Prince
Charles introduces his mother to his teachers on sports day at Hill
House school, 1957.
Age
range
The
word “Preparatory” relates to independent schools whose original
purpose was to “prepare” pupils for entry to Public Schools on a
competitive basis – by passing the Common Entrance Exam at ages 11,
12 or 13. However, there has been a major expansion of UK independent
education and these days the schools are a lot more flexible in
meeting the needs of parents and their children.
The
words “Public School” relate to the old traditional schools like
Eton and Harrow. Nowadays there are considerably more private schools
in the senior sector and the term “independent senior school” is
more generic.
Preps
typically cover ages from 7 or 8 to 11 or 13.
The
words “Pre-Preparatory” relate to schools in the previous age
range from ages 2/3 to 7/8. Some schools call the period before age 5
Nursery or Reception. Some
schools cater for children all the way from 3 to 18. These are known
as “all through” schools and they can be attractive to some as
they offer a complete education in a well-known and settled
environment. It also means that children can maintain their
friendships throughout their schooldays, which some may feel is very
important. The
advantage of being in an “all through” is that your child tends
to progress naturally into the senior school. If you are “on the
outside” there might be a waiting list. On the other hand, children
can find it stifling being at the same school for 15 years. Will the
school that was right for your 3 year old still be right at 16?
How
does the Curriculum work?
It
must be quite confusing for you to read that Prep Schools are free to
decide whether or not they take part in National Curriculum Tests.
What this means in reality is that Prep School pupils enjoy a
broader, more varied curriculum that is not over-burdened with
constant testing and the need to follow rigidly laid courses. Added
to this class sizes are much smaller than in state primary schools,
typically about 15 pupils in a class, so that teachers can give more
time and attention to individual needs. It should also be stated that
Prep Schools employ many more specialist teachers than are to be
found in the state system. This results in high educational standards
and outstanding levels of achievement.
As
mentioned earlier some Preps follow the National Curriculum and
others don’t. Ask the school for the reasons for their own
approach and how it benefits their children.
Entrance
tests
At
the younger ages most preps and pre-preps will just want to interview
you and the child prior to making you an offer. Often they will
invite you to let the child spend a half day in a normal class. It
will be put to you that this is a test for you to ensure your child
is happy – which it is – however the school will be observing if
your child fits seamlessly into a class of children of similar ages.
For entry ages of 7 or 8 and older, preps might start requesting
entry tests before considering admission. These are likely to focus
primarily on English but may also take into account general knowledge
and maths. There is no standard approach here – so you need to ask.
Religious
denomination?
Most
schools will originally start from one faith – you will find Church
of England, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Jewish, Muslim, etc. You will
also find that most schools will accept pupils of any faith. If your
views are particularly strong, then discuss them with the school. For
example if you are sending your child to a Catholic School, they will
likely insist all pupils will attend Mass. In this day and age, most
schools are becoming non denominational and respecting all faiths.
Will
your child be happy there?
• What
do other parents/children say about it?
Of
course, it is vital that your child is happy, especially if this is
their first experience of school.
Of
course, you are not going to know the answer until after they get
there – so what can you do?
Your
key lines of enquiry could be to:
(1)
assess the Head who sets the tone of the school,
(2)
observe and question existing children and parents at the school,
(3)
see what your child thinks after the school visit – did the school
go out of their way to motivate him or her.
Does
it have a good track record?
• What
are leaver destinations?
In
the absence of exam scores, a key measurement is the destination of
leavers. If you are selecting a prep to get your child into a
specific independent senior school, you want to know what the
school’s track record is for getting pupils into their first choice
senior schools.
What
is the teaching like?
• Quality
of teachers, staff turnover,
•
Curriculum,
• Class
sizes and school overall,
• School
discipline and rules,
• School
inspection report.
Ethos
of School
Every
prep school establishes its own ethos, which can best be evaluated by
observing the behaviour of pupils both in and out of class. Are they
well behaved in class? Were they working hard? Did they greet you in
a polite way? Do they look happy? Are they neat and tidy? The
most important factor is the Head, because he or she sets the entire
tone for the school. You will only find out by meeting the Head and
asking lots of questions!
School
Discipline
Areas
such as the school policy on discipline can be an important
consideration when you are trying to choose between schools. There
can be very big differences between schools with a highly traditional
approach and those that put the emphasis on self- development and
learning by experience. What you will find is that there is generally
a more structured environment in independent schools than in the
state sector, but nevertheless quite big differences exist, as for
example between modern schools on the one hand, and traditional
schools on the other.
Only
you can be the judge of what you prefer for your children. You should
have that discussion with the Head of the schools you approach.
How
good is the Teaching?
In
many Preps and small schools, the Head will also teach and thereby
set the standards and tone for his/her staff. Good schools will list
their teaching staff and their qualifications. Hopefully you will be
allowed to meet a few and form your own impressions. A measure of a
good school is low staff turnover. You should be able to get
impressions of these factors by looking at the school inspection
report.
What
do the school inspection reports say?
All
schools are subject to regular school inspections. They are carried
out by different bodies, depending on a school’s affiliation. The
majority in England are done by the Independent Schools Inspectorate
on much the same principles as OFSTED. In Wales it is usually done by
ESTYN. In Scotland it is done by HM Inspectorate of Education working
for The Scottish Executive - just ask the school for a copy. Some
schools print abbreviated versions, which tend to highlight the good
bits. Ask to see the full version even if you do have to wade through
60 pages.
How
big are class sizes and the overall school
You
are “buying” small class sizes and individual attention by using
private education – so you want to know that there are 20 or less
to a class. However, you also want to know that the school is not too
small (e.g. 5 pupils per class) then parents start to withdraw their
children.
Guardianship
If
a parent is outside of the UK, whether they are UK or Foreign
Nationals, arrangements must be made for each full boarding child to
have a guardian, who can take responsibility for the child,
particularly outside of school hours at half term. For UK nationals,
there is often a relative to undertake the role. For others, the
services of a Guardian must be secured. Some schools will have teamed
up with a guardianship services company. Such services are not cheap
– so remember to factor in the costs.
School
Facilities
Today
most schools in the independent sector spend a great deal of their
budgets on the fabric of their buildings and in providing outstanding
facilities for their pupils. Parents should ask to see the school
library and enquire about the sports area and whether or not the
school has a sports hall. Most Prep schools today should have well-
equipped IT centres. It is no longer surprising that many children of
11 or younger are more adept with computers than their parents! If
your child is interested in the creative arts you should ask to see
the Art School and find out what different types of materials can
pupils use in their studies. However, it should be borne in mind that
great facilities do not necessarily make a great school!
Many
independent schools offer a huge range of activities – from sports
to arts to music to outward bound courses. The point is that that
opportunities are invariably extensive – as long as you realise you
are going to pay an extra fee for most of them – if not for the
teacher, then for the equipment.
Sports
and music are always well catered for – in contrast to the
diminishing availability in state schools. A school will always
provide you with a list of their activities and for those with a
rather anxious child, it is a way of motivating them to overcome
their reservations.
It
is a huge decision
Lastly,
after doing all of your research, go back to basics. The real
starting point for choosing a school has to begin with you and your
hopes and aspirations for your children. You know them better than
anyone else and can best judge their strengths and weaknesses. You
are in the best position to know what type of school will work best
for them. Although your schooldays were some time ago, the essentials
in the 21st
Century
remain the same as when you were at school. Literacy and numeracy
plus knowing the difference between right and wrong count for as much
in the modern world as they did when you were a schoolchild. You need
to match the qualities you consider right for education with those
offered by the right
school.
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