Composite classes - a pressure point
Apr 20th, 2008 by Don Ledingham
I’ve received number of e-mails this week from parents pleading with me not to establish composite classes in their schools. A composite class is one where a primary school class is composed of children from more than one year group, e.g. P3/4 composite class.
The common theme in all the e-mails is that if I care about children then I can’t allow this to happen. I should probably point out at the outset that my own children were taught in composite classes. On first being notified of compositing I have to admit to being concerned - despite my own experience as an educator. As parents we tend to like the status quo - we don’t like the idea of change - especially change which seems intuitively risky.
Whilst I understand the reflexive reaction that many parents have towards composite classes the issue often has the potential to whip a storm of fury all based upon the supposition that the quality of education will suffer. When looked at from a certain perspective you can see how this appears to be a convincing and logical argument - which can be captured as follows:
“Children in non-composite class are all the “same age” and can be more effectively taught by a teacher than a class made of of children from two different year groups.”
However, when one considers the reality of this situation most “normal” classes are made up of children who have an age range of 12 months. Yet given the arbitrary way in which we identify cut off dates for entry to school - its very possible for children who are born days apart to be in separate years groupings.
As I have explored before such range of ages can mean that in child development terms there can be a gap between children of between 24 - 36 months. Chronological age does not equate to stage of development - any of us who have had our own children can testify to that.
The reality is that a composite class will often have a less of an age range than a “year group class” - as we group the class by birth date, e.g. an age spread of a less than 8 months.
Yet compositing can also strike fear into some teachers - particularly those who have never taught such a class grouping before. I recently spoke to very experienced head teacher about this and she told me that there is no more differentiation required in a two year group composite class than there is in a single year group class - in fact because of the closer age range there might even be less. Of course some of our smaller East Lothian schools have composite classes composed of up to four years groups - now that is challenging but as I’ve described before can lead to truly stimulating learning situations.
To return to my e-mail correspondence - I do care about children (that’s why I’m in the job). I know it goes with the territory and it’s why I get paid but people seem to think if they apply enough pressure that they can get more money for their own school. It’s my job to advocate for all children in East Lothian - not just those whose parents might be able to mount a campaign to change a very fair system for allocating teachers to schools. The reality is that an average teacher’s salary - with on-costs such a pension etc - is £36,000. One extra teacher for one school means that this money must be taken from another school (93% of our education budget is devolved directly to schools).
Last point - no parent has ever complained about compositing once their child has moved into such a class - only before.
I can see the point of composite classes to inprove atainment but when it is just a cost cutting measure in an expanding school it stinks.
When a school roll is on the increase how can you justify cutting the classes from 28 to 25. 3 teachers at £36k?? = £108k = 1.5% savings I think not.
Parents’ concern always comes back to a fear that their children will be disadvantaged because the instructor has to target the material to kids who are behind. The mistaken assumption is that learning is linear and so forward progress is urgently required if the child is to reach their potential.
There are a couple of flaws in this reasoning. First, kids do not absorb material linearly. Reinforcement and presentation in different context are required to really learn, and watching and listening to a teacher explain a familiar topic to a younger student might be helpful to even the more advanced students. Second, multi-age classes offer a great opportunity for older kids to mentor younger kids, and for younger kids to emulate the older ones.
Our School is going through huge changes just now and the teaching staff are coping so well in the face of what will be a total turn around of senior management next term, not only a new Head Master, if one can be sourced and employed,but also two new Deputy Heads. Surely given this massive distruption to the infra structure of the teaching establishement, the current classes and teachers would be best left as they are and avenues of savings made else where.
We’ve all been through school, and during our time there have learned how school normally works. For most people, composite classes won’t match that experience, so an element of fear of the unknown probably isn’t surprising.
If we’ve a deep-seated existing understanding of how school works, which is based on traditional year groups, the very idea of creating a composite class may well not make sense. Faced with the prospect of our child joining a composite class, we suddenly have to update our mental model to know what we think.
We’ll then start learning about them. If we notice that schools tend to avoid composite classes where at all possible, and that parents often are concerned about them, we’re likely to make sense of that by concluding that they must be educationally less effective. (The same process, of course, happens with setting.)
Because this is about learning, it’s not surprising that those with experience of composite classes do not complain. They’ve seen it in practice, and learned from that experience.
Telling people something, though, isn’t enough to change learned mental models. That takes real experience, or simulations, to provide new learning. Perhaps we should acknowledge that, and provide opportunities for parents to learn, not just be told? Maybe they could be offered opportunities to see other composite classes taking place, for example, and talk with the parents?
