Which school- ‘better’ school but an ‘ethnic’ minority, or still good school that’s more diverse

[Mushroo]

Which would you choose? We have the choice of 2 schools:

The first has smaller classes and better results, but my child would be in the minority and the smaller classes mean less options for friendships.

Or we could go for a good school where she would be in the majority and the larger classes naturally mean more friendship options.

Which would you pick?!

We’re white British if that makes a difference. I don’t really foresee any problems with her being a minority, but I say that from a privileged position so just interested if there’s anything I’ve not considered.

I’m still friends with people from primary school so long term, out of school friendships are an important aspect to me.

I'd say that as long the first school doesn't have small classes because it's undersubscribed (and so might merge two classes to make a big one in the future) I'd go with that one. Better staffing ratio and better results. I'd want at least a two form entry though so you have the flexibility of changing classes if something happens friendship wise.
This is assuming you are catchment for both and they are roughly equal distance from your house.

More diverse school.

I moved my secondary aged child from a school where she was an ethnic minority. I didn’t want to, it was the best school in the area! But my child wasn’t happy, she didn’t fit in and didn’t have any friends who were allowed to socialise after school or at weekends. She became isolated and started to disengage from her education (she’d always been a high achiever at school before). I listened to her and moved her to a more diverse school. The school isn’t as good on paper but it’s so much better for her and she’s thriving in top sets for everything. She’s made friends and sees them outside of school which is nice for her.

Better school.

FYI - I am black and my kids have only ever had 1 other black child in their cohort, at both school or nursery even, at best. My children have lovely friendships. Like, really lovely friendships.

Like the white friends coming on holiday with us to Africa kind of friendships.

Better school always wins for me over focus on ethnicities.

Are the classes actually smaller or is it just the PAN? Schools are funded per pupil so if the classes are 30 then there will be more money to spend after paying the class teacher e.g. for a classroom assistant.
If 2 form entry (60 per year) do they ever remix classes? If not a multiple of 30 then do they have mixed age classes?
It's lovely to have atheist, Muslim, Christian, Jewish etc children all playing and working together. Less good to be excluded because the other children all socialise in their own communities outside school.

....didn’t have any friends who were allowed to socialise after school or at weekends.

This would be the main thing to consider, I think. Do the other children do birthday parties and playdates?

Are the majority of the other pupils from one community, or is it a mix?

Depends - what is the majority ethnicity in the first school?

The main thing I'm wondering is why they get better results? Is it genuinely because of better teaching, do you think, or is it just more supportive parents? Certain ethnic minorities can be extremely supportive of education (perhaps even paying for private tutors) and that can make a huge difference to attainment. If you think that could be the case here, it sounds like your child could get on just as well at the other school providing you are supportive of their education.

Personally I went to a school in an area where lots of families did not value education. The school itself didn't produce amazing results, as there were a lot of factors against them, but I always did ok because my mum was very supportive of my education and bought me up to have a positive attitude to school and a good work ethic. Your child can still achieve well, wherever they go to school, if you support them well and instill the right values.

I'd visit both before making a final decision, to get a proper feel for them, but personally I'd go for the larger school as it has better scope for friendships. The ethnicity of peers would not bother me but I do think it's a valid point about whether their peers would be likely to socialise out of school. If it's just different ethnicities I don't see the issue, but if they are children who are pushed hard academically to the point where they're tutored after school and socialising/clubs are discouraged it might not be great for your child. The larger school would give them more scope to meet more children from various walks of life.

Thanks all, lots of food for thought, I will try and line up some visits to get a feel for it. The better school is a mix of East Asian and Indian / Muslim, so theres diversity in that there’s not one overriding ethnicity or religion which is good.

The point around socialising is exactly my fear - I might see if I can somehow find out how likely this is to happen!

Very valid points made here by @BoleynMemories13

Biggest school: more opportunities to make friends and find her tribe.
Being without friends can have a really negative effect on self-confidence that can last long term and affect all aspects of future life.

I’d go more diverse

Bigger school.

my DD (white British) attended an academic school where she was one of few white British children and has few school friendships - partly because they other kids lived outside of the area (secondary), partly because of cultural differences and partly because the parents of the other children didn’t allow them to have play dates/sleepovers/trips into town. I am a big advocate for diversity but I do regret not sending her to a school with more local children.