The benefits of separate year groups at St. Christopher’s Prep School and Nursery

Posted: 31st July 2024

Classroom with clearly defined separate spaces for different year groups, illustrating the concept of separate classrooms in primary education.

Did you know that at St. Christopher’s Prep School and Nursery, we keep our year groups separate? We believe this approach significantly enhances your child’s learning experience.

Why separate year groups?

At St Christopher’s, we understand the importance of providing the best educational experience for your child possible. By keeping our year groups separate, we create an environment where each child can thrive in a positive and nurturing atmosphere. This decision is based on extensive research and our own observations, confirming that non-amalgamated classes lead to better educational outcomes.

Wider range of abilities: Within any given year group, there is already a significant range of academic abilities. When multiple year groups are combined, this range becomes even broader, making it more challenging for teachers to address the diverse needs of every student effectively.

Individual attention: In mixed year groups, the demands on teachers increase, reducing the time and attention teachers can provide to each child. This can hinder personalised learning and support.

We believe that both keeping classes separate and having small teacher to pupil ratios, there are a number of positive outcomes for children.

  • Better academic outcomes: With more focused teaching tailored to the specific needs of a single year group, children are more likely to thrive.
  • Enhanced social development: Children benefit from interacting with peers at a similar developmental stage, promoting healthier social interactions and friendships. 
  • Positive learning atmosphere: A nurturing and supportive environment is easier to maintain when teachers are not overburdened by the complexities of mixed year groups. 

By keeping our year groups separate, we create a structured, supportive, and effective learning environment which contributes to the overall development of each child. 

For more information about our teaching philosophy please do get in touch, Our Head, Alexandra Cottell would be delighted to chat with you.

 

References:

Lopez J (May 2024) Mixed Ability Grouping in Primary Schools: How Does It Compare To Ability Grouping And Setting? at https://thirdspacelearning.com/blog/mixed-ability-grouping-vs-ability-grouping-primary-maths/

Cronin Z (2019) To mix or not to mix: A critical review of literature on mixed-age groups in primary schools at https://cerj.educ.cam.ac.uk/archive/v62019/CORERJ-Journal-Volume6-10-ToMixOrNotToMix.pdf

Berry C. (2004Mixed Age Classes in Urban Primary Schools: Perceptions of Headteachers. (accessed 7th March 2024)

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