What really matters is matching the arrangements to the individual class context. I’m sure fine-tuning will go on in every case. I wonder if there are any ways we could support that process to make it even more effective, such as via class weblogs to give parents visibility of the way differentiation takes place?
I have taught many composite and single year classes. In my experience I would agree with the headteacher - in any one class, be it single year of composite, there is such a broad chronological age range and developmental level that you differentiate accordingly no matter what the situation. I definately found that one of the advantages of composite classes is that older children who have covered a concept before are able, even if only briefly or maybe even indirectly, to consolidate what they understood the first time around.
I can see the benifit and sense of composite classes in smaller schools, but not in a school with more than 700 pupils (and growing)
It seems like a logistical decision. Logistical decisions, outwith our direct control, that we percieve may have consequencial effects on our children, are sent to remind us that we can’t have complete control of every aspect of their lives.
Our daughter is currently in a P3/4 composite class. Despite our initial apprehensions about the negative impact that this may have had on her there have been no problems at all. On the contrary, I think she has enjoyed having new faces in class - some of whom who are much older than she is. As a secondary practitioner I would liked to point out that composite classes are the norm in most secondary classes in S5 and S6. There is a really strong case, I believe, for composite classes in S1/2 where pace and challenge could be more appropriately matched to pupils needs rather than chronological age.
Quote from Dons blog / “making sure people and communities are genuinely engaged in the decisions made on public services which affect them”
If only this was the case is there to be any consultation on teacher cutbacks, composite classes or have the desicions been made behind closed doors as usual. The first the parents / Parent Councils hear about it are rumours. The parents of the children affected are as usual the last to find out what is being forced on them from above. Is this cousultation!!! LOL
Don
The challenges of communicating the main game of schooling in the 21st century to the community - actioning personalised and differentiated learning so that knowledge is transferable and not inert and students living community values and becoming socially responsible and contributing citizens!
When change occurs we often hanker for the nostalgic view of the past - and as we were all students in mostly single aged normed classes - this is what we fall back on.
You hear - well it worked for me why not for my child. We were generally born in the 20th century and most of us in the baby boomer era where 1 or 2 jobs were for life was the norm - well has that changed [amongest other things].
When talking to parents about change in schools I often use the image of a hospital. Imagine if you had a heart attack would you want the 1960’s hospital service and technology [no matter how well the intentions were]or the 21st century service. As one who has key hole heart surgery 2 years ago there is no question in my mind - 21st century please - I’m alive.
Lest work for 21st century schooling which our children need - not hanker for the past when faced with the unknown. I’m not saying throw the baby out with the bath water either.
School organisation [be it - straight classes, multi age, family groupings, flexible groupings] should reflect pedagogy not drive it.
At my last parent information night I showed a 4 minute clip on changes facing schooling - let’s talk about what needs to happen and not hanker for what in many cases does not suit our children’s future.
The industrial revolution conveyor belt model of schooling where learning was prepackaged in age graded units of learning - teach and test [pass or fail] [there's always a job on the assembly line] needs to be challenged.
I write about these issues from a Melbourne - Australia perspective [and post the videos]on my blog www.mwalker.com.au]but having read your post and the comments I now more than ever realise that around the world we face the same issues - how to communicate about the big directions of schooling with the community.
PS I have posted a comment on the inet conference titled “curriculum redesign” which is a related topic that may well be worth a visit: http://www.cybertext.net.au/inet_s4wk2/focus1_28.htm
I do not know if anyone can respond to this but I would be very interested in comments. We have a child in primary one and there is talk of a composite 2/3 being formed of which she would be part. We have no problems with the idea of composite classes and can see benefits for her. However, the school (not in east lothian) is a split site with p3 and 4 half a mile away from the main building. The composite may be sited there i.e with 12 p2s with the other 48 in another building. The alternative is that the p3s are split from their year group which also seems a real problem for them. We are very concerned about the social and educational implications this would have and would value others’ comments.
Ian - kids are remarkably resilient. The situation you descibe is not ideal but the key factor is the quality of teaching. The fact is that the your child will be in a class of peers who she will get to know and with whom she will socialise and learn. I know this seems to downplay your obvious concern but as I stated in my post the concept of year groups is pretty arbitrary. I’d be prepared to wager that come two weeks into the new session your concerns will have disappeared.
