Not to invite the whole class?

[buffersandbumpers]

Eldest DC just started Reception so I'm new to all this etiquette stuff. I basically don't want to invite the entire class as a) I don't know half of them or their parents; b) I don't want to spend a lot of money and c) experience of 1 mum who had a party today who did invite the whole class , was that only 2 people RSVP'd. I just want it to be small, with DC's friends and family, but I don't want to upset other parents at this early stage! Can anyone tell me what the score is?
Class is 13 in total (small rural village).

Invite the 13, in a small area yoi should get to know the friends parents and parties are great way, invite them in on drop off and collection for cup of tea sandwich, I knew no one at all as moved just before school started, but within year had settled very easily,

Also put your mobile on invites, and save numbers as people ring you, I still have names as sarahs mum sandra, makes it easy when little rasher is looking for play dates

In a class of 13 I would say you need to invite less than 7 or all of them in order for it not to seem like you are leaving people out

hmmm... if you don't invite the lot then you must keep the class invites small, under 6 ideally. All-the-class rarely happens here, but you may have a different culture locally.

Agree with lljkk, I'm not one that believes you have to invite everyone but you can't just leave out 2 or 3.....well that is what I think anyway. I have a small class like this myself and that would be seriously upsetting! However, if you have the small party you intend to it will be fine. I totally understand what a nightmare it is!

I don't believe in whole class invites really (as long as it's not a tiny amount left out)

But 13 is about the normal amount for a party anyway imo

My kids have about 30 kids in their class and we used to invite about 12 or 13 kids.

Yes 13 isn't that many at all...if your child wants two or three children then that's ok though.

13 children? Invite them all I'm afraid.

I have never had more than 6 children to a party,and after that I only ever invited one or two friends for a birthday tea/treat.

In my opinion your child enjoys it more with special friends rather than having people there that they don't necessarily get along with the rest of the time.

It would be awful for only one or two to be left out ,though, if you do go down the "big" party road.

Thanks all for your posts. It looks like my instincts are right: just invite the 4-5 people she genuinely wants there, plus a couple of friends she's got from outside school. I absolutely don't want anyone to feel left out but likewise I don't want a bunch of children there who DD doesn't particularly bother with. Of note, there are only 3 other girls in the class and she wants to invite them and a couple of boys, so no girls will be left out which I think is important.

Mmmbacon: I know it's important to get to know the other parents and I like your idea about inviting them home. Unfortunately I won't be in a position to do this as I work so it's the nanny that will do it until I finish next summer. I probably know about half just thru normal village life which is nice.