Class size and adult-to-child ratios in Saigon preschools: what the numbers mean

Vietnam’s preschool charter sets maximum group sizes that rise with age, from 15 children in the youngest infant groups to 35 in the oldest kindergarten classes, and many private schools in Saigon keep groups well below those limits. The number that matters most for your child, though, is not the group size on paper. It is how many adults are actually in the room with the group at each point of the day, and how well they know the children.

This guide sets out the legal limits, explains why ratios shift between morning, lunch and nap, and shows how to turn a school’s headline figure into a realistic picture. It also covers mixed-age classes, which some schools use deliberately, and what research says about why smaller groups tend to help young children.

The legal maximums, by age

The Charter of Preschools issued with Circular 52/2020/TT-BGDDT sets the maximum number of children in each group. The figures below are the commonly cited limits; check the current text if a precise number matters to you, since rules can be amended.

These are ceilings, not targets. A public kindergarten in a crowded area may be close to them; many private and bilingual schools run toddler groups of twelve to eighteen and kindergarten classes of eighteen to twenty-five. Separate staffing norms set the minimum number of teachers per group, and private schools often staff above that minimum. Ask any school for its actual group size for your child’s age, not the maximum it is allowed.

Why group size matters for young children

Group size affects what adults can do. With fewer children, a teacher can notice who is tired, who is upset and who is ready for a new challenge, and can hold real conversations rather than managing the group. Research on early childhood settings has found this for decades. The National Day Care Study in the United States in the 1970s found that smaller groups were linked to more responsive teacher behaviour and more engaged children, and later work using classroom observation tools has continued to link group size and ratios with the quality of interaction.

The effect is strongest for the youngest children. Babies and toddlers need individual attention for feeding, changing, comfort and sleep, and they cannot yet wait their turn or manage in a crowd. That is why legal maximums and professional recommendations, including those of the National Association for the Education of Young Children in the United States, set much smaller groups for under-threes than for five-year-olds. For older children, slightly larger groups can work well if there are enough adults and enough space, because children of four and five can play cooperatively and follow group routines.

Group size versus ratio: two different numbers

Group size is how many children share one room and one daily routine. Ratio is how many children there are for each adult. A group of twenty with two adults has a ratio of one to ten; the same twenty with three adults has a ratio of nearly one to seven. Both numbers matter, but in different ways. Ratio tells you how much adult attention is available at any moment. Group size tells you how noisy, busy and complex the room is, which affects how calm children feel and how easily they can concentrate.

This is why adding adults to a very large group does not fully solve the problem. Thirty-five children with four adults has a respectable ratio, but the room is still crowded, noise levels are high and quieter children can get lost. Conversely, a small group with only one adult may be calm but leaves no one free to comfort a crying child while supervising the rest. When you ask a school about numbers, ask for both: how many children are in the group, and how many adults are in the room at each part of the day.

Consider, too, how many different adults a child meets in a week. A ratio can look generous on paper because several part-time staff rotate through the room, but toddlers do better with a small number of familiar faces. Two adults who are there every day usually serve a young group better than four who come and go. Ask how many different adults work with your child’s group across a normal week.

How ratios change through the day

Headline ratios usually describe the morning, when most staff are present. The real picture changes across the day, and the moments with fewest adults are often the ones that matter most.

• Arrival: children come in over an hour or more, so the room may start with one adult and fill gradually. Ask who greets children at the gate and who is in the room.
• Morning activities: usually the best-staffed time, often with the homeroom teacher, a co-teacher and an assistant.
• Lunch: assistants and teachers help children eat, but some staff may take breaks. Ask how many adults stay in the room.
• Nap: the room is quiet, and many schools reduce staff to one adult per room while others take breaks or plan. Ask who stays awake with sleeping children and how often they check.
• Afternoon: foreign or bilingual co-teachers sometimes leave after lunch or rotate between classes.
• Late pick-up: children from several groups may be combined with one or two adults. Ask how many children stay after the main pick-up and who looks after them.

Asking about each of these moments is not fussy; it is exactly how professionals assess staffing. A school that knows its numbers at each point of the day has thought about supervision carefully.

Transitions between these moments deserve attention too. Moving a group from classroom to playground, from lunch to washing hands, or from nap to snack is when children most often wander, collide or get upset. Ask how many adults manage each transition and whether children move in small groups or all at once. Schools that plan transitions carefully tend to have calmer days overall.

Mixed-age groups: when they help

Some schools group children by single year of age, following the Vietnamese system of nhom tre and lop mau giao by birth year. Others use mixed-age groups, either deliberately, as in Montessori classrooms that bring three- to six-year-olds together, or because enrolment numbers make it practical. Vietnamese rules allow for mixed-age classes where enrolment requires them.