I hope this helps
I am a teacher and a parent with a seven year old daughter who has been in composite classes during her first three years of primary education. After having taught for over 25 years, I have found children are not disadvantaged in any way by being in a composite class. All classes are ‘composite’ by the very fact that there is a wide range of abilities in any group. Teachers are skilled in differentiating, whether it be for a straight year group or a composite class. My daughter has benefited from working with a range of ages within her class.
I feel that the only way to composite a class is by age. Having a class composited by ability both stigmatises the child and also causes no end of ongoing problems between parents and the school who disagree on subjective compositing. The other problem with compositing by ability is that it tends to be by numeracy and literacy ability whereas children who are weak in these areas will more than likely have strengths in other curricular areas which are less easily measured.
Don, my concern about composite classes in primary is not based on children of different ages being taught together. I completely agree with the design principles of CFE and have made it possible in my own school for young learners to be taught a curriclulum which best suits there ability levels irresepective of age. However the problem with composite classes in our primary school, particularly in early years, is related to the amount of formal education that the children have been exposed to. Skills development is extremely dynamic. Most children in P1 can’t read while most can in P2.
There are also issues relating to peer isolation. Primary children’s social network is related very much to their experiences at school, for example it is very often the whole class who are invited to birthday parties! Small groups who are seperated from the rest of their chronological year group to form a class with children of different ages can feel socially isolated, with a potential loss of status in the eyes of their peers.
Bottom line is that composite classes in early years are created as a result of financial expediency. Do you really believe that early years educationalists Do you really believe, given the choice would choose to have composite classes?
I have twins who have been in the same class for P1 & P2 and today we received a letter for each informing us of their classes for next year. One is going to be in a straight P3 and one in a P3/P4. This has left us with a real dilemma!!!! We have had experience before of a composite class with one of our daughters and much as educationally she did not suffer, she did however suffer socially and was excluded by her peers along with the other 5 children. This has had long term effects on her developement and confidence. The added twist of separating twins and one being left with most of their friends and one not is really worrying! To add to my dilemma I believe that the boys would benefit from being in seperate classes. I am however most annoyed that we were not informed until 2 days before the end of term and not given an opportunity for input and descussion. First thing is going to be a case of on phone to try and get a meeting at the school! Will let you know what outcome is! Linda
my son was given a note on tuesday afternoon informing him that he would be going in to p4 (straight) and that his five close friends who he has built up a strong relationship over 3 years would all be going into the composite class p 4/5. He was mocked and laughed at by some of these children who said he as not clever enough to be going into their class. Obviously he was upset, more by the fact that not one of his group of friends were going to be in his class. As we had no warning or prior information of this, we could not explain the reasons why this had happened. This is Glasgow City Council schools. I feel that a lot of emphasis is on explaining the composite class but not explaining why a child didn’t make it into the composite class, why he was seperated from his friends ( i was told by the deputy head she cannot take friendship into account when seperating the classes) but his latest report card states that he has built up a good friendship in the class???? under his scoial and personal development section!!!!!
I agree with Alan Thomson June 6th - who says it stigmatises the child and also causes no end of ongoing problems between parents and the school who disagree with subjective compositing. My main issue is also that my son will be in a class of 32 pupils now as opposed to the composite class of 25 - who has the advantage??? I was told by the deputy head that this depends on the teacher!!! Another good point made by Alan was thsat he feels all classes are composite by the very fact that there is a wide range of abilities in any group. This is my point exactly and if this is the case then surely it is not fair to have a class of 25 and one of 32 in the same year?
I am still not happy with the situation and feel I have had no information from the school and am writing to the education dept, going to my local mp and writing to the school. The whole thing comes down to money as far as we can read into this and unless every single parent stands up an makes ourselves heard this will continue to happen in our schools. Almost every parent at my school with children who were in composite classes agree that there child progresses educationally but socially they suffer by being excluded by peers and have to start to make new friends again , this may be fine for some children but not all of them.
Like Linda McBride our school informs two days before the end of term, no consultation and not much time to voice any concerns a prent may have. Not good enough!!!
As an Australian trained teacher I am very familiar with ‘Composite’ classes and the significant benefits that pupils can gain for learning in such an environment. There is one important significance however and that is that these classes are often established as ‘Multi-Age’ classes.
In any classroom there will be significant differences in the pace that pupils learn and their ability. In one of my classes last year I taught pupils ranging from Pre Level A to Level C maths, an enormous difference. All teachers ensure they teach to the individual’s level and thus the classes’ year level becomes irrelevant as the level of the pupil is all important.
