Primary school advice re: only 4 classes and 86 pupils

[thepuddingchef]

Hi we are thinking of moving to a new area near my work and have been looking at schools for my dc. The local school seem very friendly on the phone but I have no experience of small village schools, with only 4 classes.
How do they split the ages up and those of you who have had experience do you think it can work well?
I am slightly concerned my ds - 7 and in yr 3 will be with my dd - 5 and in yr 1.
Are they split according to key stage 1 & 2 ?
Any advice would be greatly received...Thank you

I went to a small school, 4 classes, 100 pupils. We were split reception; 1+2; 3+4; 5+6. It didn't do me any harm, I'm currently doing a masters, and got good GCSEs and A Levels. It was a lovely school.

4 class schools usually have R/1, 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6 but obviously this can vary depending on year group numbers ( we have 18 in year 6 and only 7 in year 4!) It would be rare for year 1 and year 3 to be together, very rare for mixed key stage classes to be considered ( although I once taught a 2/3 class) People either love small schools or hate them, I would never want to work anywhere else!

Hi. Our primary school has 72 kids. Slightly different because we are in Northern Ireland but we have P1 and 2 together, P3,4 and 5 together and then P6 and 7. Both my children loved school and DD is now at grammar school. In her year 7 out of the 10 kids in the class passed AQE and got into grammar. My two both loved knowing the teachers so well and also knowing all the children in the school and getting to play with and look after the little ones at playtime.

My gut feeling is that it would be good for my two, esp my ds as he is shy and finds it difficult to make friends.......
Well done on the Masters AmandinePoulain !
If the classes are split up like that at least my two dc won't be together. That wouldn't be a good thing

My DD attends a small village school. Their intake is 15 each year. They are split like this:
Class 1 - Reception only - 15 pupils
Class 2 - Yrs 1 & 2 - 30 pupils
Class 3 - Yrs 3 & 4 - 30 pupils
Class 4 - Yrs 5 & 6 -30 pupils

This is very common in small schools and at DDs school works very well. The school gets good SATs results and has a lovely, caring ethos because everyone knows everyone else. I had no experience of mixed year groups before she started so was a bit cautious but having seen it in action, I'm converted.

I think that academically and socially small schools can work well. Lots of small village schools where I live. When they go up to year 6 though, you can lose out on, say, a competent school orchestra, challenging sports, a wide variety of friends because there may be few musical/sporty children or enough children on a similar wavelength. Mixed age classes are not a barrier to learning with a good teacher.

This year we have R/1 1/2 3/4 and 5/6. Last year we had R/1 2/3 3/4 5/6. It depends of numbers in each year. We have had 2/3 before (I have also taught this in other schools)...

DS's go to a lovely school with 80-something pupils and 4 classes. They are split so year r are on their own but pre-school are also in from 9-11am each morning. Then Year1/2, Year 3/4, and Year 5/6.
I cannot rate the school highly enough. It is outstanding by OFSTED but that does not really cover it. Their is a genuine community spirit. The big children look out for the little children and DS's in Year R and 1 talk about their big boy friends in year 6. All the teachers know all of the children. In fact the Chair of the Governors seems to know who all the children are
People talk about a restriction of opportunities in a small school but I have not found this to be the case. The school runs breakfast club starting at 0730 and after school there are after school clubs which operate up to 6pm. The school takes part in a number of sports competitions and the football and netball teams both won county tournaments. There is peripatetic music instruction from the LA. They also seem to get a lot of individual attention eg in year R there is a teacher, and HLTA and a TA for 13 pupils plus the pre-schoolers.
Parents are welcomed into the school, the teachers always make time to talk and parents can attend assembly every Friday, not just when it's a certain class assembly.
I am thankful every day that my children attend this school.

We have a similar sized school - 100ish pupils and 4 classes. The split varies year on year depending on year group size - this year it's R+1, 2 (biggest year group) 3+4 and 5+6, last year it was R+1 1+2, 3+4 and 5+6 - I would say that unless you have children in consecutive years then they are unlikely to be together. When DS1 started at the school it was smaller and had 3 classes - R+1, 2+3, 4,5+6. They went up to five classes for a few years wen a very large year group went through (double the typical year group size!)

we have 50 pupils
class1 R/Y1/Y2 20 pupils
Y3/4 14 pupils
Y5/6 16
and each class has a TA

every school is different & sometimes schools change long-standing practice. Start by asking the specific school.

The school I work in has two classes - r/1/2 and then 3/4/5/6. Works well- small school, individual planning for each child. No problems.

Dd went to a primary with three classes.

So reception, yr1, yr2 were in be class
Yr 3 and 4 in another.
Then yr 5 and 6, though this was separated after Xmas and yr 6 coached in the hall for sats.

So effectively for 4 terms dd was in a class of 8. Even when they were all together I think only 12 in the combined class. Brilliant.

I went to a two class school so was in a class with my brother who was two years older most of the time.

Dd really did well with the attention she got at a small school. We moved her from a bigger one and the difference was amazing.

My dd3 (and before her, her older 3 siblings) went to a primary that on us moving here had 94 students. (now got 108) they are split as

Class 1 Y Reception
Class 2 Y 1 & 2
Class 3 Y 3 & 4
Class 4 Y 5 & 6

When we moved dd1 was in Y5 dd2 Y3 and ds Y1 (we moved in August) Dd1 came from a junior of 60 intake and dd2 & ds from a small prep school (long story) I was concerned about the move but it was the only school that had spaces. It was great and has been great My children look back at their time in the school with fond memories.

School has a intake of 15. The last few years a few extras has come in on appeal resulting in a tighter application process from this year so I suspect it wont happen this year. (dd3's Y5 has 18 in it and has had from YR)

My younger dc go to a small village school I had concerns but they are thriving there.

Dgs school is a similar size.
Class 1 is Nursery and Yr R
Class 2 is Yr1 and Yr2
Class 3 is Yr3 and Yr4
Class 4 is Yr5 and Yr6
It is a happy, loving school with excellent results.Each child is known by every member of staff and the different age groups play together except for Nursery/Reception who have their own play area next to the main playground.

DDs school was like those above, slight variations in the splitting patterns as year groups have varied from 8-22 over the years.

General consensus from the DDs is they prefer combined years to split one's as then friends don't get split.

Works just fine.

DNice and Dnethew are at a tiny school with just a KS1 and KS2 class and Dniece was a bit unhappy when she was the only Y3

or at least only Y3 girl

It will be great. The older children in each class act as good models.