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Original poster

Very small secondary school

38 replies

SheWoreYellow · 17/03/2022 15:08

Any cons that I’ve missed?

DS could go to a school with just 50 in each year. It will suit him in many ways. The other choice is the other end of the spectrum, and really large. Both are private.

So far I am thinking small could mean:

Less choice of friends
Less chance of interesting after school clubs due to numbers
I need to check about whether they stream for maths

Facilities look fine.

Anything else I’ve missed?

OP posts:
OutlookStalking · 17/03/2022 16:45

Wow that's tiny!

Original poster
SheWoreYellow · 17/03/2022 16:43

Thanks all!

The other thing is, he hasn’t actually got a place anywhere else, only the small one, although he has passed two assessments and is on their waiting lists. One I don’t think he has a hope of getting into, so I’m discounting it.

OP posts:
Original poster
SheWoreYellow · 17/03/2022 16:41

It aims to keep small. So it has a waiting list but says it will never go over current numbers. It’s been how it is for a good while as far as I’m aware.

GCSE options look fine - a few in addition to the obvious ones.

Good point about sports teams. DS is good at sport but hasn’t really had the opportunity to get good at anything.

The other school has 2,500 pupils, so is large.

OP posts:
HerbErtlinger · 17/03/2022 16:40

As others have said, GCSE options. My DD in at a small secondary with 90 in her year group and she's loving it. She's made so many new friends and goes to a different after school club every day. The school is part of s trust and some of her GCSEs may have to be accessed at their sister school but the school provides the transport to lessons if that would be the case and the benefits of her attending the smaller school, for her, outweigh the slight inconvenience. She's like a different child since starting in September

TeenPlusCat · 17/03/2022 16:33

What do you call 'really large'' about the other school?
Private schools don't tend to be large by state standards on the whole.

DD's comp had 250 per year for example. Is your other option even bigger than that?

GU24Mum · 17/03/2022 16:31

It would probably also depend why it was that small - rural area and/or just has been that size for ages is one thing; used to be 120 in a year and on a slide down, not great; 8-13 school which has just expanded to run to 16, could mean it's on the up but you just have a smaller year group.

My gut feel is that, everything else being equal, 50 is a bit too small.

caulkheaded · 17/03/2022 16:18

Two local schools of that size have merged recently - one with a much larger school and one with a similar size. Both moved site which would be a pain if it’s significantly further. I don’t think you can find out if it’s going to happen but something to be aware of.

ItsaMeanOldScene · 17/03/2022 16:12

My youngest son went to a secondary school of similar size - he needed to access the special educational needs unit attached. It worked for him. However I noticed the range of GCSE choices was poor, the school offered only limited extra curricular and few team sports. This was why his rugby loving elder brother went elsewhere. Also good teachers tended to leave for promotion (as promotion within the school was limited due to size). Finally you always had that feeling that the school might close.

ChicCroissant · 17/03/2022 15:58

The lack of GCSE options would be the main one for me as well, I would check that before even entertaining the idea of it. It could be really limiting.

Reluctantadult · 17/03/2022 15:50

Was going to mention gcse options choices, which might be narrow. And, do they have a sixth form. Needing to make be friends at 16-18 can be a tricky time for some.

Beamur · 17/03/2022 15:46

I'd ask about the range of GCSE options.
Also after school/lunch clubs .

Original poster
SheWoreYellow · 17/03/2022 15:45

Good points, thanks! I will ask how about the boy:girl ratio.

OP posts:
TeddyTonks · 17/03/2022 15:11

Fewer or lower standard sports teams -if that's his thing
More chance of a skewed-sex year. Eg if there are 35 girls and only 15 boys potentially very limited pool of friends if he's a 'lads lad' or vice versa if he prefers the company of girls