We have been developing family-scale education for almost 25 years. We found that as families join together and pool their enthusiasm, expertise and ideas they can produce a stimulating and versatile curriculum for their children. For this model to be effective the numbers of families needs to be limited. Every family needs to be involved and feel that their contribution is valued. The school needs to actively seek participation from parents and equip them as they take responsibility for their children’s education.

The Sheffield Christian Free School will have all the the advantages of being a large institution but, with each site having less than 100 pupils from between 40 – 50 families, it will be able to  offer the highest standards of pastoral care and academic support. Each year group will have only eight pupils. Year groups are combined so that classes, like families, will have mixed ages. Children age 4 – 16 can and do relate together. The younger children learn to respect older pupils and they, in turn, learn to care for the younger ones.

Class Groups: 8 pupils in each year group

Reception and Year 1,                        Max: 16 pupils age 4-5 years

Infant Class: Year 2 and Year 3            Max: 16 pupils age 6-7 years

Junior Class: Year 4 to Year 6               Max: 24 pupils age 8-11 years

Senior Class:  Year 7 to Year 9              Max: 24 pupils age 12-14 years

GCSE Class:     Year 10 and Year 11      Max: 16 pupils age 15-16 years                   TOTAL: 96 pupils

The key responsibility for the school leaders on each Free School site will be to foster parent, teacher and pupil relationships. An understanding of the way each child learns, three-way communication about curriculum issues and rapid, co-ordinated responses to behaviour and discipline matters are key strategies in family-scale learning. Parents must always be part of the solution when their children are involved. Teachers have expertise, training, experience, specialist knowledge and a passion for working with children so they are key partners with parents to enable each child to achieve their full potential.

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