Mixed-age groups have real benefits. Younger children watch and copy older ones, and older children consolidate their own learning by helping. The room can feel like a large family rather than a class of peers competing for the same toys. They also bring challenges: activities have to suit a wide range of abilities, the youngest children may be overwhelmed, and the oldest may be underchallenged if the teacher is not skilled. When a school uses mixed ages, ask how the day is planned for different levels, how many children of each age are in the group, and whether the youngest have a quiet space and time of their own. A deliberate mixed-age approach with a clear rationale is very different from a combined group created to fill a room.

Space: the number that is easy to overlook

Group size and ratio describe people; space describes the room they share. A group of eighteen in a large, well-organised room with defined areas for building, books, art and quiet play feels very different from the same group in a narrow room filled with tables. Vietnamese regulations set minimum standards for classroom and outdoor space per child, and most licensed schools meet them, but standards set a floor rather than describing a good environment.

On a visit, look at how the space is used. Is there room for children to sit on the floor in a circle without touching? Can a child find a quiet corner away from the noise? Is outdoor space shaded and big enough for running, or is it a small yard used in rotation? In Saigon’s heat and rainy season, ask where children play when it is too hot or too wet outside, since an indoor movement room or covered area can make a big difference to the day. A smaller group in a cramped room may be less comfortable than a slightly larger group in a generous one.

Bathrooms and nap areas count as part of the space. A toddler group sharing one small bathroom with another class will spend a lot of the day queuing, and a nap room where mattresses touch makes rest harder. Ask to see both, and picture the full group using them at the same time.

How to read the numbers a school gives you

Schools often quote a ratio such as “one teacher to eight children.” Useful, but it leaves out three things. First, who counts as a teacher: a qualified homeroom teacher, a foreign co-teacher, a care assistant, or all of them? Second, when the ratio applies: across the whole day or only during core hours? Third, whether the figure is a policy or what actually happens: if a teacher is sick, is a substitute brought in, or does the ratio slip that day?

Translate the claim into specifics. Ask: in my child’s group, how many children are enrolled, how many attend on a typical day, and which adults are in the room during the morning, at lunch, at nap and after four o’clock? Then observe briefly if you can. Count the children and adults in the room you visit. If what you see matches what you were told, the school knows its numbers. If the room you see has noticeably more children per adult than described, ask why. There may be a good reason, such as a staff meeting or a teacher on leave, but it is worth knowing how often that happens.

Putting numbers in perspective

Numbers are a useful filter, but they are not the whole story. A small group with a disengaged teacher gives children less than a moderately sized group with a warm, skilled team. Research consistently finds that ratios and group size make good interaction possible, but it is the quality of what adults do with that opportunity that shapes children’s experience. Treat group size and ratio as necessary conditions, then look at the teachers, the space and the daily rhythm to judge whether the school is using its numbers well.

For a quick comparison across your shortlist, note three figures for each school: actual group size for your child’s age, the number of adults in the room during morning activities, and the number at nap or late pick-up. Add a line about space. Those four notes, set next to what you observed of the teachers, give you a fair, concrete basis for comparing schools that may describe themselves in very similar terms. If one school stands out on numbers but you felt uneasy in the room, trust the unease enough to visit again before deciding.

Câu hỏi thường gặp

What is a good adult-to-child ratio for a two-year-old in preschool?

There is no single international standard, but professional bodies generally recommend far fewer children per adult for under-threes than for older children. In Saigon, ask each school for its actual ratio at different times of day and compare. The quality of the adults matters as much as the number.

Are smaller classes always better at preschool?

Smaller groups usually make good interaction easier, especially for babies and toddlers. But a very small group with only one adult may leave no cover if a child needs individual attention. Look for a balance of manageable group size, enough adults and enough space, together with skilled, warm teachers.

Do private preschools in Saigon have smaller classes than public ones?

Often, but not always. Public kindergartens in crowded areas may run close to the legal maximums, while many private and bilingual schools keep groups smaller. Practices vary widely within both sectors. Ask each school for its actual numbers rather than assuming based on type.

How many children should be in a nap room with one adult?

Rules and practices vary. What matters is that an awake adult is always present and checks sleeping children regularly, especially the youngest. Ask the school who stays in the nap room, how often children are checked, and what happens if a child wakes early or is upset.

Does a mixed-age class hold back older children?

Not if it is well planned. In well-run mixed-age rooms, older children take on more complex work and often deepen their understanding by helping younger ones. Ask how the teacher plans for different levels and whether older children have challenging activities of their own.

Is it reasonable to count the children and adults during a visit?

Yes. It is a quick, objective check that what you see matches what you were told. You do not need to make it obvious. If the numbers differ, ask politely why; there may be a simple explanation, such as a teacher on a break or a group joining for an activity.