Wwyd??

[mrsreynolds]

Ok this will be vague...sorry.

Ds (9) is in a primary that has 200 pupils.
He has been there since reception
Major changes to SLT since earlier in the year.
I havent always been 100% happy with the school (almost moved him in reveption) but worked through issues
However I'm now seeing things I'm not happy with.
Ds seems a bit unenthusiastic since year 3 - which was a disaster due to supply teacher
There is a place at a local school that has 50 pupils
Wwyd?
I really want to do the right thing for ds

So how far is the nearest alternative 1 or 2 form entry school (so 210 / 420 in total?)

I think t is always OK to move from a 'bad school for your child' to 'a good school for your child'. To a dgree, the size of the school is not relevant to it being a bad or good school - if you were to say anything between 100 and 600, I'd be saying 'OK'.

However, 50 - 7 kids per year group if they don't have a nursery class, probably 6 if they do - is just too small. It's easy to have a single boy / girl, or perhaps just 2, in a year group. Even by combining all the boys in years 4-6, you probably can't raise a football or cricket team. You need practically the whole school for a choir. And the finances - particularly if it is trying to operate 3 classes, and allowing any release time at all for the head - just don't really bear thinking about (though that will depend a little on whether it is in a well-funded or poorly funded county - however, as costs are generally calculated on 1 teacher per 30 children, 1 non-teaching leader per 200 or so, you can see that 3 teachers for 50 children is a LONG way from ideal). If it is a 'posh' village, they may survive with a lot of fundraising, but tbh that can feel like you are 'paying for school' because there is such a small pool of families to fundraise from.

Mixed age group classes sound OK ... but what if you are the most able in the lowest year of the mix, and are already 'top'? How will you continue to be challenged 3 years laer in the same class by the same teacher? In a larger school, you would have a peer group. In a middle sized school, with 1 year group per class, the spread of abilities would be narrower, so the teacher may well be able to differentiate for you. If you're in a tiny school with 3 years on the same classroom, the teacher is already pulled every which way - from the lowest ability child in the lowest of the 3 year groups, to the highest ability in the highest (and curricula are now much more 'year group based' than they were when I last taught 3 year groups in 1 class). Although in theory there is personalised attention, there genuinely is a limit to how far a single teacher can split their focus in any given hour of the day.

Moving from a very poor standard sized school to a good tiny school COULD still be, on balance, positive for an individual child. However, there are factors against a tiny school that just don't exist for a standard sized one, and that should be weighed in the balance.

cant
Thank you
Ds2 is very able and the mixed class is a worry in that regard.

Basically the HT has lied both to a parent (not me) and a governor (also not me)
I'm really struggling with this

Just checked smaller school
0 Sen
2% fsm

Try not to project your frustrations onto your child. If he is happy maybe you should find a way to cope. In what way have these apparent lies affected you or your child?

I moved my ds when he was nearly age 7. I was in a similar position to you. Ds seemed to be ok at the school but there were a lot of things I was not happy about. He was offered a place at a slightly smaller school. I nearly turned it down because I did not have a good reason to move him but took ds for a visit and he loved it. He is so much happier and so am I. It was a huge risk moving him when he was not unhappy but it ended up being really beneficial to him.

I reported a member of staff
Ht has said no reports made
Wwyd?

Surprised at the number of people saying small schools are bad. I've taught at a few schools with less than 50 pupils and DD goes to one.

They are generally better than larger schools in many ways OP. Those figures for FSM are great too.

I wouldn't hesitate if it were me. In my experiences, small schools are like little families that genuinely care. They also have great resources that are more available, for example laptops aren't rationed to one class per day.

It's down to whether your child would prefer that sort of atmosphere, or a larger more anonymous school.

Ugh
I hate this

Those figures for FSM are great too

Yes, you wouldn't want a school full of nasty FSM children, would you?

That's uncalled for.
I think the pp meant it's a lot lower than the national average - which it is.

And why is it good to have a school where FSM is lower than the national average ....?

Well it's good for the children concerned, surely??
(And I speak as a fsm child btw)

Depends on the school. Lots with around 30 kids here, and if they want to be the kids are in the netball and football team ( both mixed sexes and ages) . The local bigger school has a smaller number playing netball in total, and the football team is just those kids who play in the local team - and if you don't, you won't get to play.

Our small school always has done lots of trips, gets in specialised teachers in Art, music, pe, IT.

I admit though, it is just down to luck socially - my kids have been lucky with like-minded friends, but it obviously isn't always like that.

My DC are at a school with less than 40 pupils, with a R/KS1 class and a KS2 class. It’s an outstanding school and has never felt under resourced to me. Yes, there isn’t an after school club attached or a regular football team but they have some out of hours clubs, really focused attention, no where to hide (so end up pretty confident - they HAVE to have a part in every play!!) and the relationships between the children, regardless of their age, is (usually!) amazing. I’m sure not all small schools are like this but don’t just dismiss it because others are saying 50 is too small.

Erm, I'm a teacher and my own child has been on FSM in the past, thanks.

There are many, many reasons why a school with a lower percentage of FSM is better. You do realise that it's the main measure of deprivation? Would you like to read my Masters research on the impact of higher percentages of FSMs in primary schools on the pupils?

🙄

I’m not sure size is a huge consideration as there’s pros and cons to both a large school and a small school. However if you are unhappy it’ll continue to eat away so that all you focus on is any negativity within his existing school. You’ll find it impossible to see any good. If you think that won’t happen and he’s not unhappy then maybe you can put up with it. I moved my DD in year 4 and it was the best decision ever. She would 100% agree. Is your DS2 keen to move? Also what does your DS1 think - they sometimes have a perspective we’ve not considered. Good luck as it is tricky.

Other ds not an issue
Ds2 is happy - or at least says he is

Sorry, I mean other ds is at a different school
He loved ds2s current school

Hello
I’ve booked an appt at the school in the new year to have a look around
Thanks for the advice
No decision made as yet

We are in similar boat. School has

It is yes
I just wish I had a clear way forward

Op, we are the same. DCs happy but school underperforming in various ways and no going down the tubes. HT has just resigned, falling number of pupils so need to reduce number of classes. We have been thinking of moving for 1 year but the alternative is 35 min drive...