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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Small school quandary

66 replies

Elzibells · 14/07/2024 23:18

Background is DC is due to start school in September. We live in a very rural area with these 2 schools being the closest.

School A has 60 pupils in the school. DC would be one of 8 in her year group. 10 minute drive away. School hall. School field. Seems to have lots of facilites but something feels off. Also concerned about the drive as it's on a 60mph windy country road.

School B has 20 pupils in the school. DC would be one of 4 in her year group. 2 minute walk away. No school hall or field, just a small playground. Worried about lack of facilities and friendship opportunities. While this one would suit her for reception, year one and two, I'm worried it might become claustrophobic and boring.

Both were rated good by Ofsted. I'm generally anxious about the school start and wonder if this is overshadowing my decision making. DC is very sociable, articulate for her age and seems to be most comfortable when getting one on one attention.
I haven't been through this process before. What should I focus on to help make a decision and which one would you go for?

OP posts:

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PuttingDownRoots · 14/07/2024 23:45

School B for now. Look further afield if you don't think its working as she gets older.

Smartiepants79 · 14/07/2024 23:53

School B is minuscule! I’m a huge supporter of small schools but that’s exceptional.
I’d be choosing school A. Even that is a very small cohort with reduced possibilities for friendships. Can’t quite work out your issues with the drive?

Flubadubba · 15/07/2024 05:43

Whoch school were you assigned in the admissions round? At this stage, it's a case of where has a availability- do they both?

Meadowfinch · 15/07/2024 06:00

Smartiepants79 · 14/07/2024 23:53

This.

My ds went to a school of 121 children over 7 years. That was small by most standards and friendships were tricky. But if your dd is extrovert & sociable it may not be an issue.

I don't see the problem with the road either. You'll be in a car,not walking. Our primary school run was 3 miles of fast single track road with passing places. You soon get used to squeezing your car into a hedge 😀 We also have a ford that made the trip interesting in wet weather.

Procrastinates · 15/07/2024 06:00

School B is just too small. Honestly imagine how limiting it is only having 19 other people to spend time with for most of your childhood. I'd be very surprised personally if it was still open in 5 years time to be honest as it doesn't sound viable.

I would try to get him into school A if he isn't already due to attend in September. It's still much smaller than I would personally like for my child but it's literally triple the size of your other option and the best choice in my opinion from a not ideal selection.

Dontsparethehorses · 15/07/2024 06:06

I’m a big advocate for small schools but I would really worry about school b from a staffing perspective- there will need to have 2 adults on site at all time but that’s likely it. If you love it go for it (maybe with intention of staying for infants) and the fact seems to be something isn’t sitting right with school a for now. Both schools will have space if you wanted to move so you can review after a year or 2…

BlackberrySky · 15/07/2024 06:07

They both sound claustrophobically tiny, but if they are your only options, pick the bigger one.

Needanewname42 · 15/07/2024 06:08

The very small school just doesn't sound viable. Is it under threat of closure?

But it might be worthwhile to have friends that are close by outside school. I think I might start there and see how she gets on.

There is no guarantee that if you opt for the bigger school you'd be able to switch to the local school later. Don't use it you lose it.

bergamotorange · 15/07/2024 06:10

Are there no other schools anywhere?

Both sound too small. I'd pick the local one for now, but look for a third, better option and be open with your child this is 'for now' not forever.

Mumofyellows · 15/07/2024 06:11

My daughter went to a school which had 40 children and only 5 in her year including her, just one other girl. She was fine as she had lots of friends from other areas of her life so didn't really miss out socially but I would say they did teach year groups together which may or may not be an issue. They had a small hall which was shared with the village and a lovely field. I would not be hugely worried about either school personally but would probably pick the larger one.

urbanbuddha · 15/07/2024 06:29

School B. If something feels off about school A it probably is, plus the drive rather than the walk makes the routine more rushed.
It’ll be a different social experience at school B but not necessarily a worse one and as she gets older you can look for different out of school activities like scouts or dance etc.
Neither school’s overcrowded so if it doesn’t work out you can move her.

BoleynMemories13 · 15/07/2024 06:35

I'm not sure I understand the post. Have you only just moved to this area? If not, which one were you allocated back in April?

60 children is still incredibly small but school B is just not viable. With only 20 children it will be run more like a holiday club than a school, with multiple age groups always lumped together and hardly any staff. I question whether it will still even be open in 5 years time as schools of that size are not sustainable, they're closing left right and centre. It sounds incredibly claustrophobic from a social point of view.

Definitely option A over option B for me, but a school of 60 with only 8 children in her year group is still way too small for me.

