Double classes

Samsgirl · 14-04-2016 10:06PM #1

My daughter is due to start primary school this September. We plan on sending her to the local school in our village. I only found out today that they double up the classes - junior & senior infants together, 1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th and 5th & 6th.

Im not sure how this works. What does one class do when the teacher is teaching the other?
Anyone have any experience of this?

RainyDay · 15-04-2016 10:12AM

I haven't experienced double classes, but I have experienced 'overflow' classes, where 5 or 6 extra 4th class students ended up in with 3rd class. From a teacher's point of view, they deal with mixed ability groups all the time. Even when all students are within the same nominal class, the teacher deals with a broad range of ability within that group.

From my point of view, I was more concerned about the school's failure to keep the 'overflow' students mixed in with their peers on school trips and concerts etc.

17-04-2016 03:39PM

Samsgirl wrote: »

My daughter is due to start primary school this September. We plan on sending her to the local school in our village. I only found out today that they double up the classes - junior & senior infants together, 1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th and 5th & 6th.

Im not sure how this works. What does one class do when the teacher is teaching the other?
Anyone have any experience of this?

This is a multi-grade situation which is quite common in Ireland. Nothing to worry about!

byhookorbycrook · 17-04-2016 04:08PM

I have worked where I had 4 classes together an LOVED it. The Irish curriculum is actually quite suited to 2 class group together nd it means the children learn from each other and often become more independent learners than those is a single class.

Double classes

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