Class sizes in reception - what are your views...

[Daydreaming]

My DD has just started reception. There are 30 in the class, with one teacher and one teacher's assistant. I understand this is fairly standard for all state schools.
My DD has no special needs and I think is a fairly bright and confident 4 year old, but she is used to having lots of one to one attention. She previously went to a small nursery school with staff ratios of about 1 to 5.

My concern is that this is such a huge change, and that whole days may go by without her getting any attention.
I do realise that this is standard, and I should be grateful for a free education, etc. I could possibly afford to go private, but in my part of London I don't have any local private schools so I would need to move I think (I work so a long school run is not an option).

Do you think I need to be concerned? I am just worried that my DD will stop being a little girl who asks lots of questions, etc. because she will just give up after a while if she is constantly being ignored.

I know it has come at a price though the age children come into school has chnaged and they come in a term earlier. This makes the 3 year old funding less.

I think a lot is in your input...if you're interested and active she will be fine. Espcially if she is a confident child. My sister has topushher DD who is 7 to make her ask the teacher to hear her read...others have to wait because they're not brave enough to push forward.

If you are concerned then have a look round at private....many offer part bursary's which are means tested...I asked around as the schools in m area are shocking...onne of them is on special measures, the other is full and the last one is too far....so we went privateand got help with fees.

Fees can be a bind BUT...if you cut back a little they are affordable for those with 2 incomes...at least up North they are!

Many thanks for all your comments. I think there are bright children who will always do well, whether in a class of 20 or 50 - but the majority of children need extra help - in my opinion at least.

I was educated in the state system (but not in the UK) and did very well, but my mother was able to spend lots of time helping me, and the classes were less than 30.

I am a lone parent who works full time, so helping out at school is not an option for me. I have to work.

I think it is a worry.

For me it was a case, of for the sake of £500 a month which I'd been paying in nursery fees from day one so was used to as an outgoing, a class of 14 little children with like minded parents and of similar outlook is worth every penny.
Especially if you only have the one child at the moment too, it'll give you precious time at the weekends together.

It depends on the child. If you have a shy, quiet child then there is the possibility that she will be overlooked in a class of 30.
I think 30 is far too many 4 and 5 year olds nd I don't see how they can get the attention they need. Not the teacher's fault; just a fact. Children at this age do need to be spoken to regularly by adults and feel valued. I don't really think you can treat children as individuals in such a big class.

My DS1 was in a reception class of 30 with one TA between his and another class of 30.

The bright kids and the kids who need extra help will probably be OK but the ones inbetween may suffer.

Because my daughter's school has three big class sizes in each year this actually works in her favour - although they do spend most of their time with their "class teacher" they actually spend a lot of time in small groups doing things like "sound swap" and "number crunch" according to what level she is at . She needs help with her maths and gets special sessions with a TA ( well her and three others ). I very much doubt she would get this in a smaller school with smaller class sizes and im very happy with the school as it seems so vibrant and busy! BUT i did have concerns initially until I found out how the school was wrong - therefore my advice is speak to the school about your concerns and they can tell you how they go about addressing it.

run - how the school was RUN ! not wrong!

same situation as omydarlin, very concerned before first dc started school, particularly as in our case they were open plan classrooms- so 60 children per class- but really it worked very well and neither dc (one very bright, one definitely below average) felt neglected

But you must admit Cory that they would do even better if there were fewer children per adult. It stands to reason that the more input you get, the better you do.. And free flow suits certain types of kids in my view. My child found it very noisy and it was even easier to be overlooked.