Guide

Class size and adults in the room

Class size is one of the first numbers parents ask for. On its own it tells you less than you might think.

Ask the right question

Instead of only asking how big classes are, ask how many adults are in the room for most of the day. A class of 24 with a full-time teaching assistant can feel very different from a class of 20 with one teacher.

Specialist teachers

Many international primary schools have specialist teachers for music, physical education, languages or art. That gives class teachers planning time, and children meet more than one teaching style.

Questions to ask

1. What is the maximum class size in my child's year, and is it ever exceeded?
2. Is there a teaching assistant, and for how much of the week?
3. Which subjects are taught by specialists?
4. How are classes mixed from one year to the next?

Small schools

A very small school can mean mixed-age classes and fewer friendship options. Ask how the school handles a year group with only a handful of children.