Primary School Size and Pupil Attitudes: Small Is Happy?

Abstract

In this paper, Leslie Francis, Mansel Jones Fellow of Trinity College, Carmarthen, reports on the findings of a study which explores the attitudes of pupils to schools of different size. A semantic differentiated scale of attitude towards school was completed by 4,746 pupils from 192 primary or junior schools. Those attending schools of 60 or fewer pupils were found to be significantly more positive in their attitudes than those attending larger schools.