Would you be happy for your DS with this set up?

[icarriedawatermelon2]

Reception class with just 8 children, all boys.
This could change through out the years, but currently just boys and only 8 in the class.

Yes, I'd be happy. Small class size, probability of similar interests, all good as long as the teacher is comfortable with boys and not deploying spectacularly girly teaching tactics.

Doesn't sound like a problem to me - there are loads of dedicated single-sex schools out there and I don't think the kids in them have any problems later....

I might be worried if I had a girl, but would have thought your DS will be fine. In small schools they mix up a lot between the year groups, so he'll meet girls in other years.

What a lovely small class size. Neither of mine has ever been in a class of less than 29 I don't think.

So, you would think this is better than a class of 30 mixed?

Many moons ago my DS was in a tiny primary school and like you there were only 6 boys in his class. He was in yr 1 and in the same classroom there were 3, a boy and 2 girls, in reception. It sounded wonderful when we started we'd moved from London but the reality was that there just wasn't enough happening to keep him interested. The teacher and the classroom assistant did not seem able to differentiate the work according to ability and let?s face it you can?t have a top middle and bottom table with only six in the class. All 6 sat together and as there were two naughty boys they basically had a captive audience; they were not diluted down/lost on the crowd IYSWIM and dominated the whole thing. The numbers had been static for years (35 -40 in the whole school) and we left after 1 year as did two others.

Eight children in a class is too small for quite a lot of activities a teacher might want to put into action. Also it doesn't give a lot of leeway IMO. Is yr DS a boys' boy? IME a lot of boys like footy and other sports, and if you didn't and were in such a small class, it might be tricky.

Is this a state school? How is it able to run with such a small class? Are you sure they are not taught mixed in with yr 1? (which I don't have a problem with btw, just that if it is so, it will change your query).

I wouldn't be worried about being single sex but yes the class size would not exactly concern me but make me seek further information. My DD was offered a scholarship to a fairly new independent school in reception and would have been in a class of 6 pupils. This concerned us enough to decide to keep her at her infant school. There were only 8 pupils older throughout the whole school and our child only had to fall out (as they do), with a couple of classmates and this could have caused her to become an outcast.

The variables are important here. We were more than happy for our son to move to an all male year 7 group in a coed prep because there were plenty more pupils to mix with.

On both counts, we made the right choice for our DC. Your instincts will ensure you make the right choice for your DS.

My ds started in a class of 4, 3 boys 1 girl in the 3 years it's about doubled but the 3 boys are still best friends it's really nice.

DS1 is in a class of 11, with only a few girls - We are very happy with the standard and variety of the teaching. The boys seem to all get on very well, although he is better friends with just a couple of them.

For the non-academic subjects - Drama, PE etc they do join the classes on occasion which allows bigger groups activities.

DS2 has 12 in his class, although there are a few more girls, and again we are more than happy with their education.

I'd be slightly concerned about the numbers because the dynamics don't work so well and if one child falls out with another he may fall out with the lot and be quite isolated. Would also be concerned at the numbers getting even smaller if other parents have concerns and pull out. My dd's school normally has a two class intake but in her year the numbers were low with only 20 girls starting reception. The school decided to run one class rather than two but split them in the morning for certain activities (reading, maths) and then put them back together for anything creative, games, and PE. Has worked really well so far and they get the best of both worlds with lots of individual attention for important stuff and lots of fun for the fun stuff .

Do you have any alternatives lined up if you don't go with this set up?

I had classes of twelve for three years whilst working in a pre-prep, academically the children did brilliantly, and you could tell and be there instantly if someone was having difficulties with some work.

Socially was a real issue for some children though, and I had many mums coming to me to discuss friendship problems. The worst was when every child except one was invited to a birthday party - the place they were going had a limit of twelve and the child concerned had one sibling, so the mum calmly didn't invite the least popular child in the class! Very cruel, and impossible to hide in a class that size.

Yes! My DS has a similar class (though more mixed). The whole pre prep play together in the playground and make friends very easily across the years. It's lovely!

I think that I would need more information.

