Choosing primary school

[Cait73]

So we are lucky enough to have some amazing primary schools all within 30 mins of us, we've narrowed it down to two

School A is where he's been at preschool for a year, idyllic rural village school around 60 pupils total. He has a handful of good friends there, I have 1 maybe 2 I'm the only single parent and often feel a bit out of place

School B is 10 mins walking distance from our home, slightly bigger village school around 300 pupils

I don't want to take him away from his friends but I'm worried school A is very insular and he'll learn a much better sense of independence at school B. Do they change friendship groups okay at 4?

I genuinely don't know what to do for the best!

Any input hugely appreciated thank you 🙏🏼

I'd pick school 2. What's cute and idyllic at 4 could be completely claustrophobic at 10.

We moved countries when both DDs were 4 (two of our many moves) and friendships very fluid at this age!

I would be very worried about the finances of school 1, to be honest.

Are you likely to actually get into both? Have you checked the admissions distances?

Yes we're likely to get into both - what do you mean finances? The school's been running over a hundred years is that what you mean?

@PuttingDownRoots my thoughts exactly there's not much going on they all seem to stick closely to village life it's not the village we live in and the standard "family" is nothing like ours

Small schools can be tricky if children have issues within the friendship group.

A school being around for a hundred years is no indicator that they will continue forever more. Falling rolls can affect funding, as do numbers of Pupil Premium/Free School Meals etc. One or two pupils fewer can mean a bigger percentage of funding is gone, compared with a larger school.

I've taught Reception and I don't think I've ever had a child struggle to make friends, whether they've been to the school nursery or not. Not all schools have a nursery, either.

I would go for school B. Benefits of a bigger school are no mixed year classes, a wider friendship pool, more diversity, better funded, plus you can walk there!

They make friends really easily at that age. My daughter just started in reception not knowing any of the other children and it didn't phase her at all.

I'd also be worried about school A, 60 pupils could be as few as 2 classes and that's a huge age range in a class. Also there's a very real risk they'd close or merge with a neighbouring school within the next 7 years

Reception, years 1 and 2 are all together which can't be great for the year 2's

It's mainly the insular thing that's worrying me but saying that it's also the reason I'm tempted to leave him there, I don't want to take him away from everything he knows

Reassuring to hear they make friends easily at that age, wherever we go he gravitates towards other small people and tries to engage them into play and stuff, so I guess he'll be okay

The first 2-3 years of his life were extremely challenging he loves where he is but a good pre-school doesn't always mean a good school

School finances are largely per student, but are being squeezed relentlessly and will continue to be; schools are struggling to fund classes based on 30 per class, so small schools really will struggle to cover all the overheads required. Many will be forced to amalgamate.

But I would also go for the larger based on social factors just as much tbh!