Class Allocation Arrangements

Redbourn Primary School is a two form entry school with 60 children per year group, in two mixed ability classes. Every September, all classes are mixed with others from their year group for the new academic year.

With over 440 children on roll, there will never be one route that meets every child and parent’s desire. What is important is the children’s needs in the context of the classes and school community. Change can be hard, but it can be good as well. It has been really successful to date.

Why do we mix the classes year?

Our aim is to allow pupils within each year group to form strong bonds and friendships with 60, children in the course of their school life. We feel that regular, routine mixing of classes will develop children’s relationships with their peers, allow them the opportunity to build a broader friendship group and strengthen resilience to change in a comfortable, safe environment.

In addition, it allows us to maintain a balance between the classes in response to pupil development, and where there has been high mobility, for example where children leave and join the school.

The Senior Leaders and teachers feel that mixing classes every year will reduce anxiety and become part of the normal transition process, along with meeting a new teacher and moving classroom. In order to ensure a balanced mix of children in both classes, the classes will be mixed in consultation with Senior Leaders, current and previous class teachers.

• We have considered what is in the best interests of individual children and classes as a whole when making decisions.
• We have considered the happiness and welfare of the children and have taken into consideration existing friendship groups.
• We have looked at the additional needs of children, such as Special Educational Needs, behaviour, English as an Additional Language and Social and Emotional needs.
• We have looked at the gender split of classes and have ensured an even mix of children from both classes to make the new groupings, so your child will still be with around 50% of their current class.
• We will observe the proposed new classes engaging in an activity together, before making any changes and finalising names.
• Children across the year group will still have the opportunity to play together at break and also to sit and play together at lunch.

Transition

We value the importance of transition for your children. Parents and children will be informed of their new class at the beginning of July every year. We will then begin working with the children on the transition process over the last two weeks of term.

The children will be supported to begin to get to know their new classmates and teacher through story times, circle times and playtimes. Children will spend time in their new classroom, with their new class and new teacher.

There will be a detailed handover between current and new class teacher(s) where academic and social characteristics are discussed. Some children find transition particularly difficult. Teachers will design personal transition plans for these children.

If you are worried about transition for your child please email the Office to arrange an appointment to speak to the current class teacher. The allocation of teachers and classes is an operational management decision made by all Senior Leaders. It cannot be dealt with as a complaint, as per our complaints policy, based on the Hertfordshire model complaints policy.