That however is only the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the classroom. Of enormous benefit is the ethos of the multiage learning environment. The cooperative learning approach enables pupils to develop holistically in many ways. Research shows that pupils who learn in a ‘multiage’ environment do better academically, socially and creatively due to the range of ages. If we think about it, when in our lives apart from the time at school do we spend the majority of our day with the same age group? We don’t. Education should prepare us for society. Does a single aged class do that?
In many Australian schools composite/multiage classes are chosen as a preferred route not one because of budgets. Many schools proactively set up multiage streams: P3,4,5 and P5,6,7.
Having now taught in England and Scotland across private and state sectors and a range of schools, I am always surprised with the stigma that ‘Composite’ schools attract.
Now permantly residing in Scotland, I hope the opportunity for my daughter to be educated a ‘Composite/Multiage’ classroom arises. If not I will go looking for one!
The single most important thing that can have a positive affect on a child’s learning is the relationship they have with their teacher. Grant me a composite class with a like minded teacher any day!
Should anyone require information please feel free to contact me:
chriskatherine@hotmail.com
Chris, an insightful comment.
As a principal showing parents on school tours I am always asked about single and composite gradings and class size. I think people ask these questions because they are understandable and often comparable. They usually say if its not good enough for private schools who can afford to have single classes it means its an inferior grouping strategy. Some independent school principals I know comment on the stability angle of their very conservative families.
I have given up on trying to play those games and in fact say some very challenging things to prospective parents on questions about composites or class size. I very quickly, as you do, go to the heart of what makes a difference to student learning - active, passionate teacher who is committed to learning and the strengthening of their instructional capacity. I challenge parents to produce evidence that these size or groupings strategies do make a significant difference rather than be on the defensive.
I finish with the image of a hospital in the 70’s and one in 2010 and offer a choice as you enter through the doors of the emergency department with a heart attack - do you want an up to date facility focused on research using the latest skills and technology - uncomfortable level high - or the hospital you knew in the 70’s. Very few choose the 70’s and I think feel a little happier that we won’t settle for the comfortable but question and explore ways to make things better
I have just completed the construction of the first school building that really challenges the very foundation of groups. The years 5/6 students will self select some tool workshops as well as negotiate others with teachers as well as work in collaborative groupings and individual studies. Check out my blog which will be updated in a few weeks with further pictures and stories on this journey.
So all in all keep the faith.
(I’m an American, so I’ll be using American terminology here…sorry about that, but I don’t speak UK schools jargon well.)
I was in a multi-age classroom for most of elementary, 2nd through 6th grade — my year combined with the year below me. I now have a toddler and will seriously consider multi-age programs for her when the time comes. Socially and even morally it makes sense to me, eg for the reasons Chris Kelly explains. Academically it makes sense too — when people are grouped by age there’s an assumption that all kids the same age are at the same level academically, which is wrong, and doesn’t work for kids who are too far from the norm in either direction (their academic needs aren’t served *and* they’re stigmatized). When there’s a range of ages in the classroom, you just can’t assume that everyone’s at the same level, so teachers are forced to differentiate (which of course they *should* be anyway but aren’t necessarily) and no one thinks it odd if different people are working on different things. One year I believe there were 5 levels of math going on in my two-grade classroom…imagine if we had all been expected to do the same math simply because we were in classrooms with kids the same age…how wrong that would have been for most of us.
My stepdaughter has been in composite for the last 2 years, facing another year of it this coming term. To say it has no adverse affect on child is ridiculous. You have to look at each child! Due to her age, she has always been put in with the younger class, even though she is extremely bright. She has essentially repeated most of this year as the teacher was unable to handle teaching a composite class and directed the curriculum almost entirely to the younger class. Her confidence has been knocked, as most of her peers are in a “higher” class. She asks us if she’s one of the “stupid kids” and that’s why she’s in the younger class and having to repeat work she did the year before. She is bored and unchallenged at school. Although we have had meetings with the school, they refuse to move her into any alternate class. I don’t know why schools can’t consider the ability/potential of students rather than just age as a criteria for a split class.
We have just arrived home from our holidays to find a letter from our childrens school. One going into Primary 3 will be 3/4 class and the other Primary 6 will be 5/6. The stigma of “stupid is already there from peers, she has always had good reports (how do the children know who is in who’s class before we do). My question is why weren’t we told before the finish of the school term what class our children will be in.
This is an absolutely shocking way to find out which class your child will be in, especilly once the school term is finished and we can’t ask any questions until the return of the new term
My childs first reaction was “will I be with my friends”. She has had a hard enough year will bullying and now the school is doing this to her, is this their way of taking her away from the bully, well in our eyes they have made the matters far worse……appalling