Mixed-age grouping and reception group

Mixed-age grouping has great potential to support children’s social and emotional learning. In a mixed-age
environment, younger children watch the older children perform a variety of complex tasks. The younger
children will try to work these activities out for themselves too. There is no competition and the child is truly
motivated to perform the task out of curiosity. On their part, the older children learn responsibility, exhibit
leadership skills and also collaborate with younger children, while at the same time building their own self-
confidence and self-esteem. They model turn taking and sharing and there usually are less conflict over toys and
equipment because different ages have different needs and interests.
Play is often more complex as older children extend younger children’s ideas or younger children follow the
ideas suggested and contribute to the play.
Young children are exposed to more advanced language levels and complexity, which develops their
communication skills. In turn, older children learn how to change their language, behavior and expectations to
meet the age of the children they’re playing with, and often become skilled at ‘reading’ and responding to
younger children’s non-verbal clues.
Shy and less confident preschoolers get the chance to mix with younger children to build their confidence. Over
time, this helps them interact with kids their own age and older. Children with developmental delays can also
benefit from playing with younger children who share their interests or abilities. Children also get the
opportunity to be part of a diverse group and become tolerant of others, with support from educators.
Educators adapt their teaching strategies to support children’s development and maximise the educational
benefits for the group. In this regard, the reception group (5 year old children), even though not being a separate
group from other children, serves as a transition to the early grades of primary school. Children from the
reception group have more small group learning opportunities, in which the class is divided into smaller groups,
led by an adult, to work on specific skills together, that involves input and collaboration from the kids. 
At this level, it`s very important that the children keep learning through play. Teachers will keep fuelling the
natural curiosity and enthusiasm of children. Parents must not be too concerned if their child says that they have
been playing all day – it just means that they have been lucky enough to have experienced staff who have made
their learning fun and enjoyable! As the Reception year progresses, the learning may start to become more
formal, ready for Grade 1.

Transitions are landmark events for children and have a definite impact on their emotional and academic
development. They are times of exciting change, new opportunities and growth for every child. However, they
can also be times of uncertainty where surroundings, expectations and procedures are different and key people
unfamiliar. Getting transition right is vital for every child and should be seen not as an event but a process that
involves children, practitioners and parents together. Children are far more likely to succeed if they are
comfortable in their learning environment. It can take many children a long time to adjust to new situations
which can have a negative impact on their emotional well-being and ability to learn.
That`s why grade 1 teachers must have a good understanding of the preschool curriculum to ensure a smooth
transition for the reception kids. Transition also relies on close respectful relationships between all the staff
involved in the process as well as families and the school.