Tiny school vs big

[Farmingmummy]

My DD is coming up to 3 in April. And I'm starting to think more seriously about which school to send her to. We are in the village catchment for a tiny school (30 kids, 2 full time teachers, 3 tas and a part time teacher). That school links up with other small schools for sports tournaments etc.
or theres a school 15 min drive away with 180 children, however it's part of an academy that's got an awful reputation. She's currently in a montessori nursery 2 mornings a week in the village 15 mins away. But thinking of putting her in the local preschool as well to see how it goes.

Any positive or negative experiences of tiny schools?

180 is not big. It is single form entry if it is a primary, and 2 form entry if an infants.

The tiny school sounds very overstaffed, I wonder how they can afford it. Is that an infants or primary?

I would choose the little local school. My DSD attends a 4 class school (EYFS, Yrs 1&2, 3&4, 5&6). Her class has 13 children with 1 FT Teacher, a FT TA and several other rotating staff. We love it. We know most of the children and families, there is an active PTA and they get plenty in the way of trips, sports etc.
The only downside is that there isn’t a huge amount of choice of friends. And if they don’t gel, there aren’t any alternatives. DSD is managing well but I think she will expand her group at secondary school.

My DDs were at a single form entry primary.
There was less choice of friends and fewer extra curricular activities than at the 2 form entry a couple of miles away.

I hated being in a tiny primary school, it was a miserable social existence. However, some academies are shocking - sounds like your local one is - and teacher friends are being broken by dreadful management and expectations, so I don't like that system either. In your position, I think the smaller school is the least shit option.

Tiny schools can be lovely for the early years, but children very quickly outgrow them. A tiny school of just 29 other pupils is; in my opinion, far too small. There will be less opportunities for extra curricular activities, and friendship options are more limited

Like a previous poster, I'm also confused about how the tiny school has so many staff on role. Considering the low pupil numbers, the level of staffing will have a huge impact on the school budget.

Finally, you refer to the other school as big, and I understand it must feel that way when compared to the tiny school. However, in many other areas a school with 180 pupils would be considered small.

DD’s infants had 4 classes so 120 per year -

Persoanly your child will receive a solid start at the small school. So few children and so many adults - many people pay privately for this privilege!! You are getting it free.

She won’t be lost in the smaller school, they can focus on their education.

The extra stuff you can ferry her to when she has an idea of what she likes -

And to add about friendships - kids are very forgiving - they make friends easily and there’s nothing wrong with playing with older or younger children like they do at home.

Tiny school for infants, reasses at juniors.
I went to a primary school of 80, and had no issues making friends at high school.

Thankyou,yes I realise the "big school" in reality is small, we are in a very rural area 😀 I think as it's reputation is getting so bad they're having to merge the younger year groups due to lack of intake as well. It's also one of those very clique villages!

I worry about the social side as well for such a small school to. I have always struggled with confidence and would hate for my children to be the same. I'd love them to do a few extracurricular things to so maybe that'd help to fill the social cup?

The 'large' school is small

Don’t go for the tiny school.

Definitely not the tiny school. She could very realistically end up as one of only 1 or 2 girls her age, which could be disastrous for friendships. DD’s first school she was one of only 3 girls in a class of 15. Reception year it wasn’t an issue really as they played boys/girls quite happily but by Y2 it got more divided, friendship got too intense, and that combined with not being able to do any girls sports properly lead to us moving her for Y3 which was the best decision ever. And this school is even smaller than that! If there really aren’t any other options then go for the academy school- by normal standards it still sounds small but just not quite so oppressive and therefore better for friendships.

Blimey, when you said "tiny" and "big" I was thinking 150 vs 600+.

I think 30 is just too small, they'll have very few friends their own age and moving on to secondary will be terrifying.

180 is 7 classes of 25/26 and enough for a nice community.

The tiny school is too small . Ok for infants for socially your DC may struggle to find their tribe as a junior which such a small pool of kids and the teachers cannot focus lessons on the right stage for such a wide age range.
They won’t be able to train in games lessons either if never enough kids.

Thirty really is tiny! Does this school go all the way to year 6? What is the split between the two teachers, e.g. year R, 1, 2 and year 3-6?

I would be tempted to go for the small school to start with an eye to moving somewhere bigger around year 3 (hopefully the other primary would have improved in 3-4 years!).

Are there no other options? If families are starting to avoid the academy primary, where are they sending their kids?

If you know the village that the school is in, do you know other families there? Maybe you can suss out what the intake is likely to be when your DD would be starting.

Tiny for now. Reassess as she gets older.

Their needs at 4 are very different than their needs at 9-11.

Tiny would be amazing for R, Y1 and y2. Girls and boys mix easily at this age. Then I’d look to move school for juniors. A good foundation would set you up for success.

Yes a the way to year 6, two classes, yr-Y2 and Y3-Y6. Lots of village schools about but 90% in the academy so of equal reputation to the one I'm thinking of.

I know of a few parents who have pulled them out and either driving 30/40 mins to other options.

Yes we go to the village toddler group and I think there'd be 2 boys and 1 girl starting in my dd year, 4 girls in year above.