Primary school choice

[marthabear]

My DS2 is due to start school next September so we really need to make up our mind about our application choices.
The nearest school is a short walk away, around 420 pupils in total, 50 of them in reception year in a mobile classroom. It is Ofsted outstanding.
There is another little primary a couple of miles away, 70 pupils in total, 10 in reception year but mixed with other KS1s in the classroom. It has been considered good by Ofsted.
Although it is further away, my gut feeling is for the smaller school. I'm thinking that a smaller school would give a better sense of community, more individual attention and less of a conveyor belt, tick boxing education. I am wondering if a very small school would also be able to find ways around the rigidity of the national curriculum and be able to foster a love of learning rather than a slave to the SATs?
However, I know very little about primary education and would welcome any insight or any tips about questions I could be asking?

First if all, do you have a realistic chance of getting into the one further away? What is the furthest distance they have admitted in recent years??

See if they are both realistic choices and then visit them. Gut feeling as you walk round chatting to a member of staff says a lot.

There is nothing wrong with using some of your preferences for schools where you have little chance of getting a place as long as you include at least one school where you are almost certain to get a place (which in most cases will be your nearest school). You may strike it lucky and get a place at one of the long shots. And if you don't get a place there you haven't damaged your chances of getting in to the schools where you have a good chance.

The one thing you mustn't do is fill your list with schools where you have no realistic chance of a place. Unfortunately some people do this every year, often in the mistaken belief that they will get a place at their local school if they miss out on all their dream schools, only to find that they are allocated a place at a sink school miles away.

Of course gut feeling matters a lot, but I would just say 420 isn't huge - is that 2 forms a year even? A bigger school will have more clubs and activities to be part of as your son goes up the school, and a bigger potential friendship group. Small seems lovely and cosy when you are looking at your precious 4 year-old, but if their tiny year-group of 10 doesn't gel or they don't find kindred spirits in it then they have quite a few years of primary to be stuck with them. I don't see that a smaller school will be able to ignore the national curriculum or SATS either, it's still held to the same Ofsted requirements. We're lucky that our school 5 mins away is outstanding, but I love that my ds's know all their friends within a few neighbouring streets, too, it's very nice to be part of the neighbourhood. That school had grown from a 1 form to a 3 form entry while my sons have gone through it and while we worried about losing the atmosphere, I've seen advantages to growing too.

I agree with what has already been said by Galena. You need to visit and see how you feel about the schools in real life.

A smaller school doesn't necessarily mean more individual attention or more tailored learning either. Depending on the quality of the school it can also result in the opposite - larger groups of ability lumped together to make working groups, etc. It is really about the school not the size.

Also bear in mind that a small school has less capacity to deal with trouble maker groups or bullying or personality clashes by separating children. Or indeed to ensure ability spread. A larger school can shuffle classes about.

DD1 is at a two form entry school. It suits her brilliantly. I love a lot of the facilities that probably wouldn't exist in a small school, like breakfast club. Plus clubs she can join as she gets older, forest school (I realise some small schools do manage this), etc.

DD's primary had very fluctuating year and total numbers (23-8, well over a 100 and 5 classes down to 70 and three classes) Not schools fault, rural area, low birth rate, little cheap rental and big property prices. Several families forced move at one end of the social spectrum or going private at the other (We lost lovely families and DF both ways )

Which is a long winded way of saying small schools aren't necessarily stable, 10 and less Y groups were very hard on friendship groups. Twice the smallest years have become single gender, both ways.

DD1 ended up with the same teacher for three years (be cause of combined classes) and DD2 for two. Fortunately they liked her, but it's not ideal.

My DD has just started at an enormous primary – six class intake (outs area!) and I've been very impressed with the inclusiveness and community at the school.

I think it helps that many of the children go to pre-school, nursery and activities before they start so tend to know lots of children across the classes (therefore lots of parents know each other as well) but the school works really hard to ensure they all feel a part of it.

Plus, they have many more resources and facilities than a lot of much smaller schools.

It is like a small army on manoeuvres at drop off and pick up time!

Hi martha, your post could have been written by me 5 years ago! As a couple of childless gad-abouts DH & I didn't give much thought about schools when we bought our house (except "there aren't any in our tiny village - never mind though the house is perfect"). When it was time for PFB to start school I was sure the tiny (45 pupils) CofE primary 2 miles away would be perfect and I wasn't really going to consider the 3 other, larger schools (also 2-3 miles away). I'm so glad that we looked around all 4 schools before choosing. The tiny school did have a lovely 'family' feel but the fact that the 2 class teachers were both long term supply really put me off, as other posters have said smaller schools may have less capacity/flexibility to resolve issues around staffing, behavior etc. The school we ended up choosing was actually the one at the bottom of my list before we visited, it still had a welcoming family atmosphere but was 4 times the size and was able to offer breakfast and after-school clubs every day. All 4 schools were rated Good or Outstanding, but without visiting each I would never have realised how different they were and made the right choice for our DC's.
Unfortunately if you're looking for a school that is not a slave to the SAT's you will have to go private, but a good school will still be able to foster a love of learning while jumping through Gove's hoops.

TL:DR - Visit all the schools you think you have a chance of getting DS2 into.

All schools have to be slaves to SATs in the state sector unfortunately. How they deal with that though differs. Larger schools can offer more because they have more money to spend. You aren't really going to know until you visit.

Keep in mind you are making a list of schools in the order you prefer them. Do you know for sure that you will get in both these schools?

Where on earth is the school with the six class intake! I have never heard of a primary that big!

I would be concerned at a mixed reception year 1 class. EYFS and ks1 are quite different, and although it's far from impossible, it can be difficult to address both groups well.

Also bear in mind that the school your 4 year old attends will probably be the one your 11 year old attends too. Have a look and see what the older children are doing too.

Personally I would go with the local one - he will meet up with school friends at the local park, it's easy for friends to come to tea etc. But do have a good look round the school (all the school, not just reception classes) and go with your gut feelings.