more of that when she is in a class with kids a grade ahead. Haven't seen how seen she goes being in the top half of the class yet!
I've also had DD1 in the top half of the class and she did fine as well.

It can widen friendship opportunities, especially in a small school. Allows them to split the kids in one grade up between more classes which can be helpful.
Gives the kids friends in the grade above and below - looking towards highschool, it's nice that my girls will get to highschool in yr 7 and will have friends in yr 8

This post has been edited by Julie3Girls: 07/12/2012, 06:24 AM

[lovingmother]

It's all about the teachers They have to work with the children more.

At my child's school we have Comp Classes from 1/2 up till 3/4 every class is.

My child has excelled in the 1/2 class But a lot in the class have not.

[zingy]

My Mr 11 who is in year 5 has been in a composite class every year since year 2.

Next year it is happening again. We don't have a choice.

I have no complaints about it. It mixes things up a bit, and it means he has been able to do harder work if he gets bored. He has always been in the lower half of the composite.

Next year he will obviously be at the higher end but I think it is quite good that the 5's and 6's are all together.

We have always been very lucky with teachers, really that's what makes the difference. If they have a teacher who knows how to get the best out of them then you've won.

[**Xena**]

Any class is really a composite class. As you can have 18 months difference in ages and 3 or even 4 years difference in abilities.

In Tas it could only be a maximum of 12 months between ages but it's definitely true about the different abilities.

My kids have both been in 1/2 classes and they coped just fine. They are however marked as being above their expected grade level so I don't know if that would make a difference?

Next year though the school is trying to cut as many composite classes as it can because they have said iit's less coompatible with the new curriculum.

[cameo]

At our school they do parallel learning so consequently don't have enough boys to make up a straight 5 or 6 alone, so they have done 5/6 composites. This has caused the hugest uproar and many parents are taking their children out.

I can see absolutely the pluses and minuses of this. The younger level can benefit from a bit of higher learning, children are more able to work at their own pace as their is such an age range.

However, there could be more chance of bullying with older kids in the class, the teacher has to be able to deal with a huge age range of boys in the class, boys that are not doing so well could get lost etc etc.

We won't be pulling our child out of the school but it certainly is an issue. I don't know any schools now (with the exception of private) that don't do composites.

[Maple Leaf]

DD just finished year 2 in a 2/3 composite.
I requested she not be in one next year. While the work load was fine and the teacher was fantastic, DD is a "young" 7 and trying to hang out and play with some very mature 9 year olds was hard on her socially.

That was my only issue with it.

She would probably thrive being in the older grade of a composite as she seems to bond more with younger kids but I'm not willing to trial that next year. So have requested a straight year 3.

[Grobanite]

We live in a rural town and the school only has 3 teachers so we have no choice but for him to be in a class of prep,1and 2.

Pros

Ds was always able to do work higher than his grade as they gave him work to his ability not age.

Cons
When the class does work together like science it is dumbed down so the Preps understand. Like recently they put an iceblock in the sun to see what would happen and why
My Ds could have taught the lesson.

I think in a class of older kids like 3-5 like he will be in next year will be better.