Any advice re; small school vs larger one for HE child???

[becaroo]

Hello.

My ds1 has been Home Educated since January this year due to serious issues with his old school.

We feel he needs to have a staged return to formal education and are looking at 2 local schools...(going to see them both on friday.

One is a really small village school with only 49 pupils in mixed age classes. I feel this would be good for ds1.

The other is larger - 150 pupils - and I have met with that HT already and was impressed with her attitude to me, my ds1 and the help he will need to return to a school environment.

Have any of you had experience with either type of school and what were the pros and cons IYO?

Thanks!

[IndigoBell]

Both schools are small!

My experience is that a larger one is better than a smaller one (but I'm talking about a 1 form entry vs a 3 form entry) because:

• they have more TAs etc
  
• they are able to put your child in a diff class from the child who winds him up.
  
• they have more experience of SEN

[Saracen]

My home educated daughter went to a small village school for a term last year. It was a good choice for her. She didn't choose to stay, but I don't think she'd have stayed at a big school any longer! If I had it to do over again, I'd definitely choose the same school.

Pros:

• small classes
  
• she was treated as an individual. Because of the mixed-year classes, the teacher HAD to differentiate and therefore was used to differentiating.
  
• in a mixed-year class it was less obvious how the children compared to each other academically and physically.
  
• very friendly: everyone noticed we were new and made us welcome
  
• mixing among different ages
  
• smaller classes
  
• she felt very confident from day one because it was so easy to learn her way around. She wasn't likely to get lost. Within a couple of weeks she knew every staff member and every child.
  
  Cons:
  
• little choice in after-school clubs or musical instruments
  
• EVERYBODY gets roped in to do PTA work!
  
• not our local school, so dd's new friends didn't live round the corner
  
• transport: the only good way to get her to school was by car. I always worried that the car wouldn't start!
  
• lack of diversity. Almost 100% white British, most families quite well off, and only one child with a recognised SEN at the school

[Saracen]

My home educated daughter went to a small village school for a term last year. It was a good choice for her. She didn't choose to stay, but I don't think she'd have stayed at a big school any longer! If I had it to do over again, I'd definitely choose the same school.

Pros:

• small classes
  
• she was treated as an individual. Because of the mixed-year classes, the teacher HAD to differentiate and therefore was used to differentiating.
  
• in a mixed-year class it was less obvious how the children compared to each other academically and physically.
  
• very friendly: everyone noticed we were new and made us welcome
  
• mixing among different ages
  
• smaller classes
  
• she felt very confident from day one because it was so easy to learn her way around. She wasn't likely to get lost. Within a couple of weeks she knew every staff member and every child.
  
  Cons:
  
• little choice in after-school clubs or musical instruments
  
• EVERYBODY gets roped in to do PTA work!
  
• not our local school, so dd's new friends didn't live round the corner
  
• transport: the only good way to get her to school was by car. I always worried that the car wouldn't start!
  
• lack of diversity. Almost 100% white British, most families quite well off, and only one child with a recognised SEN at the school

[becaroo]

Thanks saracen!

Whichever school ds1 decides on its a short car journey for us so I am not too worried about that side of things.

I am really struggling with this decision...at the end of the day ds1 must decide but I feel as his parents we need to tell him our views and give our reasoning for those views.

Re; your pros list...
I feel ds1 would really benefit from all those things.

Re: your cons list...
Not too worried about after school stuff as he does things 3 x per week and on saturdays.
Dont mind helping out with PTA.
ds1 has been dumped by all his old friends since we began HE and none of them lived that close anyway.
The diversity issue is not a big deal either as the tiny school caters for traveller families for some of the year so not all the pupils are middle class.

The one thing that worries me is that ds1 has got issues with literacy - not dyslexic apparently - just very little confidence due to his experiences at his last school. He is not at the level he "should" be wrt the NC...I do wonder whether he will get more help/better access to SENCO at a larger school???

Sigh.

[ragged]

DC attend a school of 350 pupils, most of them in mixed age classes. School size hardly precludes mixed age classes, and they stream for maths and somewhat for literacy, so lots of differentiation.

Bigger friendship pool at big school.
See what literacy scheme each school uses, DC school uses ReadWriteInc which I quite like, is not universal.

