Guide for teachers
How to make a fair seating plan
Start with the pupils who need a particular seat. Then decide how to arrange the rest of the class, leaving room to change pairings that do not work in practice.
Start with the non-negotiables
Before randomising anything, list the pupils who need a specific seat: those who need to be near the front or the board, near a door, away from a distraction, or near a teaching assistant. Seat them first, then fill the rest of the room around them.
Randomise the rest
For the remaining seats, a random shuffle can give you a starting point. Check the pairings before pupils arrive. Swap pupils where you need to, and keep the reasons for individual adjustments private.
Decide what the plan is for
A plan can be about behaviour, about mixing, or about learning names. If the aim is behaviour, you may want to place pupils deliberately; if it is mixing, randomise and rotate. Knowing the aim stops you tinkering with it endlessly.
Change it on a schedule
Review the plan when it stops helping the class, or at a regular point such as half term. Explain the routine to pupils. Keep individual access needs in place when you move other seats.
Make it easy to follow
Put the plan on the board or screen as pupils arrive and have pupils sit down at the start of the lesson without negotiation. Keep a copy yourself, since it helps with registers, cover teachers and learning names. A supply teacher with a seating plan has a far easier lesson.
Should seating plans be random?
A random start is a fair default, with pupils who have specific needs seated first. You can then adjust a few seats by hand.
How often should I change a seating plan?
Most teachers change it every half term, or sooner if a particular arrangement isn't working.