Is it a boys school? If not then any boy heavy year tends to have worse behaviour than the mixed ones around it. An entirely male class is unlikely to attract parents of girls easily, so this will be an odd dynamic going through the school.

Is it a private school? If so, then a low number of pupils is always a worry, and I would check out what the numbers are like elsewhere in the school. Do check out the Charity Commission website or similar for the accounts of the school.

I once taught a small class (15) in a v rural Local Authority school, to be honest I didn't like the dynamic of a small class, as it made the whole thing too informal, but your son will be able to get a lot more attention. What about it are you concerned about?

This is a prep school. I think low numbers are just due to the financial cost, they are offering a bursery....I think to keep us as numbers are low!

Our local primary is excellent, but full to bursting with 30 in each class and waiting lists.

I worry as if we go to the state primary, he will have lots of friends and really be part of the community. His prep class mates are not really gelling now in Kindi, lots of physical behaviour, although the school are very strong on behaviour, but he hasn't yet found a special friend. He really likes girls so it worrys me that there will not be any!

On the otherhand, this is a chance of a lifetime.......we couldn't afford it otherwise.

"I think low numbers are just due to the financial cost, they are offering a bursary....I think to keep us as numbers are low!"

This is a clear sign that the school is in financial difficulty I am afraid. Have you looked at the financial accounts? Did they do a full means test on you to see what you could afford, or were you just given a discount to keep you at all costs? Bear in mind if you give up the state primary place, there may not be places if the prep school goes under.

You owe it to your son to make sure that you understand the set up of the school that you are sending him to. Who owns it? Do they have the means to weather a downturn in pupils?

I wouldn't be happy with it and wouldn't put any of my children in a class that small. I agree that it can be academically advantageous but I think that it is too limiting socially especially if the class is likely to remai that size until year 6.

You say that it is the chance of a lifetime and also that the state school is excellent. I have to be honest and say that a class of 8 in a school which is offering bursaries at pre prep level doesn't sound like the chance of a lifetime at all. It sounds like a school struggling to stay afloat and I would run a mile, sorry.

No, I wouldn't be happy. Agree with others it sounds a bit desperate and could go tits up. Although 8 in a class might sound great (everyone is always banging on about small class sizes being the bee's knees), it's far too small IMO. I think 15+ is better. For group work, friendships, teams etc. Imagine 7 children having 'hard sums' and 1 child still working on 2 + 1, there's no hiding it and a bit demoralising.

Like others I'd be looking very carefully at the financial position of the school. We made enquiries about a school which had similarly small classes and liked it enough to let DD go for an assessment after which she was offered a place. We actually accepted a place at another school which she (and we) preferred. The week before term started the head phoned and offered us a non-means tested "scholarship" of 30% if we sent DD. Thankfully we didn't take it (the offer prompted us to check their accounts and it was in a terrible state) and 18 months later the school closed almost without warning.

I'd assumed from your first post that you were in some small village and that that was alll that was on offer. If you've got the choice of a good local school, then I'd go for that. You can always move DS to a private school at a later date.

My kids are both at state schools and have loads of friends in the neighbourhood, and hence so do I. My DP's kids have always gone private and their friends are scattered over a wide area and he knows hardly any of the parents as a result. I think his kids miss out on knowing anyone in the local neighbourhood and would have been better off going to the local school at least for the first few years to make friends.

Just because some people are willing to pay lots of money for something doesn't necessarily make it the "chance of a lifetime".

No. Too small. Not even enough for two 5 a side teams!

I would be worried about a class that small in a private school - it sounds as if it might be struggling financially and have to lay off teachers etc or even close. I would definitely ask to see a copy of the latest audited accounts. EVen if the school is OK financially, 8 is VERY small, not a lot of choice for friends. What happens at sport for team games etc etc.

Absolutely no way.

Sorry, I've now read the thread properly.

It's still no, but with more reasons. The school is obviously in financial difficulties. It's not a once in a lifetime opportunity if the school closes suddenly in a year or so. Or if it starts doing better and changes the terms of the bursary you've been offered. particularly if, as you say, there are waiting lists for other schools locally.