STAFFING IN SCHOOLS

Staffing in schools is based off the number of students enrolled across all grades K-6. Depending on the number of students per grade, schools are required to create and form the number of classes within their staffing allocation. 

This year we have had to create two composite classes to fit within our staffing allocation. Due to this, we wanted to provide the community with some additional information.

Composite Classes – Information for parents 

What if my child is in a composite class? 

Various studies into class structures have concluded that there is no difference in the academic performance of students attributed to single year vs composite class structures. Research does show far more important factors that influence student performance include the quality of teaching and teacher/student relationships. 

At Artarmon Public School we tend to have composite classes primarily dictated by the variability in grade enrolments. Staffing is calculated on the TOTAL number of enrolments in the school, not the number of students in a particular year. School’s will regularly need to from composite classes because of the number of students per grade. In many schools composite classes are the preferred model because they support a stage based view of learning rather than an age based approach. When we focus on the age or class year group some students will find their work too hard and some too easy.  

No class, whether composite or not, should be viewed as a "single year class" due the wide disparity in age, physical development, cognitive development and social development that naturally occurs in each grade level. Every class then is a composite class filled with students with different learning needs, rates of learning, interests and strengths at different points in terms of their progress and achievement depending on what they are learning. 

Is a composite class an ‘A’ class? 

No. 'Streaming' students (i.e. forming classes by perceived ability) is not supported by the research. Nor would we create a composite class consisting of advanced younger students and place them with older students needing remediation. These practices are outdated and not supported by the research and can have a negative impact on student engagement and academic achievement. 

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

The curriculum is based on stages of learning from Kindergarten to year 10. Each stage builds on the next stage. These stages cover 2 years of primary school. Curriculum content is organised around key concepts and skills within these stages.  

Kindergarten covers the Early Stage 1 Curriculum

Year 1 and 2 cover the Stage 1 Curriculum

Year 3 and 4 cover the Stage 2 Curriculum

Year 5 and 6 cover the Stage 3 Curriculum

The content in a Stage composite such as a Year 1/2 or Year 5/6 , follows the curriculum of the respective Stage. 

In every single classroom, teachers cater for different instructional needs in the key learning areas by using assessment of their students and addressing their level of learning. Assessments help students, teachers and parents to better understand where the student is now and the next steps in learning. This process assists all students to be challenged and supported in their learning regardless of their year group or stage of learning. This process is called the teaching and learning cycle. The below diagram demonstrates the cycle visually. 

How will being placed in a composite impact on my child? 

Research, shows there is no discernible difference between composite and 'straight' year group classes in terms of academic performance because every class is a composite class. 

In our experience most parents who express concerns about their child being placed in a composite class at the beginning of the year are happy for their child to be placed in a similar class in the following year. Some children take longer to settle in any class but this can be due to factors other than being placed in a composite class.