INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
CLASS ORGANISATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
This leaflet is intended to answer the questions that parents often ask about how classes
are organised in primary schools. We follow national guidelines and always try to
provide the best possible education for all children.
What is the maximum number of pupils allowed in my child’s class?
The maximum class size for a single stage class is 30 pupils for PI - P3 classes. This
goes up to a maximum of 33 pupils in P4 - P7. For all composite classes, the maximum is
25.
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Will there ever be situations ?hen h y child class size can go over these numbers?
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We will avoid this wherever possible. Where pypil numbers go aboye these agrekd limits,
an extra class or copposite class will normally be formed. Occasionally,
space is
limited and forming another class would be physically impossivle, a team Iteaching
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arrangement may be introduced.
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What is Team Teaching? I
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Under this system, two full-time teachers jointly teach a class of more than 30 pupils in
P1, P2, or P3. Team teaching is relatively rare and the class sizes involved are typically
just a few pupils higher than the m
urn number of pupils allowed in a~regularclass.
This means the pupils generally be
o h the improved teacher:pupil ratio.
Who is responsible for deciding how to organise classes in my child’s school?
In preparation for each new session, the head teacher and the Education Department work
together to find out how many pupils will be on the school roll. Once these numbers are
known, the head teacher can begin working out how the classes will be organised and
how many teachers will be needed.
Decisions are usually made before the summer break, however if the school roll alters
unexpectedly it is sometimes necessary to change the class organisation when children
return to school in August.
What is a composite class and why is it formed?
A composite class is formed with children from two different year groups. This might
happen when the numbers in P1 and P2 are too large for there to be just one class for
each year group but not large enough to form two classes in a year group. A composite
class can also be formed when the numbers at each stage are too small to make up even
one class at each stage.
Pupils tend to achieve better when class sizes are reduced so composite arrangements,
with a maximum class size of 25, can have a positive effect on children.
How common are composite classes?
Most schools will have a composite class at some stage and the majority of children will
be taught in a composite class at some point in their school career. New legislation from
the Scottish Executive reducing class sizes in P1 to P3 to a maximum of 30 pupils has
tended to lead to more composite classes at these stages.
How are children selected to be part of a composite class?
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Guidelines fram the Educitionl Depprtment state that the main criterion should be age.
This was agreed after careful study and has been established as a sound method for
selecting pupils for composite classes. It is also consistent with the use of age as the
selection criterion for many other aspects of education, for example, startingi primary
school, transferring' to secondary school, and deciding when exam$ are taken. It avoids
discrimination, hodever unintentional, that may result from other methods of selection.
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The youngest children in the senior clqss and the oldest from the junior class generally
make up the composite class. This allows for the same spread of age ranges that would be
found in a single stage clas .
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The balance of pQpils selecled from the twq year groups in a composite class will depend
on how many children are ih each year group. We also try to balance genders.
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Whatever the composition of a class, it is the responsibility of the teacher to treat all
pupils as individuals and make sure that every child is making good progress.
How is the curriculum taught in composite classes?
Composite classes are a perfectly normal form of organisation for delivering effective
primary education. The key requirement is for teachers to meet the needs of the
individual pupils within a generally approved curricular framework. This applies to single
stage classes as well as to composite classes.
Composite classes follow the same 5-14 curriculum with the same assessments. Children
are taught at their own level and assessments are carried out when a pupil reaches a level
rather than a particular age. Teachers are trained to teach composite classes and to
carefully plan all areas of the curriculum. This training, along with input from learning
support teachers and other agencies, allows for a full programme for all abilities.
What is done to help my child adjust to new class arrangements?
Pupils are usually introduced to their new teacher and classmates before the end of the
previous session.
We are very aware of the importance of your child’s social contact while at school.
However, as more of the children’s social activities take place at break time and after
school than during lessons, it is essential that the highest priority is given to the level of
educational support they receive within class.
Our experience is that children adapt well and that their social skills generally allow
them to make new friendships as well ap maintain old ones. If your child is in a
composite class this will give him/her the opportunity to make a wider circle of friends
within the school which will benefit their own personal development.,
We also try to maintain tlie same or a similar class composite throughout the time in
school, although sometimes there may be a need to revert to a single stage class in P4.
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More informsition
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If you would like to discuss any of these issues further, please contact your head teacher.
Alternatively you can contact the Education Department on 013 1 469 3420.
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