[becaroo]

ragged I had never heard of mixed age classes before monday!!!

I think the decider for us will be the support available for him wrt literacy.

Thanks x

[mrsscoob]

I would say don't stress about it now, just see what your gut tells you on Friday.

I have been thinking/obsessing about which school I wanted my child to go to for ages, I thought I had made up my mind, until I went to visit them. All the schools were nice but one in particular really stood out for me and I loved it. I read all the reports, league tables, weighed up all the pros and cons but nothing is as good as visiting the school yourself. Good luck Friday, let us know how you get on.

[JustDoMyLippyThenWeWillGo]

My dd been at both sizes of school. My view is that it really depends on the headteacher, and teaching staff. Consistency of teacher is also a consideration, and staff turnover.

I would ask if there are any plans for, e.g. good headteacher to leave, as we moved to be near a good school, but very good h/t left suddenly and all to pot after that.

Agree about a gut feeling too. And also that a amll school should be better able to be aware of any specific needs and be used to offering different levels of support within the same class. Good luck

[becaroo]

Thanks everyone....will let you know how I get on tomorrow.

I just dont want to get it wrong again, you know? Really feel I let him down last time

Should also have mentioned (although I am not sure I set any store by them) that the OFSTED results are better for the smaller school.

[JenaiMwahHaHaHaaaaah]

Small schools do not necessarily have small classes (hence mixed year groups).

Larger pool of potential friends (as previously mentioned).

One advantage of a larger school is that, with a larger staff, there's a greter chance that if your dc's teacher isn't used to dealing with x,y or z then at least one of her colleagues might be, if that makes sense. You're also more likely to have specialists who can lead curriculum development across the school.

A few DCs have recently been pulled out of a small school locally (similar size to the one the OP describes). Partly because one or two (ahem) strong characters (pupils) were dominating far too much (their impact would have been lessened in a larger school) and related to that, because of friendship issues (the small pool thing).

Small schools can seem all lovely and cosy - and often are. But they can also be claustraphobic - particularly for older DCs.

[becaroo]

Yes I can see that Jenai....the school I mentioned has a juniors class of 15...only 4 other year 3 children!

With my ds1 I am really unsure....he gets so anxious in large groups and in large buildings/spaces. He also will need lots of help/encouragement when he first starts back and - rightly or wrongly - I suppose I think the smaller school would be better for that aspect of it??

[becaroo]

Right, been to both schools now and I am no further ahead!!!!! aargghh!!!!

Both seem good schools (OFSTED slightly better for smaller school but I am not too bothered by that)

Both HT were very welcoming and supportive whihc, as a HE parent for the last year I really wasnt expecting. Both HT happy for ds1 to have a "phased return" which also came as a (nice) surprise.

Both have said ds1 will get any help he needs wrt literacy.

Small school is VERY small but all the kids play together - right from reception to year 5 - and there are only 15 kids in the Juniors class with 1 teacher and 1 TA.
It has a small library and uses laptops for ICT. Small kitchen area for when they do cooking.
Large playground at the front, field at the back, a covered area and large climbing frame etc.

Larger school has quite a small playground too but does have a main hall for PE. About 30 kids in the year 3 class there with 1 teacher and 1 TA. Both my nephews go there.

Sigh. ds1 and dh coming with me to look round them both later.....think it will be down to ds1 to see which he prefers.

Will let you know what he decides

[AMumInScotland]

I think if you can't choose between them, it probably boils down to "actually either would be fine" so try not to fret too much. See which one DS fancies, and let him go there - that helps him to feel "in control" of the situation too, which will help him to want to go there and make it work.

[BlooKangaWonders]

can't help thinking that a school of only 49 is too small. I'd be too wary of repetition and lack of friends. My dc go to a school of 150 and I love that it's small and mixed classes mean they have friends from different year groups, but I personally wouldn't like much smaller!

Good luck!

[becaroo]

Hello all.

Decision made. He wants to go to the larger school.

Am glad although both schools are good.

Thanks so much all for your input

[Saracen]

That's great, I hope he enjoys it! When is he starting?

[becaroo]

Not sure yet...hopefully wont be too long. am excited but worried, you know?