Ours get split out into the year one classes at the end of each term as the NE class grows. Depends on how they are going, the ones who are struggling a bit stay in NE a little longer... and it depends on how many come it. We get between 70 and 90 NE a year! Some schools might open an new Year 1 class? (we wouldn't unless there was huge roll growth - teacher funding is the sticking point usually!)

Astro, your DD is a year 1, by classification, but how they move them on will depend on both their plans and the numbers of enrolements.

Some schools will put the able year 1's who start at the beginning of the year into a year 1 class of kids who started 2nd half last year after a while. Others will move them on as a cohort. Sooo hard to say, as there are so many different things that could happen - chances are the school isn't even sure yet. Sadly our pre-enrolement stats are low as a country, and ECE attendence is only apartial indication.

I used ezi covers this year and man did it take the stress out of covering hte books! They look okay and DS thinks they are super cool (if you want dinosaurs or robots over your books ). And it worked out well as the school had accidentally sent the wrong number of the books to the stationery outlet and on the stationery list so a whole bunch of us got the wrong books without realising which are having to be returned and the teacher was very relieved that the covers were removable as many parents had covered theirs with duraseal and they had all these unsuitable books which can't be returned but need to be replaced. Talk about a huge mess!

DS is Year Two this year, he is so happy he got the teacher he wanted (heard awesome thigns about her, she's lovely) and his two little buddies in his class so is super happy.

In his Year one class last year they started with about 16 kids and then they got 8 more in about the July from the New Entrant class which was full. They actually ended up opening up another new entrant class as they've had a huge number of enrollments.

It'll be a big adjustment for DS when he goes to school next year too. He's in a community preschool only 2 days a week and it's very hands on/outdoorsy there. He's the worst fidget in the universe so I'm not sure how he'll go having to sit so much at school.

That's a shame Astro about not being encouraged to help in class. I don't get that - the kids have much more individual attention in reading groups when there are mums (and dads) there to listen to them read and help them with their worksheets. In DD's NE class we had 19 mums helping on a roster which meant that every small reading group had it's own mum to listen to each kid read and then do the group work with them. That class had the best readers at the end of the year and the teacher attributed that to the number of parents helping. I like doing it mainly because it gives me a chance to be nosy and see what DD is doing and what the vibe is like in the class.

Pudding, I do kind of get it. It depends on the school community. At previous schools parental involvement was very encouraged. But at my new school it really isn't. As far as i can see, after discussing it, it seems that the difference in the community is that at the old one, the parents wanted to help out to see what their kids were doing, get a feel for the vibe and they enjoyed it. At the new one they are very, very close as a community (holidays away together etc, small community, VERY talkative) and will want to know where each kid is academically - and then go and talk about it, so the teachers have to protect themselves to a degree. Imagine if another parent came up to you and started going on about your daughter's levels or even complaining that the teachers were doing more for your daughter because she was more advanced than the others

This is a very erm, proactive parental community too, when I have heard some of the things that a teacher may have said in conversation with a parent (such as - oh yes, x is about the age you can start to seegirls get a bit catty - NOT in relation to that person's child, but in relation to something the persons child had mentioned to the mother about the way 2 other girls behaved) that have had that parent rock up tothe principal the next day and spend over an hour in the office discussing it....

OMG Fel, that's my school to a tee as far as I have been made aware lol!

Thanks for explaining the class year to me too everyone, will ask what happens at the meet the teacher thingy next week.

Oh yeah I can see what you mean now when I look at it from that perspective. I definitely would not want anyone talking about how DD is going with her work with another parent or trying to get involved in how the teacher is handling her class

it is a shame, because in my first school, I LOVED parent help, had a different parent rostered on each day, they were amazing with my groups... Oh well.

I think it depends on the parent and the child too - I had parent help last year, most were excellent but one mum who was actually really helpful ended up being a pain because her daughter was really clingy, she started spending more time worrying about her daughter than helping out (even when I made sure she wasn't near her daughter) and then she started wanting to take her home at lunch time when she'd finished helping! Then the daughter would cry all afternoon

Otherwise, they're great!

Some of the kids in my class have got these - I'm impressed with how they look so far, will see how they last! Not as droopy when you open them as I thought they'd be...

