YANGEBUP PRIMARY SCHOOL

Policies

Outlined below is the process we use at Yangebup Primary to place students in classes for the start
of the year. Also included are answers to questions that parents may have about class placement.
Staff at Yangebup Primary are committed to meeting the educational needs of all students. A great
deal of thought, planning and time go into placing children into classes. Every effort will be made to
place each child in a learning environment that is productive and successful.

Rationale

Yangebup Primary School creates its class structure based on the professional judgement of staff taking into account the students’ academic, social and emotional needs.

Guidelines
Factors influencing class structure are:

• the educational needs of the students

• the projected number of students in each year level

• the ratio of girls to boys

• projected enrolments during the year based on past trends

• the number of teachers employed at the school

• the constraints of resources and facilities

Factors which are considered in the placement of students include:

• academic performance

• work habits (e.g. ability to work independently)

• behaviour

• gender

• social network

• social maturity

• special needs

• family situations (e.g. twins, siblings)

Process
Staff meet mid fourth term to establish the classes for the following school year. Teachers of the
current and past year levels make the decision about where to place those students for the following
year.

Teachers ensure each new class has:

• a balance of academic ability

• gender balance

• socially balanced groups (students are not always put with best friends so new friendships can

• be formed)

Class placements are then approved by the principal. Parents may write to the principal to give
information that the school should take into account in order to place their child. This must be based
on their child’s educational needs. Requests in relation to choice of teacher will not be considered
as a placement factor.

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Common Questions
Why do we ask parents to leave class placement in the hands of the teaching staff?
As professional educators we strive to make the right choices taking into account all of the
information we have about all students. Parents do know their children best, however teachers
have all of the academic and social information about every child and can make sound judgements
to meet the needs of every student.

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Why does the school have some split grade classes?
Staffing is dependent on the enrolment numbers. Therefore split grade classes are often necessary
to ensure that we have appropriate sized classes for each year level.
The practice of combining grades in one class is well supported by research and our beliefs about
how children learn. That is, research shows us that students are not disadvantaged by being in a
split grade class. The difference in academic ability and maturity can vary by about 5 years across a
straight grade class and 5 or 6 in a split grade class. The added advantage of a split grade class is that students make friendships across grades.

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Can I request my child to be placed with another child or not placed with another child?
Parents may request this but need to give clear reasons why this is necessary. It is important to
consider that the school knows your child’s friendships and that placing them without that particular
friend may be so that your child expands their friendship base. We want children to be able to work
and socialise with a variety of other children and build skills to make new friends.

In addition, sometimes we may get competing requests from parents where one parent wants their
child to be in a class with a friend but the friend’s parents have requested that they not be in the
same class.

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Friendships can change throughout primary school, students leave, more students arrive and so it is important for your child to develop friendship skills rather than always have the same friends.

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When will I know my child’s placement?
Classes for the following year will be displayed during the last week of school. Students will spend
some time in their new classroom on the last day of the year to help them familiarise themselves
with their new class. They will usually meet their new teacher unless the teacher won’t be starting
until following year.

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What if my child or I am unhappy with my child’s placement?
Class placements are considered final. Changing one student at the request of a parent can mean
that many other changes also need to take place to continue to meet the needs of all of the other
students. Parents need to understand that it is a complex balance that cannot just be solved by
moving their child. Many other changes are likely to be needed in addition. Parents can talk to the
principal or deputy principal about their concerns but changing a student placement would be rare.
The principal or deputy and the classroom teacher will work with the parent to help students adjust
to their new class.

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If your child is unhappy with their placement, we as parents must speak to them positively and
model how we want them to face disappointment in their future.

Sometimes parents express concerns when their child has been allocated to a split grade class and
believe that it may be a disadvantage to their child. It is important that you, as parents, are aware
that contrary to these beliefs there is no disadvantage to a student being in a split grade class.

In years gone by composite classes were formed by placing talented students in the lower grade
level with lower achievers in the higher grade.  This concept has long been abandoned.  All classes
are formed by teachers and school leaders sitting and placing students with a range of information
available to make classes as balanced as possible (see our Class Placement Policy).

Why do you create split classes?
There will almost always be a need to have split classes at Yangebup Primary School. This is because
of the way we are funded and the fact that we are a relatively small school. Funding is allocated to
public schools on a per student basis and this is calculated by the number of students we have
enrolled on the census date in March.

The size of each year’s cohort can vary considerably depending on enrolments but we still only
receive a total amount of funding for the overall number of students. This means that in order to
ensure that all classes are an appropriate size, split grade classes may need to be formed.

How does the school decide the classes each year?
The principal and the staff take into consideration the student numbers and individual needs in each
year group, the recommended class sizes for each year group and the total number of staff the
budget can afford. Various scenarios are examined by staff and evaluated based on the needs
throughout the whole school. The final decision is made by the principal.

How do teachers cater academically for more than one grade in a class?
Teachers are skilled at delivering the required curriculum. In addition, teachers must adapt the
curriculum to suit the needs of individual learners within the classroom. A split grade class generally
has very little extra variation in the needs of learners than a straight grade. Each year the curriculum
builds on the curriculum from the year before so, in order to cater for the different needs of
students, teachers are consistently teaching above and below that year’s curriculum requirements.
The difference in academic ability and maturity can vary by about 5 years across a straight grade
class and 5 or 6 in a split grade class. Research by Professor John Hattie into the effect sizes of
factors that influence achievement show that split grade classes make no difference to the academic
outcomes of students. In fact, the factor that has the largest influence by a very large margin is
teacher quality.

What about socially?
Children benefit enormously from having friends outside of their year group. It allows them to
develop a wider group of friends which gives them more options in the playground, greater
connections across the school and can benefit them within the wider community. It helps them build

social skills which has long term effects for building resiliency. Children in composite classes have
nothing to fear but plenty to enjoy.

Excursions and Programs
Excursions are generally organised by individual classes not by year groups. This is because
excursions are related to class programs. Sometimes two classes will choose to coordinate aspects
of their program and will plan excursions together. This does not mean that every child in that year
level should be included in the excursion.

Some programs may be offered to year groups rather than classes when this is appropriate These
may include swimming lessons, carnivals etc. Assemblies are also organised by classes not year
groups. Again, some classes choose to combine, but it is still a class assembly not a year level one.

Still have concerns?
If you still have concerns, talk to your child’s teacher about the program they are offering and how
your child will be catered for.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing partnership in your child’s learning development.

Check out an article from the Sydney Herald addressing this issue for parents.