Private school class sizes going up? AIBU?

[Meepme]

Our class is now at 16, but when my daughter started, it was 10. I'm debating what I'm actually paying for if they keep increasing the classes. AIBU?

Go state then....

Or appreciate your privilege and look for the positives that a bigger group of peers can bring. More chance of friendship, more people to interact with, more options for team games and quizzes.

@Hercisback I'm working really hard as a single parent to send my daughter to a school where small class sizes was a big selling point.

16 is a great class size. 10 is not likely to be economically viable if other specialised staff are also employed.

16 is way better than 10! And half the size of a state class. Honestly 10 is just too small - friendships are hard, and the whole thing can implode suddenly and horribly.

The independent school I work in (highly rated!) has some classes of 21! I personally think 10 is too few - 16-18 is my ideal as a teacher.

16 is fine. 10 is tiny

Better to have 16 pupils in an economically viable school than 10 and for the school to close.
I’d say 10 is too small a class - less money for resources and more vulnerable socially.

I agree that 16-18 is the perfect size. At our school classes go up to about 20 but up until Y4 all classes also have a dedicated full time teaching assistant.

With 10, the kids got a lot of attention plus there was a TA too. It just felt a nice size. The newer children are great but I wondered whether it meant less time for each one as a result

Parents who send their children to state schools work really hard too. Not sure why you working hard is relevant? If you don't like it, send your child elsewhere.

I thought this was going to be about class sizes going from 20-25 but YABU to think 16 is too high. Unless the school have promised class sizes won't go above a certain number then I imagine they are doing something right and attracting more students.

@Hercisback that's not what I meant, I mean I'm working to pay fees for a school where small class sizes was a key selling point so I am debating going to another private with smaller classes. I'm using this thread to see whether I'm being unreasonable. I'm not considering state and I'm not slating state school parents either.

@TooManyAnimals94 it's approx 10 to 13 per year group at present

I think 16 is a nice size. I think 10 is too small for having break out groups or sports. State schools tend to be 30 but once my child was in a class of 42 so i still think you are getting value for money.

@Spendonsend good point about sports and breakout groups

It's really simple, is your kid happy. Have good friendships? Moving them when settled is crazy if they are where they should be academically

10 to 13 per year is not sustainable surely - don’t think a school would be able to operate (well) with such limited budget. Staff costs, insurance, utilities - all have risen.
what fees do you pay? Would paying much more to keep the classes so small be more palatable? Because that’s probably the alternative to increasing the roll. Though small schools can really struggle and may end up doing both.

Jesus, our secondary school has 30 to a class, its rife with feral kids from the local estates. Ten in a class is about as amazing as it gets. 16 ditto.
Just be grateful you dont go to a state school in the current teacher crisis climate, it can be a terrifying place for young kids.

10 is waaay too small. It’s lovely and sweet in the early years for learning but come year 3 they need a bigger pool of friends and more kids to break off into teams and to do group work. Im of the view 16 is too small too unless there’s more than one class in the year. I would say 20 is ideal and teachers I’ve spoke to agree. My middle one was 18 in year 1, down to 14 in year 3 and then up to about 22 in year 5 which was good but 20 would have been fine too. In my experience of 3 different preps, classes start small, grow after year 3 and again at year 5 if it’s a through school as people want to avoid 11+

My childrens specialist dyslexia school has a maximum of 12, because they need the small groups and how their timetabing and spaces work. I wouldn't in a mainstream offering small classes with a TA and teacher be concerned up to 20, particularly as they get older as they need less attention and a ratio of 1:8 still allows for support where needed.

Agree with what others have said - 16 is about perfect. Smaller impacts social groups and its hell if they fall out, and to be honest, they need some competition from others or they don’t progress as much.

That said, I do sense your frustration as my son was in a class of 10 with a guarantee class sizes would be split if went above 16. We hit 18 and they didn’t split, and I was starting to get slightly antsy. He’s moved school now (age related not because of class sizes) and he’s in with 21 and is excelling.

16 is optimal especially if co-ed for friendships. Classes of 10, I’d worry the business wasn’t economically viable.

@movein great post, yes it's a through school and I do think people want to avoid the 11plus.

Yes, daughter is happy, lots of friends, academically decent, excelling in sports.

I think you're right, I got used to the cuteness of 10 in reception so 16 is a big step

How old is your child? Could it be an age thing that the classes are deliberately kept smaller for reception but allowed to grow to a point by the time they reach juniors?
My DC's (state) school had reception classes of 15 pupils max but they increased the year group size if more children joined throughout the school and had mixed age classes after reception if necessary due to the year group growing.
I agree with PPs that 10 is too small beyond about age 6/7. Friendship groups can be really tricky in a very small class because some children just don't and won't ever gel with each other and there's a risk of one or two being left out of a few little groups.

10 is way too few imho. 16 still reasonable. Most of the indies round my way state 20 max, which I think (as a state school teacher) is ideal. I would even be happy with 24 to a class! 30 is much harder work and imho, too many.