School class size Yr1 - to move or not?

[summerlovingvibes]

On reason we selected the current primary school because class sizes were on the small size - some older years around 12-15 per class, recent years 15-18 per class.

DD started last September with a class size of 20.

The school has become very popular and due to a maximum intake this year they are having to now merge classes together. Next year she will be in a class of 30 (or maybe even a few more) as they will be mixing Yr1&2. This will continue onwards for 2&3 etc until they can get funding to create more classroom space. So probably several years.

DD has made friends at school, is happy etc. Her best friend is moving school as they have moved house.

Would you move her to a different primary school that still has small class sizes?

Do you have a choice of nearby primary schools with small class sizes?
Where I am, all the good primaries would have 30 per class (and a waiting list).
Are these private schools you are talking about?
Are there other good things about the school besides the class size that you might not get somewhere else?
If you move, would you be sure that this school would not also increase in class size?

Don't move a happy child. Small class sizes quite often have friendship issues as there is not much of a choice of friendship groups

Class size is much less important than a happy settled child in a school you like. It seems like a daft reason to move especially considering there is no guarantee that the next school won't also increase in class size.

If it is a state school the ICS limit is 30. It’s likely they’ll put some Y1s in reception or some Y2s in Y3 to keep the merged class within the limit.

I hate to break it to you, but no state school will get funding to build more class rooms in order to reduce class sizes to 15-18 students. School funding is, in part, on a per head basis and with budgets increasingly squeezed, schools simply can’t afford to employ a teacher for such a small number of pupils and merging classes is the only way to make ends meet. It sounds like the school have been a bit creative with the reasons for the change.

I’d leave her where she is. Don’t try to make a happy child happier.

Thanks for replies.

This is a state school. And yes we are in a rural area so a couple of primary schools in catchment area have small class sizes - some 12-15 still.

Our primary school is in a catchment area where they have recently expanded a town a few miles away with a massive housing estate our side hence the influx.

The village schools the other side of us haven't been affected so there is 2-3 we could choose from with small class sizes.

Only considering as I want to ensure she will excel the best she can, and don't want over-crowding (small classrooms) and a mix of year groups to let her "get lost". Considering move now before she is too upset by movement etc.

But she is happy, and it is local etc. so perhaps a move isn't necessary. Just a bit sad I guess that there's been such a big change.

Unless we are talking private school I'm amazed you have multiple classes of 12-15. That's double the number of teachers which most schools don't have the budget for.

If there is an estate being built they will take your school up to capacity, then all the neighbouring schools up to capacity (anything within a reasonable bus ride) then consider if they have the funds to extend... so I wouldn't hold your breath for any additional classrooms before she goes to secondary.

Is this a state school? It’s really good the school is full for funding purposes all children on roll benefit from. Why do you want small class sizes and a falling school roll? Means no money and no resources.

It sounds like your child is happy and thriving at school.

Never move a happy child unless you're relocating completely. Moving her because the class size has gone from tiny to normal would be madness. There's nothing to say other local rural schools with small classes won't follow suit soon. Budgets are ridiculously stretched these days. A class of 15 or less is unsustainable.

30 is the norm in most schools, rural schools apart.

@BoleynMemories13 Budgets are stretched because these small schools are profligate with teaching costs! It’s unheard of where I am to have multiple schools with 15 in a class. It’s unaffordable. It takes valuable resources to do this and no school should have new buildings to facilitate it. No wonder there’s a funding crisis!

In our local rural community, new classrooms are being built at one school to accommodate more children - coming from two other local village schools that are being closed down because class sizes are too small and they are unviable.

You could well be in a similar position if you move your DC in that you have to end up moving them back again.

Schools are closing and merging across rural England as birth rates drop. If she’s happy then I would stay where you are.

Classes that small in the state sector aren’t a good thing- they mean the school is underfunded and potentially at risk of closure/merger. Also, a larger class is better for friendships especially as DC gets older and rightly or wrongly, will possibly not want to play with opposite sex as much. And it eases the transition to secondary better when that time comes. In all honesty I think you’d be mad to move a happy child from a thriving local school to a struggling village school in less convenient location.

I am very surprised all these schools are running with such small classes. Are you sure the others have such small classes as it is the norm with such small year groups to combine years to bring the classes up to the standard 30 in Key Stage 1 to keep the school viable. When my children went to primary there were only 48 children in 3 mixed classes. It grew a bit and now many years later they keep Reception separate so nice and small, maybe 12, but all the other classes are 2 years mixed. It works well and there is more choice of friends in a bigger class.

It doesn't sound as if they have merged classes because they have reached maximum intake. If this were the case you'd have a year 1 class of 30, year 2 class of 30 etc. It sounds as if they have merged classes because a year 1 class of 15 and a year 2 class of 15 with a teacher each is unsustainable financially and they are merging the classes to save the cost of a teacher.

As others have pointed out small classes in state schools are not a good sign.