Small School

[Wrongornot]

Registered DD for school today. She is one of two starting P1 and will be one of 12 in total (ranging from P1 - P7).

There is one teacher and one teaching assistant, however the teacher said today that they do most things as a group and do not split into ages/ability often.

This surprised me a bit, I knew it was a small school and obviously there would not be a teacher for each class, however I can't imagine how it works with a 4 year old and a 12 year old in the same classroom?

Does anyone have any stories of similar school sizes to share?

Wow good or wow bad? I always thought it would be a good thing but I am starting to wobble! Not that there is anything I could do about it, except move house!

My dd1 was in a small school in P1.

It was a 4 class school, but she went into the Gaelic Medium class, which was 7 pupils, all girls (P 1235567). She adored it got loads of attention from the big girls, they had a fantastic teacher who could teach right across the age range and dd1 went from speaking little Gaelic to semi-fluent in the one year she was there. Given the right pupils and the right teacher it can be amazing, and I think it helped her to mature - though she was already 5y6m on school entry.

It was a massive shtick to the system when she moved to a school for P2 (house move) where there were more in P2 than had been in her entire school before, let alone her class.

That said, dd1, ds and dd2 have flourished at the much larger school. Ds would not have done as well in the small class as he's not as motivated as dd1 (or2!).

I hope you have a great experience with your small (I'm guessing pretty rural?) school. Ours was in the Outer Hebrides, very remote!

Thank you for the replies - both reassuring!

Not quite as remote or beautiful as the Outer Hebrides - that must have been fabulous!

DD is will be 5.6 when she starts too, although the other girl starting with her will only be 4.6.

The teacher seemed lovely and it was a very family type atmosphere, so hopefully all will be okay!

Sounds amazing! The older ones helping the littles and a really community spirit. I think it sounds lovely!

I think that the biggest problem would be with friendships - there aren't as many to choose from in a tiny school, so it might be a bit miserable if they don't get on with any of them!
My friend chose a small school for her DC and then changed her mind for this reason. There would have been 3 starting reception, including her DD, and one of the other two was a little girl in her nursery who she didn't get on with! She went with a bigger school in the end, think it has about 100 in the school
There will be definite advantages though, I bet the teacher can really get to know them all individually and really tailor the curriculum to their needs

Woah, there are about 60 in total at my DD's primary - I thought THAT was small!

DD's has 2 classes - one infant, one junior. They do get split up though a bit according to Year group for various stuff. Reception go off on their own in the morning. And the HT teaches Year 6.

It's a lovely family atmosphere. DD is confident around kids of all ages. I know most of the other parents by name. It's lovely.

I have a film recommendation for you, op. It's called avoir et etre and is a french documentary film about a year in a tiny rural school with 12 (pr maybe 13 or 14) pupils with the age range you describe. It'll make you feel better

My dc go to a small rural school but not that small. However, I see real positives in building friendship across age groups and teaching older and younger children together.

I would make sure you do out of school activities with different dc from the school friends as if there is a fall out at school, it will seem much bigger than it would in a big school. You can't just go and play with someone else. Some would want a separate friendship group too.

My DD had a class of between 7 and 9. DS too when he was there. Great school and more like a family with lovely mixed age friendships.

Hi mums or dads, my dd2 attends a small school but not that school still 30 kids per year. She used to go to 3 forms entry school so it is small to us. What I really want to ask how did your dcs manage or get on when they finally changed to big secondary schools? First time into a big world?

It is a genuine question as my dd will be going to a comp that takes over 200 kids per year (7 forms).