Can anyone tell me about the shift from KS2 to KS3 and how feasible this plan is?

[Stompythedinosaur]

At present my dds are both at the local first school (covering reception to y4). We are in a rural area with few school options and quite big distances to travel to school. At present the middle school we are in the catchment for is very poor (in special measures and has been for a couple of years). I am not keen for my dds to go there unless there is no other option. It is also quite a long way, about 45 mins each way.

Our first school is proposing to change into a primary school, meaning the dds could stay until y6 and then go on to high school. I am quite keen on this as it would avoid the middle school, and because the first school is only half an hour away.

My reservation is around whether a very small school (currently has 32 kids in total spread over 2 mixed age classes) could provide a good education for key stage 3. I'm not really sure how different the requirements are? In the first year they are proposing that the y5 share a class with y3 and y4, but after this they would have a separate teacher for y5 and y6.

Does anyone have an educated opinion of any advice?

I’m confused what any of this has to do with key stage 3?

Have I got the key stages wrong? I assumed middle school was the next key stage but perhaps I'm wrong.

Sorry if I've used the wrong terminology. I just meant whether it seemed likely a first school could easily provide the right level of education for y5 and y6.

I don’t understand why you think a smaller school might not 'provide a good education for KS3'. Have you looked at the OFSTED reports?

KS3 is Y7 and above.

YS 5 and 6 are KS2.

I'd be concerned about Y5 being combined with Y3 and Y4, there's quite a large difference in the skills needing to be taught.

Of course Primary schools can provide education for Yrs 5 and 6! What do you think they're there for?

I was trying to ask whether what is covered in y5-6 is significantly different to the younger years or requires different resources or so on. I've always expected the dc to more on to a bigger and better provisioned school from y5 so am wondering whether it will work keeping them in the same class an extra year.

I've obviously explained badly. Or perhaps I'm worrying about nothing.

As long as they can recruit competent teaching staff, I’m sure things will be fine!

But the plan isn't to recruit immediately, it is to keep y5 within the class currently in place (this is currently y2-y4 but will change to be being y3-y5) with the same teacher who has taught within a first school only for many years.

It sounds as if y5/6 are not as different as I had thought they might be.

Every primary school manages to make it work, so I would have no issues with the school being able to manage the curriculum through yr5 and yr 6.
However you are talking about a very small school. If I assume (which is probably a massive assumption) that the year groups are of even size then taking the yr 5 cohort into the year 3/4 class we are talking about another 8 pupils, giving a class of 24. When you have a year 6 as well then you will have 3 classes each of 16 on current projections. To be blunt I believe that is financially unsustainable under most financial models and certainly under the new national funding formula which is supposed to be in place in 2020. I think you need to ask more questions about the viability of this because I think the more financially viable option has got to be a KS1 class of 24 and a KS2 class (years 3 to 6) of 32.

So the High school takes from Y7? In most areas on the 3 tier system the Senior schools only take from Y9.

I think up to the end of Y6 is a long time to be so sheltered in a tiny village school. I might be tempted to take my chances with the middle school. There are probably a lot of resources going in to help it improve.

Thanks for the responses.

At the moment the high school takes from y9 but will be changing to take from y7 in the near future.

Good point about the financial sustainability. I'll ask about that.

Another thing, if the middle school's crap would you get a sudden influx of yr 5 and 6s from there?

It only works if the Secondary starts taking from Y7 in time.

FWIW academically I think it would be fine with decent staff (though SATs prep could be a shocker)

But my experience of watching my elder 2 go up through a one form entry primary is that by Y5/Y6 they definitely need a bigger pond and social circle. It makes me think there is a lot to be said for the middle school system.

That said if the middle school is dreadful and miles away I would think about it.