Independent prep schools provide children with their first taste of boarding life. Preparatory schools take boarders who are between 7 and 13 years of age and prepare them for senior school. The majority of prep schools are co-educational, although there are some single-sex prep schools around the country.
While prep schools cater for boarders between 7-13 years, some preparatory schools have a pre-prep department that takes younger day pupils. Students are usually age five or above, but can even be as young as two. The youngest age that children can start boarding in the UK is seven.
Other types of prep school include choir schools, non-denominational schools and prep schools that specialise in special educational needs. Prep schools are either stand-alone, or attached to a senior school. At the end of prep school, pupils can go on to study at the senior school that their prep school is attached to, or progress to any of the other senior schools in the country.
Studying at a Prep School
Prep schools offer a high standard of education and prepare children for future study. Maths, English and Science are at the core of the curriculum, with other subjects available, such as geography, information technology and modern languages. Pupil’s progress is assessed using National Curriculum Tests at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 (ages 7 and 11) or may be assessed with an alternative system.
Prep schools traditionally prepare pupils for the Common Entrance (CE) examination, which assesses student’s abilities in core subjects. Senior schools take into account the Common Entrance examination results when considering admissions applications, and the required marks vary, depending on the senior school.
Extra lessons can be arranged for pupils whose first language is not English and many prep schools provide extra support for pupils with specific needs.
Benefits of preparatory school
Preparatory schools offer small class sizes and a nurturing environment for children to reach their full potential. These particular schools provide a high level of pastoral care, and give pupils plenty of opportunities to develop academically, socially and culturally.