Small primary school

[AMeltingSnowman]

I am looking at schools for my son, who is starting primary next year. He's a late summer born so will just have turned 4 when he starts Reception (we're not thinking of delaying his start). We have narrowed down our options to two - a state school with three classes of 30 per year, or a private school with one class per year of between 5 and 15. There are some logistical reasons why the private school would work better (availability of wraparound care, a connected nursery for baby sibling so we'd only have one place to drop off and pick up) but I'm really torn because of the size - a class size of 15 would be fine, and I think he would benefit from a reasonably small class when he's so young at least, but a class size of 5 seems so small. Has anyone got experience with very small classes and how that works with friends etc? I also appreciate there's always a risk with a private school that it might close down, but at the moment that's not the primary concern, it's really the question of a very big intake vs a potentially very small intake.

5 or even 10 is too small, having experienced that. I would be very concerned about the financial viability of such a small school.

It's hard when you are struggling to visualize your 3-year-old in a school with loads of other kids. We debated about sending DS to a cute school that had a total of 40 kids - thankfully we saw sense!

It's worth looking at the bigger picture...more kids means better options for friends, particularly if they don't all get on (not many options in a small class). What if your child is sporty - a very small year group makes it tricky to have proper teams to play against.

The school DS ended up at had a single year group of 30 kids in each class - so 210 kids in the school, and to be honest by about year 5 that was starting to feel uncomfortabley small (we live in a tiny town where schools are not big).

I'd go for a bigger school over a very small one.

I’d be worried about that school closing. Are there any one form entries near you?

I went to a school with about 50 kids. I was only there towards the end of juniors as we’d moved but didn’t love it. There were good bits, but a lot if not so good. It was a state school with only two classes ( which may be a different issue to very small classes) and honestly I was bored to tears in year 6, while the year 3s struggled to keep up. This was pre national curriculum so I actually have no idea how you’d teach such an age range now ( my school did end up merging with the one in the next village after I left so may be less common).
Friendship wise it also sucked as there were only 4 girls in my year and I didn’t really get on with the other 3. There were obviously kids from years above/below in the class but I never really clicked with them either. The boys had it even worse as both my year and the year below only had one boy in ( they hung out together but looked rather lost if the other one was off).

My kids went to a school with 15 per year group. By Y5 and Y6 it was feeling really really small with limited friendship options.

Way too small and as a private school liable to be at risk of closure I'd imagine. Honestly the bigger the better would be my advice. He won't be 4 for long and he is much more likely to find his tribe at a larger school.

Parent and teacher here.
Send your DS to a bigger school - the bigger the better, really.

There are more resources at a state primary if support is needed and more options socially with a 3 form intake - a chance to meet a wider variety of friends and move comfortably between friendship groups. If your DC needs SENCO, the private school will probably struggle to meet this. (Generally, most private schools are not able to provide the same level of support)

As for the larger intake, you will discover that they stagger the yrR start. Pupils born in summer term often do not do full days until the end of Sept so you may need to make arrangements for then. (e.g. my DDs have May birthdays so did not do full length school days for nearly 3 weeks!)

DDs went to the village primary which was slightly less than one form per year and it was tough socially. There just isn't enough breadth, even with ca. 30 in a room. By yr6, there were only 20; all the personalities were established and friendships were cut in stone.

My DC went to a tiny primary school. It worked brilliantly for 2 out of 3. My shyest child found it hard to find friends, especially when a lot of children left to go to a bigger school. All the boys in his year were into football, which he wasn’t. My DD had her own maths group in Y6, which was good and bad. The teachers and TAs were amazing and I think my DC all received a great education but it did reduce friendship options.
They all went on to a big secondary school and 2 to a very big sixth form and were very happy so I don’t think it held them back.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

Our local primary school has around 30 children in it at most, every year. The classes are mixed age groups, and they seem to make friends with children of all ages. Sometimes it does mean that you only get one in Year Six, and going to the local (large) secondary school on their own. Interestingly, a recent one has noted that the ones from the bigger schools tend to be cliquey, and the ones from the smaller schools are more sociable and open to making new friends.

A neighbour insisted on sending their child to the next primary school along, which is considerably larger. He'd gone to a tiny primary school and said that it was rubbish because they had to share resources and what they had was never as good in comparison.

These are the state schools, though. Two local independent schools recently closed and merged with a newer one.

Sent our eldest to a small school, loved the small almost village school feel but most were from communities other than ours and many knew each other from out of school and our child was miserable, moved him to one of the largest primaries in the country and he thrived.

Larger school for sure. Small you are more likely to have limited options for friends, issues if there are any fall outs, limited teams for sports and activities. By year 6 they become bored and ready for secondary - even in a larger school so can only imagine the boredom in a smaller one.

Not private, but a lovley wee village school, it was great and I loved DS1 going there, but he did struggle to make friends as he was the only boy in his year group of 6. Whole school was 26. He's moved schools as we moved home after marriage breakdown and I was so worried as his new school is 10 times as big, which sounds alot, but its not really compared to other schools.

He's getting on great in his new school though, seems like a nice bunch of kids and he's settling in well. It's a hard choice to make, especially as DS1 is suspected ASD and doesn't like change

The more children then the more chance of meeting a good friend fit

Honestly I wouldn’t even consider a school that may have just 5 in the class. My youngest has just 22 in his class and he’s never made a real friend it doesn’t help there’s only 7 boys, a big cohort ensures lots of different children with different interests and backgrounds so chances are you’ll find at least 1 person who will have things in common with you. I know you think the education part is all that matters but if your child is unhappy then the learning goes out if the window anyway.

I don't think a small class is necessarily a good thing. There are fewer children to make friends with and it will be more difficult to find someone to gell with. Also if they fall out which small children do a lot it will be harder to find new friends

It’s a long way off but imagine the transition from a single tiny class to a massive comprehensive. I’d save your money and go with the bigger primary. More facilities, friendship opportunities, subjects, teachers. It seems like a huge step but they’ll settle and get used to the bigger environment.