To be considering private school at reception?

How many do they need to offer a wide range of GCSE subjects, each taught by a specialist teacher? I’d guess more than 40….

But would you pick this private school, with just 6 other kids in the class, over an outstanding state primary? (They do exist)

I personally wouldn’t.

I was attracted to one form entry/small class sizes when my kids were little. It is actually a long time to be stuck with the same group of children. One of my children had a couple of miserable years when the option to change class might have helped a difficult social dynamic.

If you really like the private school I might be inclined to try it for reception and KS1 where I think most kids are happy to make friends with whoever is there. And maybe look at moving to a larger school for KS2.

I would consider 40 in a year group at secondary school to be too small tbh. But I’ve had a DC who has had lots of friendship issues so that colours my experience. I’ve also had kids in a very small primary school - it’s sweet when they are young but an issue in the later primary years IME.

Starting with a disclaimer that I haven't read all of the responses.

The question in financially viability is entirely crucial. We experienced a small private school closing not long after we had moved our DS there. Your description is fairly reminiscent of that school, with particular regard to the smaller class sizes in the early years.

Previous posters have mentioned bullying and fall out being worse in smaller schools, I would agree with this. How much action is a school with so few pupils going to take?

It may be that your local small private school delivers everything we hoped ours was, but the reality we found was quite different. I had visions of a Blyton type affair, not teachers knowing every detail of theirs students lives (and gossiping about it), tennis courts that were forever 'due to be cleaned' and buildings on the wane.

Best wishes with whatever you decide, I'd definitely go for State in this scenario

Unless you are absolutely minted, I'd save my money for secondary. I never understand why parents send their children to private nursery and reception - or even primary most of the time.

Children in reception are basically learning through play and in my experience they happily do this in the state system. State secondary schools are more hit and miss and I'd rather spend money (though I never had enough!) on making sure my children didn't get their education wrecked by disruptive fellow students at that point.

If you think it's so hard to choose, I'd say go with state school and save the ££

I'd only consider paying ££ for private school if I felt it would be money well spent

I'd also be concerned about the very small
class sizes at the private school. The may rarely be any problems but if there are there is no where for your child to get away.

You are also limiting them hugely with regards to friendship choices. My eldest son started school in a small, one form entry private school. All the other boys like football, he didn't, he therefore had no one else to play with. He then had issues with a couple of boys. Couldn't get away from them. Was miserable. We moved him to a three form entry private school and he has never looked back.

I guess it would be fine until there was a problem.

The financial side would also worry me. With the cost of living crisis and the concern over the possible 20% increase in fees many people with kids at private school will have to re think.

I'd pick the state school or a larger private school.

But equally, you could consider state at first and then move to the private school as the class sizes get bigger (UKS2). That might give you the best of both worlds.

I think it's tough because of the size of the private school classes. I have 2 DC. DC1 is in Y8 in a local private school - there are 18 children in her class. DC2 is in Y4 in a state primary in a class of 30. The plan will be for her to join her sister in Y7 (DC1 went to the same primary).

I teach in KS1 and have 31 children this year. With the best will in the world, I can't give them the attention they all need especially as I have a lot of children with additional needs this year. I think the best size is around 15 children but if I had to choose (and money was no object) I would probably go for the smaller class size.

Not the point of the thread, but: Am I the only one who is baffled by people saying “private prep”? Surely that’s tautologous? Preps are private…?!

I don’t have any feelings about private vs state as such because there are fantastic state schools and awful private schools, and vice versa.

But I strongly agree with others who’ve said that small class sizes, whilst very attractive to parents who are concerned about their DC getting overlooked, can be a double-edged sword for children. Classes of 30 aren’t necessarily ideal but it is 29 potential friends!

We are in the 3 tier system. Lovely village first school, 30/class. DD went there until the end of Y4, then joined the private prep school in a nearby town (much smaller classes).

Maybe look at the possibilities for joining the private school later on?

My children are all at private school , I have one pretty average, one very quiet artsy but not brilliant at core subjects and one gifted and talented (& a 2 year old who will be going) they cater for all of them brilliantly... honestly if you can afford private school it's a great investment in your child's future , imo x

That’s tiny. I’d check financial viability of the school too.

I mean you can still go for it but it is so small

I would say it depends entirely on your DC... If private school with very small class sizes had been an option for DS10 I would have jumped at the chance - he has SEN, struggles in large groups and needs lots of support with his school work. DD8 however, thrives in a busy class with lots of different children. She would have been miserable in a tiny class!

If I were in your position, I would perhaps give the state school a go for the first year and then re-evaluate at the end of reception when you will have a feel for how your DC is finding it.

Good luck!

I would start state - you can always move private if it doesn’t suit, but you won’t be able to move the other way.
we moved our DC away from private because the year group was getting so small (9). No chance to get away if you don’t get on with someone

Our youngest is in reception in a prep school. We absolutely couldn't be happy with everything she has on offer there. However, I have other children in the state sector so I don't think it's a question of state bad, private good. I would be quite nervous about such a small school in the current financial climate. I would also worry about social opportunities.

My experience is absolute chaos in the state system. If I had the money I’d choose private across the board from prep to a levels.

Well we don't. Everyone will have different experiences but in my experience, pastoral, academic and safeguarding are all much better in state.

If only you knew 🤣

Same- go state