Experiences of one-form entry schools

[janetraven]

Our nearest primary school is one form entry, so one class per year all the way up to year 6. Although it seems fine, and means we could walk to school, I have some concerns about its size and wondered if anyone could tell me if any of these things are worth worrying about - what have your experiences been?

1. Being with the same 30 children from age 4 - 11…is that too small a group to be stuck with?
2. The site is small-ish, so less space to play outside
3. Secondary school being a shock after such a small primary
4. Less resources e.g not so many clubs offered, no music lessons etc

i work in one of the smallest schools in our area - we have a PAN of 20. In the past few years we have seen a change where parents are picking us specifically because we are smaller and are willing to travel further to get to us.

4 can definitely be an issue - but is very dependent on how the school is run, and how much good will the teachers put in. Sports teams can be tricky.

3 is similar for everyone - Secondaries are nearly always much bigger, and all the kids are much bigger too.

2 not in my experience. The smaller schools often have massive fields, as they are rural, and the grounds havnt been sold off for housing!!

1 definitely one to consider. Imo 1 form entries are quite good for 4 year olds, but become stifling by the end of school. 2/3 for entries are ideal in my mind. Never come across larger than that, but I would imagine they could be fairly overwhelming aged 4.

I wouldn’t chose a one form entry again. It has been lovely for infants- really nice community feel and the kids are very well known. I moved my eldest for year 5. A one form entry is lovely if you have a good class. The problem is if you happen to have a challenging one as there is no ability to swap kids around or switch things up. That can be even more pronounced if there is a large gender imbalance and things are a bit samey.

I would look to move my youngest at a similar point (finances allowing) as it has been a good learning curve for my eldest re going somewhere bigger to prepare for secondary. I think going from a one form primary to a secondary is a massive shock to the system.

Many single form entry schools will reduce their PAN and become mixed years due to falling birth rate.

Our local authority is very adverse to closing schools.

1. Being with the same 30 children from age 4 - 11…is that too small a group to be stuck with?
2. The site is small-ish, so less space to play outside
3. Secondary school being a shock after such a small primary
4. Less resources e.g not so many clubs offered, no music lessons etc

1 From children I know of who go to bigger schools, many get very upset when the classes are mixed each year and they are separated from their friends. That won’t happen in a one form intake. If the bigger school doesn’t mix classes, then it is no different to a one form intake.

2 But there are fewer children so the space is proportionate.

3 That depends upon the size of the secondary school but there are many other difference than just size when it comes to changing schools. The biggest one is usually homework expectations.

4 Usually clubs and music lessons are charged for so you can select ones that run outside of school and typically get a higher quality. You will also be fighting against more children to get a space for the clubs that are available so your child is not guaranteed a space. If you want decent clubs and music tuition, find someone who specialises in it.

1. Same class not an issue per se, but depends on the children. Saves the being split from friends in a reshuffle issue, or the other class has the better teacher issue. But less choice of friends for a more quirky child.

1. Not too bothered as long as there is some space.

1. Not heard that being an issue from my DDs old primary.

1. Yes, fewer clubs and activities after school.

I wouldn't make it a deal breaker myself.

1 form entry is great - my dd goes to one and she has friends all the way in every grade- all the teachers know her by her name, headmistress knows us personally and there is a real community feeling. I would pick a small school over a big one any day. There are plenty of children for my dd to make friends with.

I’ve had 2 in one form entry schools. Great until year 5 when they’re fed up to the back teeth with each other and don’t have the option of friends outside their class.

One form entry is great. You get to know parents and your kids get to know children from across the years, and there is a real sense of community. Head and all the teachers know all the children.

The school has loads of clubs, lunch and free after school ones each day, a range of music lessons etc. Ours has bigger grounds but I honestly can't see any disadvantages, only big pluses.

This is not a rural area either, it's in a city. Most other schools are bigger but I really like the whole feel and ethos of a smaller school.

My DC went to a one form entry (London) for YR to Y3. It is a lovely school and really suited her for infants (small and everyone knew everyone). It was our second choice school. By the time she got to Y3, the lack of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities compared to our first choice 2-form school was really noticeable and we re-applied and moved her for Y4 (we had turned down a place offered in Y1). She loved the new school from day 1 and it really suits her personality and interests. Now in Y5 and thriving and we are really glad we made the move (although we were happy with the first school for infants).

Worth noting, they don't mix the classes at her school and the only children she knows in the other Y5 class are through extra and co-curricular activities.

We're in a city and had choice between 1,2,3 and 4 form entry schools. They all have strengths and weaknesses, but the main reason we couldn't consider any of the 1 form entry schools was a lack of after school care. There was none at all in one of the schools, and only until 5pm in the other two - they just didn't have enough families needing it to run it any later. And that then becomes self-fulfilling as families needing after school care don't choose those schools, reducing demand further over time.

My dc went to our village first school, which is a one form entry school from YR-Y5. This is pretty normal round here.

They didn’t seem to get too fed up of the same kids. They were largely the kids they’d been to nursery with, and knew from football/cubs/swimming etc. Again, not unusual in rural communities.

That particular school had acres of outdoor space and some woodland. The out of school club was run as a forest school.

Moving to high school was not too much of a shock as they went to middle school from Y6-8.

All of ours have all been to a single form entry, any more than that is few and far between and considered large.

By year 6 they're ready to spread their wings a little, and high school comes as a bit of a shock, but there are pros and cons to everything