Is a very small school ok? Even if it means siblings in the same class?

[youcanhelpmeplease]

There's 2 primary schools which my 2 DS are in catchment for. They are both lovely but one is large and one is small. The smaller one is closer and slightly more aligned to my values regarding education.

However my children are only 2 year groups apart and would be in the same class at the small school because they merge 3 year groups into 1 class.

Does anyone have experience of this? Was it a detriment to their eduction or development?

God no way. We bought a house next to the largest primary we could find. Tiny village schools are an absolute nightmare socially you are stuck with the same few kids for seven years!!

You need at least 10 of the same sex in your child’s class ideally no fewer imo. My poor sister had a hellish time at our village primary only two other girls in her year and one was an extremely troubled bully she had no escape .

@GreenMarigold guess as classes so small if 18 and that's 3 yr groups

We have 3 classes (30) each year so 90 each year

Just couldn't work with 40 children all diff levels

This. My eldest is definitely “a hard act to follow” and the most problematic year we had with my youngest was with a teacher who had had dd a couple of years earlier. I think that she had been hoping for a clone of her and just couldn’t get over her disappointment that ds is his own person.

Better- Academically and better for sen.Kids get more opportunities- everyone gets to play on a team, speaking part in the play.
Disadvantages- friendship pool can be too small

My DC are in a small, rural school (65 kids). Two are in the same class and it’s fine, they mostly ignore each other.

Even when they are in a class with three year groups the year groups are usually split using the TA and having them do separate tasks. I have no concerns academically and I like the small class sizes (20 ish kids per class). Other advantages are that it feels like a family, you always get a spot on the football/in the school play. It also seems to attract skilled, experienced teachers who stay forever. Disadvantages are the social limitations and lack of facilities. To me these are a small price to pay for the sense my kids have of being in a community. It feels like a wholesome 1950s childhood.