Class size increase AIBU?

[ClassSize2022]

I’ve name changed for this.

we are in a school that is three form entry. One of the year groups in Juniors is being increased to four form entry to accommodate children coming from Ukraine and Hong Kong.

our children were all set and ready (had met their new teacher as classes were being changed). I’m not a NIMBY but 4 classes a year seems so high! we’ve been told
it will mean smaller class sizes but we think that’s only initially as the classes will be split up.

however it’s only one year group not the others. It’s inevitable as it seems the school has been told to do it by the LA.

But how do you think 4 form entry schools cope?

I am honestly puzzled with how your brain works that you think this such a problem that you have named changed and made a thread about this

Then you can afford to share it.

What impact on the kids? Marginally longer lunch queues? Slightly worse pupil:toilet ratios? Fractionally busier assemblies? One extra class in an already pretty large primary school is completely trivial and is hardly going to change the character of the school. My children go to a small single form entry school and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a bulge class, so long as they found a classsroom/portacabin for it and the extra staff needed were recruited.

As long as they have a classroom and a teacher I don’t understand what you imagine is going to be so awful. Bulge classes are entirely normal and round here the schools seem to take it in turns each year to have one - I’d grab a bulge class with both hands over mixed year classes or classes of 34/36.

Why has everyone latched onto why the class is being created? My concern is a 4 form entry year. The affect on other kids and how the school will accommodate it

Why not just ask the school, if you're that concerned? Or just trust that they know what they're doing - lots of schools have occasional bulge years, it's not unusual.

Well plenty of people have responded and been helpful, that’s why!

My DD class size will increase from September, as they are merging 2 classes, and it will become humongous class of 41 children! I am gobsmacked how is this allowed and seriously considering changing schools. This is Y5 in London. Only found out this today.
The smaller classes, the better discipline and teaching, imo.

There are 3 or 4 classes in every year group at DS's school, it's fine as they stick to the right teacher/pupil ratios for the year groups.
What is your actual concern?

Smaller class sizes. Extra funding. Hardly issues.

They wouldn’t have been selected if the school building didn’t have space.

4 classes isn’t exactly rare anyway.

Being the daughter of an immigrant does not mean you aren't a racist? Priti Patel manages to be both quite easily.

Telling people you're not a racist also doesn't mean your not a racist.

I think the our children is very telling, it's them and us for you?

What was your point that our children had met the new teacher? Really so what?

4 form entry compared to 3 is barely notable! You are being silly.

That’s good to know! That’s what I’m seeking to understand. Trust me I’m no Priti Patel. And ‘our’ children well the kids who are currently at school are ‘our’ children. I’m struggling to see why I should not have created a thread asking about our school going from a 3 form entry to a 4 form entry. To ask how that has impacted your children/ask what it’s like being in a large school.

I know the school have to do it but isn’t this a parent’s forum where you can ask these things?

When you say bulge year? Does that mean just one year? What happens with the other year groups?

OP as you are in a very affluent area with a state school with class sizes of under 30 yet still concerned about the number of classes maybe consider leaving the sector and investing in private education.

🤔😉

Surely how many classes there are is irrelevant? Better that than increasing the class sizes that would have an effect on your child's education the number of other classes and teachers in other rooms doesn't make a jot of difference. I'd be over the moon with the smaller class sizes! Strange thing to be bothered about.

Ask the school what their plans are for fitting the class in? They will have thought it through. The bulge year just means that year group have an extra class, then as they move up the school their year group continues to have an extra class (hopefully).

It's a much better situation than having split classes and trying to fit a few extra kids in in the class below/above.

Also loads of schools are naturally grown I h in this way anyway. Dd1 has started high school now but at the beginning it was a 3 form entry with 2 classes in each other year group. By the time she left it was 4 form entry and 3 classes in all other years. They've lost specialist teachers like outdoor learning and music and technology teachers to the classroom however still providing a super standard of education to dd2 and her peers. It's just the way it is. Population and housing is increasing faster than they can build new schools. It's the same pretty much everywhere. You need to pay private if you're not ok with it

Yes- an extra class to accommodate a bulge in the population. It just means one year group has one extra class and is larger than the others. It’s not unusual and I don’t think it’s any big deal. It doesn’t mean the school is suddenly 4 form entry.

If I wasn’t clear the classes are currently 30 and three classes. Then will go up to 4 and class sizes will come down. It’s a brilliant school and a wonderful team of teachers too.

Thank you for those who have answered my questions. I’ll leave it there!

Thank you for those who have answered my questions. I’ll leave it there!

In all the schools I've known with a bulge year that bulge continues up the school. So they've had an additional class in year 3 (for example) and then one in year 4, one in year 5 etc. In one school they moved to an increased entry for all years but, like a pp, that was due to significant increase in local population due to building a new estate.
Ukrainian refugees are not (as I understand it) being given indefinite leave to remain so this might not happen here as most of them are going to return as soon as it's feasible.
So it's possible that the bulge class will just be for one year but it will still be a bonus for that year.

The kids from Ukraine and Hong Kong will have lots of experience of being resilient in the face of war, political oppression and leaving your entire life behind.
I know you mean well with this statement, but most Ukrainian kids won't be role models for resilience. They (at least those who made it to the UK) usually had very sheltered, in British terms - middle class lives back home, that have collapsed literally overnight. My friend's DC hasn't said a single word since March, after spending 40+ days in the basement. Playgroups in Poland have "no balloons" sign on the doors, and someone has pointed on Facebook that it beats the famous Hemingway's baby shoes story as to the tragic brevity. Just to manage expectations. Some children are naturally very resilient, but there are some awful stories too, and plenty of children unable to cope. Everyone I know with SEN children, for example, sees such a massive regression now that it is almost unbelievable.

It is almost like these places are front line adversaries to some sort of an ambitious political block trying to revise the established world order through violence, including aggressive propaganda online. Nah, must be pure coincidence.

Ukrainian refugees are not (as I understand it) being given indefinite leave to remain so this might not happen here as most of them are going to return as soon as it's feasible.
Most will also have to move as soon as their 6 months with the sponsor expire. And even professional mums will probably struggle to rent or buy in OP's very affluent area with zero credit history and limited leave to remain.