Human Scale Education
We believe that the educational, social and emotional needs of each child are best served in a small-scale environment. We operate our school along the lines of a caring, extended ‘family’ where the classes do not exceed more than 14 children per session. This is sufficiently small for children and teachers to get to know each other well, to feel an important part of the whole group and consequently develop a much stronger sense of personal and communal responsibility.
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As a small school we are able to tailor our curriculum to suit the specific needs of each individual child, ensuring that no child is ever academically left behind or socially excluded.
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At a time when local infant and primary classes have numbers of 30+ children per class, we offer parents a small, caring environment for children. While the government talks about (but fails to implement) smaller class sizes, we are a school with a total intake of around 70 children. With a staff to pupil ratio of approximately 1 to 6 over the whole school we are able to ensure that no child is left behind, and that each child has a unique level of care and assistance. Educational research has consistently shown the advantages a small school has over larger institutions. For example: ‘Issues in Educational Research Vol. 6’ (1) M. Mok and M. Flynn conclude –
Small schools were found to enhance interpersonal relationships (Bryk, 1996), increase student extra curricular participation (Barker and Gump, 1964; Oxley, 1994; Stevens and Peltier, 1994), provide more opportunities for developing students’ leadership potential (Bryk, Lee and Holland, 1993), have more effective school discipline (Haller, 1992; Rowan, Raudenbush and Kang, 1991), improved school climate (Lindsay, 1984; Oxley, 1994). The advantages of small schools over large ones were particularly salient in the case of disadvantaged students (Howley, 1994; Klonsky, 1995) and schools located in rural areas (Haller, 1992).
Also See
'Our daughter does not need specialist schooling, just small class sizes in a small school environment. The New Forest Small School has given her that. It has transformed her.'
Mr PS & Mrs PS (Lymington)
The New Forest Small School is a member of Human Scale Education and supports its work in promoting 'human scale learning environments where children and young people are known and valued as individuals.'