I have a question for teachers (sorry to threadjack but didn't think it was worth a new topic :))

I have just found out dd is in a y1/y2 composite class (she is y2).....so I can see the benefits if you were the y1 kid as far as being challenged academically BUT I am struggling to see the benefits if you are the y2 kid, esp as Gee did really well at school last year as far as maths/reading went and were in the top groups in her class???

So is she likely to be limited because the teacher is also trying to teach the y1's as well OR is that the challenge for the teacher to make sure Gee (and her y2 class mates) are still challenged and doing what they are supposed to be doing for y2??

Also how do they choose who gets to go in a composite class?? If its based on academics then I am really annoyed that this wasn't at least discussed with us last year as we were given the impression from Gee's teacher that she was doing really well for her 1st year at school (academically speaking, socially she was still settling in at the end of the year) so if they get chosen because they are working closer to y1 level than y2 THEN should I be annoyed (given the impression we were given of where she sat in the class academically) and be discussing this with her teacher/dean of the junior school???

anyway feedback would be much appreciated esp from you teachers

I'm not a teacher but I know that the kids in the composites at DD's old school were chosen on how well they're settling in to school, how confident they are, and whether they'd benefit from being the oldest in the class in a kind of leadership role for the year. There were some boys last year who went into a composite as the oldest kids and academically they were ahead, but they needed to have their confidence built up a bit. So maybe it could be that?

And yes I believe that in any composite (or any class) the teacher should cater to the individual needs and level of the child.

I would assume its the social aspect? I know we try to put kids who need those building up socially (although they may be academically okay) in a composite class - they can be good role models for the younger ones. Also being academically ahead in year one needs nurturing as sometimes (and not necessarily in your girl's case) they can plateau a bit.

And yes, all teachers - composite or straight classes - are supposed to support the learning needs of all children no matter their level (and in a class they are NEVER the same level anyway - I have straight year 3s and they range from emergent readers to those reading at 9 years and children who struggle to count to 20 to those starting multiplication)

Thanks Liljay and Pudding Another silly mum worrying about nothing I love her teacher and her class seems great so am sure she will be fine....last week (according to Gee ) was a practice week so I will see what she says about her school work or check out her readers she gets sent home to make sure is same level as last year (as opposed to being easier).

I agree that it will be good to build up her confidence - she really needs that...so grown up in some ways but still seems so young in other ways

that describes Lily to a t!

Others have answered it, but there can be any manner of reasons for it, I would expect if there were concerns that they would communicate it. Some schools will have 3 year levels in a class, simply based on numbers. Teachers can - and should - be able to meet the needs.

thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it
Have been thinking about it more and who from her class last year has gone into the class and they are very similar socially so am fairly certain that its a social reason so feeling better about her being in that class....Sorry I always have to have something to worry about

Oh that's interesting about the composites. I was going to start another topic too but don't need to know. DS2 is in a Y3/4 class. Start of the year hasn't gone well for him - been to the AP's office already One of the issues is that he's not eating with the other Y3's and is a bit lost in his new class (no friends from last year) so has no-one to play with at lunch. I couldn't really fathom why he was in that class but it will be the social aspect so those Y4 boys can dampen his behaviour down a bit and keep him in his place (he's a bit of a power hungry top-dogger iykwim). He's way academically way behind other Y3's so will be interesting to see how he copes. His teacher is awesome though (had her before) so we're lucky in that respect.

Felicis - DS and Lily will start school at about the same time eh? I have a good friend at your new school - just thought I'd mention that

DS will be starting school next year with no-one he knows, I hope that will work out OK for him. He's social so I think he'll make friends fast. We met a 4 year old boy at pick up on Friday who wears glasses and has the same eye disease that DS has and they'll start school together, so I'm going to try and foster that friendship if I can this year.

oh parent or teacher?????? I can't wait, I am so freaking excited, I love me team, love the staff, LOVE the IB programme. Have met a few of my kids and they rock...it is going to be an awesome year!

Lily won't know anyone when she starts - she goes to daycare out south, 25 km away from school, lol. I am not worried about that so much. I guess that is one thing that I have usually seen kids sort out fine, the friend side. Not all the time, but for most standard kids. I am excited for her making local friends!

That is pretty cool that you have met someone so similar Pudding!