Class changes and transition for September 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we draw nearer to the end of this academic year, behind the scenes we are busily preparing for 2025-2026! This time last year, due to reduction in school budgets, we made the decision to mix our Year 3 and Year 4 children from September. We feel this has actually been really successful and, with very careful consideration, planning and reviewing, has actually enabled us to target children more effectively. It also prompted a whole school review of the wider curriculum which was beneficial and led to a number of changes.
Mixed Classes 2025-2026
Next year, we will continue with this approach for Years 3 & 4 and will also be introducing this structure into Years 5 & 6. This means that the children in Year 2 will be split three ways into the current Year 3 classes. Year 4 will move into Year 5 in their current classes and our current Year 5 will be mixed three ways to join them.
The changes to the current class structure will stop us having up to thirty vacancies across the two year groups. Having an extra teacher with partially full classes, would lead to further budget pressures meaning that we would have to reduce the opportunities and experiences we offer. Teachers and subject leaders are in the process of reviewing the curriculum and amendments are being made to ensure that children are presented with new learning each year, building on prior learning.
This year, we made the decision to run maths within the year groups in Years 3 & 4, not taking on any mixed year planning. This will continue next year and Years 5 & 6 will also be taught separately for Literacy.
The current class teachers have been involved in any classes that have been mixed alongside their Year Group Leader and Mrs Richardson. The children have also been asked to list at least two of their friends so we can consider friendships alongside academic ability, boys/girls and any additional learning needs.
We will be sending home new classes and staffing soon.
Location of classes from September
Nursery, Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 will be taught in the Early Years block. We have made the decision to move Year 2 into the block alongside Year 1 so that Key Stage 1 is not split. Mr Darroch will oversee the learning as Year Group Leader for all four year groups.
Key Stage 2
Years 3-6 will be taught in the ‘green building.’ Years 3& 4 will continue to be upstairs and Years 5 & 6 downstairs. Miss Hughes will continue to lead Years 3 & 4 and Mrs Jackson Years 5 & 6.
Additional Provision
We will be continuing to run our ‘Nest.’ This is a School Based Provision for pupils with Special Education Needs and Disabilities who may find it challenging to work in a mainstream classroom for some or all of the day due to needing a bespoke personalised curriculum. This year, we introduced a second provision, ‘The Den’ to support our non-verbal pupils. This will be continuing in the next academic year too.
Class names
Our classes next year will continue to be named after precious gems. Nursery will remain as Rainbow class and Reception as Star class.
New classes
To prepare for 2025-2026, we will be using Friday 11th July and Monday 14th July for transition this year. On Friday 11th July, the children will spend time with their current teacher discussing moving into their new year groups and undertaking related activities. They will then spend the afternoon with their new teacher. On Monday 14th July, the children will register and spend the day in their new class and, in the morning, spend time in their teaching sets for September.
On these dates, Year 6 will be undertaking transition work and activities following their visits to their new schools at the beginning of July.
Nursery will also be undertaking further less formal transition activities with Reception - these have actually begun already!
Parent Meetings
We appreciate that parents and carers may have lots of questions and we also have more information that we would like to share. Last year, these meetings took place at the start of September but we feel that the sharing of information would be more helpful for parents and carers this side of the new academic year.
Please see dates of meetings previously shared with you on the summer planner earlier this term:
- New Years 3 & 4 (current Year 2 and 3 children) – Monday 7th July @ 9am or 4.15pm
- New Years 5 & 6 (current Year 4 and 5 children) - Tuesday 8th July @ 9am or 4.15pm
- Reception to Year 1 – Wednesday 9th July @ 9am
- Year 1 to Year 2 – Thursday 10th July @ 9am.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Lodge
Headteacher
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