A Teacher's Perspective: What is a composite class and why is my child in one?

Composite classes often stir up a bit of anxiety in parents. Some wonder why their child has been placed in that class- are the the lower end of their year group, are they advanced? Well, actually neither is generally the reason children are placed into composite classes.

Composite classes, which combine different grades into one class, are common in Australian primary schools, with about one quarter of state school classes in New South Wales being composite.

Why do some schools have composite classes?

Department guidelines state that a Year 1—3 class size is recommended to be no larger than 24 students in a class. Years 4—6 class size is recommended to be no larger than 32. A Kindergarten class is recommended to be no larger than 20.

A common misunderstanding by parents is about the Stage Based learning in Australian schools. Year groups are grouped into stages;

Kindergarten is Early Stage One
Years 1 & 2 are Stage One
Years 3 & 4 are Stage Two
Years 5 & 6 are Stage Three

Teachers working on these stages plan the same content for their classes. For example a Year 1 teacher and a Year 2 teacher will both be teaching the same content for Stage One. Generally the content works on an A and B year. This means they alternate topic content each year so that it is not taught twice to the same cohort (ie. not studying the same book two years in a row).

How does the teacher cater for different year groups in the same class?

Since the curriculum is based on stages of learning from Kinder to year 10. Each stage builds on the next stage. Curriculum content is organised around key concepts and skills. Students revisit the same concepts every year but it is expected that over time students will develop deeper understandings and greater proficiency and competence in applying the skills and processes. For example students in stage 2 (years 3 & 4) focus on the same concepts in History. Students in stage 2 (years 3 & 4) also focus on the same skills in History. Students in year 3 are simply at the beginning of the stage and year 4 students are working towards the end of a stage. Students have two years to demonstrate achievement of the stage standards.

Why have composite classes?

Composite classes happen for a number of reasons. A school may have them due to uneven enrolments by age group – for example, there’s a larger than average intake of Year 3 and a smaller group of Year 4 enrollments.

In order to keep class size to the optimal number, the school may decide to run one Year 3 class and a Year 3 and 4 composite class to allow for two evenly sized classes.

Similarly, some schools have low enrolment numbers overall and may combine several grades to make up classroom numbers - this is more common in rural areas, where classes may be made up of children from a wider range of age groups.

They often arise due to small school sizes or uneven enrolment numbers across grades.

Will my child be disadvantaged being in a composite class? Will they fall behind?

The most common fear for parents having a child in a composite class is that they will fall behind – that the teacher's attention will be split between the two years and they’ll get less overall learning time with their teacher. The research, however, doesn’t agree.

Multiple studies conclude it makes no difference to performance whether students are in a straight year group or in a multi-age class. Experts agree the most important factor in determining how well a student does is the quality of the teacher and their teaching.

Additionally, it seems composite classes can actually enhance development; students becoming more confident and assertive, and learning to operate as part of a group while bolstering independent learning skills.

Benefits of Composite Classes

It’s often the case that older students benefit from the confidence boost that comes with being able to help younger learners, while also reinforcing their own learning. Conversely, younger pupils receive the advantage of contact with students who are able to help them with their work, as well as models for appropriate behaviour.

Both older and younger learners also find encouragement in the understanding that there are different levels of ability, and that they are not excluded or forgotten by being better or worse than others in a subject.

Composite classes can offer social and educational benefits, allowing students two years to achieve academic standards and learn at their own pace.

It is important to remember that even within one year group the ability of students ranges from below expected outcomes to beyond expected outcomes- teachers differentiate their content to deal with each class they have, not just composite classes.

As with any classroom- teacher experience and quality of teaching play crucial roles in the success of composite classes.

While some parents initially express concerns about stigma and academic outcomes, many end up comfortable with composite classes by the end of the year.

Is it better to be the older year or the younger year in a composite?

Composite classes have been shown to provide benefits to both the older and younger students in the class. Older students often take on a mentoring role, and benefit from helping younger students in co-operative learning situations, while younger students have the opportunity of enhanced learning experiences where they are ready for it.

Other key benefits of composite classes?

Older students are able to practice and reinforce their own skills as they teach them to younger students.
Older students provide a model of appropriate behaviour for the younger students – this also means less behaviour problems in the classroom because younger students integrate quickly into established class routines as modelled by the older students.
Younger students are able to seek help from a wider range of people rather than relying on the teacher to help them all the time.
Changing the focus of learning from achieving a certain ‘grade’ to individual personal best alters the nature of the learning experience to lead children to value learning and the learning process.
Students develop a greater respect for individual differences across the board.

What does the research show about the academic levels of students in composite classes?

Research by Professor John Hattie into the effect sizes of factors that influence achievement show that composite classes make no difference to the academic outcomes of students learning. The factor that has the largest influence by a very large margin is teacher quality.

Additionally, research concluded that composite classes can actually enhance development; students becoming more confident and assertive and learning to operate as part of a group while bolstering independent learning skills.

What about socially?

Children benefit enormously from having friends outside of their year group. Composites 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.

Teachers work collaboratively to plan their programs ensuring children in composite classes are provided regular opportunities to join their ‘same age’ peers in various learning situations, including in-class learning and other events and activities.

Consequently, students form wider friendship groups than would normally occur in a straight class. Evidence shows that most children quickly adapt to new classroom situations, developing new social connections while being provided opportunity to continue existing friendships. This opportunity helps build long term social skills while also assisting in building resiliency.

Still not sure a composite class is best for your child?

Firstly, we suggest talking to your child’s teacher to better understand how the class functions.

Secondly, give it a chance. The teachers have put hours of their time into designing each class to best meet the needs of each child- socially, academically and behaviourally. Disturbing this delicate balance may cause unforseen problems for your child (for example, they teachers may have separated them from another child that disturbs their learning- and by moving them they will be placed into the class with that child).

Lots of work goes into class formations- and sometimes you just have to hand your trust over to the teachers.