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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be worried about a small school

51 replies

Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 22:12

More of a question really, posting for traffic

Just wondering if anyone on here has experience of coming from a really small village school? I currently have 2 children at one and the class sizes are tiny although they mix years so we don't get the benefits that would normally bring. We have the opportunity to move them to a much bigger school but I'm having a wobble. Our reason for considering this is that we feel it may better prepare our children for senior school having more friends to go up with but we do like their current school so are torn

So people that went to small schools, do you think it helped you or held you back later on?

OP posts:
Greyworm · 11/07/2019 22:13

How small is the school? How many classes?

separatebeds · 11/07/2019 22:21

My children started at a small village school. 65 in whole school with mixed classes. They had a very good start to their education. Strong focus on reading, hand writing and maths. friendship pool was small but at that age they seemed to make do and get along. If your children are happy with a few friends and you like the school then leave them where they are. Swapping to a big primary will not necessarily equal and easier transition to senior school.

livingthegoodlife · 11/07/2019 22:23

I'd stay. We are in a huge school which comes with its own problems.

threadneedle · 11/07/2019 22:29

My dd moved from a medium sized school to a very small village school when we moved. The small school was fantastic, lovely family atmosphere as dd knew every child in the school by name, and she did very well academically as she got a lot more individual attention then in the larger school.

Dontbestupidagain · 11/07/2019 22:31

we feel it may better prepare our children for senior school having more friends to go up with

I wouldn't move for that reason. My DC go to a small school. Only two of them from his year went to his secondary. They say hi to each other at school but are not friends. I think being in a small school has given my DC confidence to be themselves having come from somewhere so inclusive.

Small schools come with unique challenges but so do big ones. If your DC are happy and you feel that they are getting a good education then why would you move to the unknown.

Summertimeatthebeach · 11/07/2019 22:32

Mine ended up in a small school (90ish) when we moved and travelling to old one became a burden.. Dd's are up at secondary now, no issues at all. Ds's still at primary. All pupils are known by teachers and all pupils alike. Ds 4 is popular with all years and has boosted him no end! Prob not a move I would have specifically made but def was the right one!!

Stroan · 11/07/2019 22:40

I went to a tiny primary school, around 25 kids. There were 3 of us in my class and we had two teachers. One for P1-3 and the headteacher taught P4-7.

Academically, it didn't do me any harm at all. We had so much 1-1 time and could work at our own level. I often did the work that the next class up were doing, bit that was easy for the teachers as they were teaching both if that makes sense?

There was zero bullying and I remember everyone being very well behaved. We all played together at breaks regardless of age. It was pretty idyllic really.

I would say that I was pretty shy on starting high school and found it hard to mix with much bigger classes at first. If DD was going to a similar sized school, I would push her to do as many extra activities as possible to boost her confidence. (Not many activities available in rural Scotland in the early 90s!)

Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 22:48

Thank you, that's where my heart is at the moment. The school has about 100 kids. It was absolutely the right thing for them at the start but my dd's year now has 10 in and only 1 of those she is properly friends with. I worry she is limited with her friendship group. Ds is fine friends wise but will be going into a class with 3 different year groups (very outing but passed caring now lol)
We were completely set on moving, the kids were fine and we know the other school through friends but their current school had an event on today and seeing them all together has made me reconsider. Do you think mix age classes work?

OP posts:
mrsjackrussell · 11/07/2019 22:51

My children went to a very small school. Less than 10 in each year. It was fantastic and they had the best start. I was slightly worried when they went to senior school but they had no problems fitting in at all.

Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 22:51

@Stroan thank you. Dd does do a lot of after school stuff and is good at making friends but spends a lot of play times on her own. She says through choice as she likes being on her own but I'm just not sure if that's because she doesn't have a wide enough friend pool

OP posts:
Dontbestupidagain · 11/07/2019 22:54

They can work and they can't work. Exactly the same as non-mixed would. They offer flexibility for differing learning ability and also levels of emotional maturity.

Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 22:54

Oh god I've geared them both up for this and now think I've changed my mind! Poor kids will be so confused. The bigger school did have a lot more on offer in terms of class trips, music opportunities etc but the current one does have a sort of family feel. From a very selfish point of view, I love the friendship group I've made too trying not to let that influence me though

OP posts:
mrsjackrussell · 11/07/2019 22:56

Yes I definitely think that mixed age classes work. If they were more advanced at our school they would work with the year above. I would think a smaller class equals more attention thus a better education.
As for going up to senior school with friends the friends may not be in the same classes anyway and they would make new friends too.

Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 22:56

@Greyworm 100ish kids, 4 classes

OP posts:
Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 22:59

@mrsjackrussell I can see that I guess its just we felt our dd lost out a bit this year as the younger, more needy kids seem to get most the focus. She will always be with the younger ones too as the class above her is too big to mix with

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manicinsomniac · 11/07/2019 23:00

If you can see pros and cons to both, how about letting them choose?

What do you think they would say?

lyralalala · 11/07/2019 23:02

I think as long as it’s a school that is used to mix classes and it’s not 20 kids in the whole school then usually the negatives are outweighed by the positives in small schools

ScoobySnacker · 11/07/2019 23:05

Dd was at a very small school of 80 ish. We moved her in Year 4 to a larger school so that she would have a friendship group for secondary (none from her small school were going to the secondary we wanted). It was the best thing for her and worked out well. She never looked back.

drspouse · 11/07/2019 23:08

My DS is just moving to a small school, come back in a year's time and ask again!
He does better in a smaller group (it is mixed years so not smaller classes but e.g. less noisy outside, often one year will do something in a different space).
He is already good with younger children (very caring and helpful) so I think the close access to younger years will be nice for him.

The outdoor space is amazing, and the school is quite relaxed (slightly longer day so more playtime, non-uniform).

drspouse · 11/07/2019 23:10

By the way the school is a church school and there's a big church secondary locally. So I think they mainly go there i.e. only 15 in a year but if 10 go there they will have that cohort.

Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 23:16

@manicinsomniac we have included them quite a bit, ds is keen to move but he is quite resilient and we aren't sure if its genuine or his coping mechanism knowing we were keen. Dd is up for it but would be happier knowing she was staying. But shes a creature of habit and nectar year would be with her favourite teacher so a bit biased. She doesn't like being with the younger ones either. Its difficult.
Thank you @ScoobySnacker, it's just so hard to know where they would be happiest. To make it harder DS's space is unlikely to be there for long so cant even give it 1 more year where they are to see

OP posts:
Mintychoc1 · 11/07/2019 23:16

DS1 went to a small primary school - about 80 kids - and is now in year 9 in the big local secondary. He loved his little school but had no problem at all adjusting to a large secondary.

Mintychoc1 · 11/07/2019 23:18

If your kids are happy where they are, why move them?

Original poster
Frazzledmum123 · 11/07/2019 23:19

@drspouse yes their school is quite relaxed too which I like and ds will have a few from his year go with him to secondary I'm sure but dd I doubt will, we don't live in the same catchment as most.

OP posts:
HellYeah90s · 11/07/2019 23:19

I went to a small school (rural area in NZ) it had 25 kids when I started, peaked at about 40 when I left.

I wouldn't say I hated it, but I was pleased to leave.

There were issues in that there were only three class rooms so there was different age groups (up to year 8) but on the plus, there were only about 15ish kids.

There were about three girls in my year and maybe 4 boys. I wouldn't say there was bullying but it was very clique, and you had to get on with them even if you had nothing common otherwise you wouldn't have any friends.

HOWEVER you didn't have to share the playground and field with many kids, you got close with all the teachers, there was no uniform, it was easier for school trips and organise sport. Easier to share resources (computers, paint etc)

Most significantly I am dyslexic but I got one on one time with TA because of the low pupils.