Are there really no other local options? As you have transport and are prepared to drive 10 minutes, I'd widen that to 15 and see what options that opens up in every direction.

Small rural schools do have their charm and positives but, personally, I wouldn't consider anything smaller than 15-20 children per year group, with over 100 children in total and 4 or more classes. There's small and there's small.

HillyHoney · 15/07/2024 06:44

I went to a first school of 30 and whilst it was fine for me many years ago, I wouldn't seen my kids to a school that small now if I could avoid it. There were only two classes and limited opportunities. The head was not a nice person and that affected the whole culture - in a small school it's hard to avoid one person's influence.

Having said all that, I'm a huge advocate of having a short walk to school, and I get that you have e better feeling about school B. Others are right though in that it doesn't sound that viable longer-term.Are there other families local to you with the same choice? It can be very useful to have neighbours doing the same school run!

Shinyandnew1 · 15/07/2024 07:01

Background is DC is due to start school in September.

Weren’t school places allocated back in April?

Are these schools primaries? Infant? First schools?

School A has 60 pupils in the school. DC would be one of 8 in her year group.

How are these pupils split? Is it a YR-2 mix? How many in a class?

School B has 20 pupils in the school. DC would be one of 4 in her year group.

Again-how are these children taught? A Yr-2 mix? How many to a class?

If that is genuinely all one school-I would worry for the staff there.

Under the current Ofsted framework, the stress on those 1/2 members of staff being in charge of so many subject areas must be spectacular. Is there a head? Deputy? Senco? EYFS lead? Assessment lead? Phonics lead? Or are they all the same person?

Carerr80 · 15/07/2024 07:01

My child went to a very small school. Ended up being 16 children in whole school when she was in Year 6. It was only my dc and one other in her year. The year after my dc left they closed it, even through it was in a federation. All the children left had to find another school.
Although lots of benefits of small school I'd go for choice A.

DoublePeonies · 15/07/2024 07:03

Which school have you been allocated? Give that one a go. You can always look for a third possibility when your daughter is a bit older. Say, consider moving her for Y3 to a bigger school.

From what you've written, I'd go for B on the basis of walking distance and something being off with the other school. And I have a preference for larger primary schools (say 2-3 form entry).

Whinge · 15/07/2024 07:08

Surely you've been allocated a school and had transition visits? Which one is your child due to start at?

Like others, I think school B is far too small. A school with just 20 pupils isn't going to be viable for much longer, so I would go for school A. (Although I would actually prefer a 2-3 form entry)

JumpstartMondays · 15/07/2024 07:12

School A from a teacher POV. The budget in the smaller school will be stretched further/thin - less pupils mean less funding but likely a similar number of staff required for the school to operate, so their consumables budget will be lower for classroom resources like pens, glue sticks etc. I'd be concerned for her staff - the pressure would be huge. The data will be skewed easily and the budget shot - not a place I'd like to teach! Can't imagine how happy the teacher would be.

Are they state or independent schools?

Frowningprovidence · 15/07/2024 07:22

I'd actually pick the closer school
I'm normally pro bigger schools for friendship and better teaching and budget, but 60 is still a small school so it will have similar issues.

It's also presumably not a forever decision? Is the bigger school full to PAN or could you move for year 3 if you outgrow your tiny one.

Frowningprovidence · 15/07/2024 07:29

On the funding front my particular LA has identified some schools that serve rural communities and they get a bit of extra funding to stop them closing. Its also entitely possible the work with another school for leadership. I work at a 60 pupil school and we share an exec head and senco from another school

I assume the extra funding doesn't happen for academies.

Original poster

Elzibells · 15/07/2024 07:54

Smartiepants79 · 14/07/2024 23:53

No major issue just a niggle that it's more dangerous and inconvenient than the 2 min walk. I'd be doing it twice a day, in winter rain and ice, the roads here are never gritted. I'm probably just looking for problems!

OP posts:

mitogoshi · 15/07/2024 07:55

Unless you already have a place, I doubt they will get the paperwork done for September entry as term is about to end. Which has spaces?

Original poster

Elzibells · 15/07/2024 07:55

Flubadubba · 15/07/2024 05:43

Whoch school were you assigned in the admissions round? At this stage, it's a case of where has a availability- do they both?

We have a place at School A and she's been to the transition days for that school. Both have spaces.

OP posts:

mitogoshi · 15/07/2024 07:56

I'd opt local for years r to 2 then move them for year 3 to a substantially bigger school (100's rather than 10's)

isthesolution · 15/07/2024 07:56

School A. I'd honestly worry that school B will be closed down, restrict friendships and make the size of secondary school incredibly daunting.

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