Class size in independent schools

[hellogg87]

I have read that class sizes are smaller in independent schools, but is the difference significant? Can anyone tell me that average class size at a independent school, particularly for primary?

Our sons class has 15. One teacher, two TAs plus specialist teachers for things like music, French and pe. The specialist lessons happen either for the whole class, in small groups or one on one depending. Gifted or struggling children also get extra support one on one or in small groups according to need. Staffing levels and quality matter more than size.

The private school my DC go to said they have a policy of a maximum of 18 in a class.
They had 2 classes in the year group when our oldest DC started, there were 14 - 15 in each class in that year.

Numbers have been plummeting though. A new, outstanding, state free primary school opened nearby, in an location where our school has traditionally gained a lot of pupils. That’s had a huge impact on the number of new pupils from that location, which has badly hit the overall numbers starting at our school.

So now our school’s dropped to one form entry. There’s only 10 pupils in the whole of Reception. Intake numbers are healthier in the senior (year 7 +) part of the school.

While the smaller class size might be great as far as the teaching goes, it would put me right off if I was a new parent looking at the school. Both because of potential friendships issues - it’s not a big friendship pool - and because it raises questions about the long term financial viability of the school.

Totally depends on the school. My DDs went to an independent in their early years., DD1s class had 9 and DD2s class had 11.

However
You mean in state school right? I'm in the south east and looked at a lot of private schools in my time when making judgements, not one ran classes this big. All were significantly under twenty

I’m in the SE of England, and there is one, renowned, independent that is significantly changing its business plan (expanding in to other, overseas, markets where they consider the money to be I suppose) and that includes offering enticing packages for foreign students to board. The current year 11 classes are now at 30 each with most other years expanding class size too. Parents with children who have been there since pre-prep are, er, not best pleased, shall we say? The independent that my DDs used to attend (not as renowned, but imo the better school by far) has kept its class sizes smaller than average, though upper school sizes are bigger than the lower school.

Totally depends on the school, so ask. My kids are at a private school that has a max of 22 per class (although this is never reached until the last year or two of primary). But that word 'independent' means just that - there are no hard and fast rules and each school will set its own.

It is not just about 'class size' DD's prep has two classes for her year group of 18/19. However, Maths, English, science and languages were taught in three sets so 13/14 in each set. You need to ensure you understand the teaching structure too.

They are 9 pupils in my DS2’s class. He’s in Y1. DS1 is in Y8 and they’re 11 pupils.

23 at our local private secondary. I think this feels very different to 32 - though to be fair, the state secondaries here tend to have slightly smaller tutor groups than the 32 we were used to I'm juniors.

I was in a class of 13 once. 6 pairs of best friends, who all sat next to each other, and Emily who sat by herself at the front. I loved that class so much. I suspect Emily did not.

Mine went to different peeps. Both had 22 although at one point went up to 23.

Our school -
preprep max 16
prep max 20
1 form entry
year 8 has two classes of max 10