going to look round a primary school next week, what questions should I ask?

[SingleFosterMum]

It's a small school, only 15 intake but they teach 2 years together. Does anyone think this is a bad thing?
Any help appreciated as this is all new to me.

I know lots of people like the mixed class teaching thing, and will say the smaller ones learn from the bigger ones, and the bigger ones nurture the littlies etc. We didn't like it though, as our dc's education stagnated somewhat. I'm sure some schools manage to be able to combine effective learning of the least able of one year group with the most able of another, but in our case that wasn't so.

I would prefer a 30 place school... but small schools can have good pastoral care.

check out the toilets, children are often scared of them. and they can be smelly...

ask how they differentiate foir the 2 age groups in a class, especially in reception as this is a different curriculum...

how do they support children who are less able/more able

after school activities?

Thanks Isla, I was thinking it must make the teachers job alot harder.

Good questions Blackeye, thanks.

You could also ask for a menu if you are thinking of buying school lunches and don't forget to ask how they deal with bad behaviour and bullying. We were told at one visit "we don't have an anti-bullying policy, we simply don't have bullying". Yeah right, that will be the only school in Britain then.