For some families, the decision to opt for a Prep school education for their children is a ‘dyed in the wool’ rite of passage. For others, it is a new venture into the relative unknown. Despite widespread preconceptions, there is no such thing as a typical Prep School family - the modern range of circumstances, dynamics and needs vary widely from family to family.
However, the motivation for choosing a Prep school education is largely centred on the pursuit of the very best educational experience for one’s children during these early formative years. How Prep schools nurture students both in terms of academics and personal developments can set them up for the best possible quality of life as a young adult and beyond.
Smaller Class Sizes
Whilst the raison d’etre of any school is the development of a child’s academic aspirations, modern Prep schools offer this and so much more. Many parents cite the motivation of choosing an independent education to be to reap the benefit of small class sizes. Such low teacher:pupil ratios do allow for a greater level of tailored tracking and target setting alongside additional support or extension for each child.
The heightened frequency of teacher input and feedback during lessons is tangible, resulting in a greater quality of both academic and pastoral care in the classroom. When combined with intervention and extension sessions, children benefit from teaching which is tailored to their individual needs in a supportive and positive learning environment.
Facilities and Specialist Teaching
Alongside the smaller classes,
Independent Prep Schools also benefit from enviable facilities: Science Laboratories, Astroturf pitches, Sports Halls and Art/Design centres to name but a few.
When combined with access to specialist teaching from an early age, the opportunities afforded to these young pupils are a significant bonus and allow for a wide range of richly stimulating experiences on a day to day basis.
At the latter stages of a Prep School education, pupils are often placed in sets for the core subjects and taught by secondary school trained subject specialists. This specialist teacher input reflects the academic rigour of the Common Entrance syllabus which has greater depth than the National Curriculum. This gives Preparatory School leavers an advantage when preparing for GCSEs.
Year 8 pupils preparing to sit Scholarship exams, whether Common Academic Scholarship or a Senior School’s own entrance exams, will have been identified and extended from the CE syllabus in Year 7, if not before.
Sports Opportunities for Students
Beyond the classroom, Prep schools excel in providing pupils with the rounded education that is so necessary for the inquisitive mind of the growing child. Access to Sports and The Arts are a feature of daily life in a busy Prep School and a high level of involvement in Music and Drama are a default and not an extra.
All pupils benefit from the active lifestyle which is promoted by the provision of sport for all. Those who excel, or who simply show great enthusiasm, are often encouraged by specialist coaches across a wide range of sports and development pathways. These often feature County representation and national level competition.
For those who are less advanced in their sporting abilities, there are competitive fixtures against like-minded opposition of a similar standard. Through this strategy, all pupils can gain the satisfaction of competing alongside their team-mates towards a common goal on a regular basis. This reinforces valuable social skills, as well as fostering the qualities of good sportsmanship from a young age.
Inspirational Arts Programmes
As with Sport, The Arts benefit from a high level of participation. Whilst the uptake of instrumental music lessons is a declining trend in some spheres, within Prep schools pupils are used to practising, playing and performing regularly. This creates a virtuous circle of inspiration, aspiration and motivation in a peer-led environment.
The same can be said of Drama. Whilst Drama lessons are a timetabled feature of the curriculum, many pupils also opt for additional LAMDA lessons. These sessions add to the child’s experience of public performance and developing confidence before an audience.
Prep school Art departments are unfailingly busy, with traditional methods and techniques being deployed alongside new ideas, it is often noted that the staff within the Art department are early adopters of the creative opportunities afforded by tech!
Extra-Curricular Activities
Prep school days are necessarily long but balanced. Alongside the timetabled curriculum there are a myriad of extra-curricular opportunities to stimulate and engage young minds. Often taught by the same teachers that deliver the academic lessons, co-curricular activities allow children to see the diverse skill set and personalities of their teachers.
From the Physics teacher who leads mountain biking, to the Pre-Prep staff who are passionate about building businesses, a busy Prep school is a vibrant and exciting place where every child can find their niche over the school year.
The interaction with staff in a range of environments is of mutual benefit, it allows for a greater depth of mutual understanding, empathy and recognition that can be achieved in the confines of a timetabled classroom lesson. Children benefit from the time invested outside the classroom and the staff are also stimulated and enriched by the breadth of their roles on a daily basis.
School Days
A single day of teaching in an independent school is like no other. Staff are often as amazed and delighted by their colleagues as they are by the children which leads to a rich and varied experience for all. The activity programme, which often runs into the evening, provides guided, purposeful and productive sessions for all students. These are a far cry from the ‘digital babysitter’ that occupies many children whose phones and devices draw their attention once they set foot outside the school gates.
It is here that passions are ignited and interests form, which a good Prep school will harness and direct giving the individual child a sense of purpose and belonging within the wider school community.
Boarding and Wrap Around Care
The long private school day is of benefit to the child as well as the working parent. With the availability of wrap-around care from breakfast, to supper and even
overnight options for boarding schools, the children are well cared for and happily engaged.
The parents can then focus on their working day, in the knowledge that when collection time comes, their child will have often completed their Prep in school. This means the remaining time in the evening can be devoted to catching up on the day’s events rather than battling to sit down and complete the necessary homework.
For those families whose lifestyle requires, the boarding options from full, to weekly, flexi and occasional boarding allow children to dip their toe in when the time is right. A business trip or weekly commitment may force the decision. However, it is not unusual for all day pupils to try a night or two in the boarding house at some point in their Prep school career. This helps them to gain a taste of that next level of independence and opportunity to spend more time with friends.
Challenges and Opportunities in a Prep School
Prep school education is about opportunity, providing the time needed to grow and reflect, to develop the softer skills of collaboration, communication, resilience, curiosity, critical thinking and motivation which will serve the children well throughout their lives.
The aim of a Prep school environment is to challenge and mould young minds. We give pupils the benefit of opportunity and support whilst engaging them in learning experiences that initially pique their interest but then lead to passionate commitment.
It would be limiting to say that a Prep School simply prepares pupils to make the most out of Senior school. Prep Schools do far more than that: They lay the foundations for lifelong learning, help pupils form healthy habits of involvement in sports and outdoor activities, and hone an ability and appreciation for The Arts in all its guises.
Prep school pupils develop confidence in their own skill set, are single minded about their pursuit of their own interests and able to appreciate and converse with others who have their own relative strengths and weaknesses.
-Andy Nuttall, Headmaster of The Downs Malvern
The Downs Malvern is a vibrant prep schools for girls and boys aged 3-13, seated in the beautiful Malvern Hills – truly a place children can call a second home. We aim to nurture every child to their fullest potential and are proud of the care and academic support we provide.
Learn more about our Outstanding School or Book a visit here.