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The British prep school is a private educational institution to prepare younger children to attend public schools--private secondry schools. The prep and public schools constitute the backbone of the private sector, which the schools prefer to call the independent sector. The public schools were still rather rough places when many prep schools were founded in the 19th century. British private schools expanded greatly in the 19th century to provide the expanded number educated men needed to run the Empire. Gradually the prep schools came to be responsible for children about 8-13 years of age. Many modern prep schools have in recent years added a pre-prep to prepare even younger children to enter main school. Private education became a major issue in British politics during the 1970s and 80s with Labour politicans charging that they provided an unfair advantage to children from affluent families. Many schools were adversely affected by the economic down turn that Britain experienced in the 1970s. Labor politicans pushed to curtain Government funding. The situation has improved in recent years. The intensity of the political debate has declined. And at the same time more parents have turned to private education because of increasing disatidfaction with the state schools. Many prep schools now have children whose parents were no educated at private schools. Even so, prep schools still educate only a small fraction of British children. A variety of changes have occurred at prep schools in recent years. And at the same time more parents have turned to private education because of increasing disatidfaction with the state schools. Many prep schools now have children whose parents were no educated at private schools. Even so, prep schools still educate only a small fraction of British children. There have also been considerable changes in the curriculum, although the focus on numeracy and literacy continues. Another major change has been the trend toward coeducation. Private schools are epensive. Unless the family s wealthy, school fees require a substantial outlay. The prep schools believe, however, that they provide that they provide value for money. They contend that they have a very convincing story to tell and are anxious to do so. The schools explain the advantages over the state sector as well as the attributes of their specific school. Several children have provided accounts of their school experieces.
The British prep school is a private educational institution to prepare younger children to attend public schools--private secondry schools. Most prep schools have lins to nearby public schools and many of the children go on to that school. But many children go to other schools. Part of the school's job is to assess the child's capabilities and help the parents choose a suitable public school. The prep and public schools constitute the backbone of the private sector, which the schools prefer to call the independent sector. The British prep school is different from an American prep school. Both are private schools, but the American prep schools is a sevondary-level school preparing youths for university entrance.
The public schools were still rather rough places when many prep schools were founded in the 19th century. And they cared for children of widely different ages and made very little effort to meet the needs of the younger children. British private schools expanded greatly in the 19th century to provide the expanded number educated men needed to run the Empire. Public schools were gebnerally saw the need for more careful care of younger children. School nasers and other individuals began opening small schools for just this purpose. Gradually the prep schools came to be responsible for children about 8-13 years of age and the public schools for youths 13-18 years--although there are variations from school to school. Many modern prep schools have in recent years added a pre-prep to prepare even younger children to enter main school. And there are colleges or academies that provide both primary and secondary programs.
Prep schools along with the public (private secondary schools) are the major components of Britain's private sector, but there are other types of private schools as well. Private schools educate about 5 percent of British children. The schools do not like the term private and prefer the term independent, meaning independent of the state system. Actally they are not entirely independent as they must meet state imposed standards covering both sacademic standards and pastoral care. The basic difference between the private and state schools is that the privatre schools are fee paying schools while the state schools are entirely tax supported. Another basic difference is that the private schools achieve far superior academic achievement with the children. Here itvis important to note that this is not because the private schools have far superior facilities. The physical plant at many state schools is often more extensive. The private schools, however, do focus on academic basics and maintain a relatively limoted classrom size and low teacher-student ratio.
Private education became a major issue in British politics during the 1970s and 80s with Labour politicans charging that they hot beds of social devisiveness and provided an unfair advantage to children from affluent families. Many schools were at the same time adversely affected by the economic down turn that Britain experienced in the 1970s. Labor politicans pushed to curtain Government funding, such as the assisted places scheme. Even more affected were the grammar schools which were mostly replaced by or transformed into comprehensives. The situation has improved in recent years. The intensity of the political debate has declined. Ptrivatr education, however, was a potent political issues in the 70s and 80s. Te unfortunate aspect of the political debate, was that effectiveness was not the central issue, it was ideology. And in fact the superior results achieved by the preparatory and other private schools was used to indite the schools in the court of public opinion.
A variety of changes have occurred at prep schools in recent years. And at the same time more parents have turned to private education because of increasing disatidfaction with the state schools. Many prep schools now have children whose parents were no educated at private schools. Even so, prep schools still educate only a small fraction of British children. There have also been considerable changes in the curriculum, although the focus on numeracy and literacy continues. Many schools have toned down the focus on sports, although sports continue to receive considerable attention. Many schools have greatly broadened the school program, increasing the emphasis on academics, the fine arts, and other elements of the program. Another major change has been the trend toward coeducation. This has been a factor in transforing many once spartan schools into facilities with more amenities and homey atmospheres. Of course these are changes that the children themselves do not preceive. They take the schools as they experuence them and are little aware as to what the schools were like before they arrived. Mamy of the teachers, on the other hand have noted the many chsnges at the schools.
Private schools are epensive. Unless the family s wealthy, school fees require a substantial outlay. The prep schools believe, however, that they provide that they provide value for money. They contend that they have a very convincing story to tell and are anxious to do so. The schools explain the advantages over the state sector as well as the attributes of their specific school.
Several children have provided accounts of their school experieces. These accounts provide very interesting insights into the schools.
We note several brief summaries of activities at prep schools. They provide valuable insights as to both the everyday events at the schools as well as the goals of the schools..
