by Robert Randall
As a school principal, I am often asked why some families actively seek out a smaller school environment for their child. After more than 30 years in education, including senior leadership roles in both large and small international schools, I have had the privilege of seeing a wide range of models at work. Today, I find myself in a uniquely fortunate position leading a small all-through school, and it is this day-to-day experience, walking alongside children from their earliest years through adolescence, that continually reinforces one clear truth: for some children, a small school can be truly transformational.
The Foundation of Wellbeing: Being Known and Feeling Safe
In a small school, every child is genuinely known. Not just by name, but as an individual, by their personality, interests, learning style, and what they need to feel confident and secure. This depth of understanding allows teachers to build strong, trusting relationships. Children feel seen and valued, which underpins emotional security and a strong sense of belonging. When children feel safe and known, they are far more willing to take risks in their learning, ask for help when they need it, and recover quickly from setbacks. The wellbeing benefits of a small school are significant; consistency and predictability matter. Fewer transitions, stable routines, and familiar adults throughout the day reduce anxiety and cognitive overload. This is especially important for those who are more sensitive to change. In a predictable, calm environment, children can focus their energy on learning, relationships, and personal growth rather than on navigating complexity.
We also recognise that being a teenager today is hard. Young people are growing up in a world shaped by social media, constant comparison, academic pressure, and global uncertainty. In a small all-through school, adolescents are closely known and carefully supported through this complex stage of development. Subtle changes in mood, engagement, or behaviour are noticed early, and support is personal, timely, and compassionate rather than reactive. This leads to another key strength: early identification and intervention. In smaller settings, staff quickly notice when a student is struggling socially, emotionally, or academically. This allows for early conversations, targeted support, and close collaboration with families before challenges escalate. Throughout my career, I have seen how early, relational intervention can make a profound difference to both wellbeing and long-term outcomes.
Building Character and Community
Small schools also foster a strong sense of community and emotional safety. Students learn alongside peers they know well, often across year groups, which encourages empathy, inclusion, and mutual respect. Social dynamics are visible and easier to guide positively. Friendship challenges or unkind behaviour are addressed swiftly and restoratively, helping students develop emotional intelligence, resilience, and healthy relationship skills. Confidence and self-esteem are further strengthened through authentic opportunities to be seen and heard. In a smaller school, every student has the chance to contribute, lead, perform, and represent their community. These experiences help young people develop a strong sense of identity and self-worth, particularly important during adolescence.
It is also important to challenge a common misconception – the belief that small schools are easier to lead reflects a fallacy of scale, overlooking the disproportionate impact of culture, systems, and leadership quality. In a small school, every interaction matters. Culture is felt immediately, and leadership quality is highly visible. Strong values, clarity of purpose, and robust pastoral systems are essential to sustaining trust and wellbeing. Another powerful benefit lies in the strength of partnerships with families. Communication is open, relationships are close, and there is a shared understanding of each child. When students see the adults in their lives working together, they feel secure and supported.
Thriving in the Senior Years: Personalised Academic Excellence
A small school is not the right fit for every child. Some thrive in large, fast-paced environments with a wide range of social options. However, drawing on three decades of experience and my current role leading a small all-through school, I am confident that for many children and young people, this environment offers something genuinely special. When children and young people feel safe, known, and supported, they thrive. For many, a small all-through school provides exactly the conditions they need to flourish, academically, socially, and emotionally.
This philosophy is especially powerful in the senior years, where our small scale allows us to offer International A Levels in a way that is both academically rigorous and deeply personalised. Small class sizes mean students are not anonymous; teaching is highly responsive, discussion-rich, and tailored to individual strengths, aspirations, and pathways. Teachers know their students exceptionally well, how they learn best, where they need stretch or support, and how to help them balance academic challenge with wellbeing. This enables high-quality academic mentoring, careful subject guidance, and realistic, ambitious post-school planning. In a small all-through school, A Level students benefit not only from subject expertise, but from years of relational knowledge and intrinsic trust built over time. This continuity, combined with the intellectual depth of International A Levels and the focus afforded by small classes, creates a learning environment in which students are well prepared, not just for examinations, but for university and life beyond.
Whether you lead a school of two hundred or two thousand, I invite you to reflect on the following:
·How visible and known is every child in your community? What structures can you put in place to ensure that no student slips through the cracks, that their individual story is known and valued by at least one adult?
·How can you prioritise relational trust?Are you empowering your staff with the time and the tools to build the kind of deep connections with students that unlock both wellbeing and academic potential?
·Is your culture intentional and visible? In a larger setting, it requires more deliberate effort; a positive, supportive culture is the single most powerful driver of student flourishing. How are you nurturing it?
The size of a school may provide a natural advantage, the quality of leadershipis really what determines its ultimate impact. Robert Randall, Principal, EtonHouse International School Orchard, Singapore
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