Preparatory Schools Boarding: Introduction
Figure 1.-- These boys are waiting after games in their form room for the dinner bell. The boys in prep schools spend a great deal of time together and develop close friendships.
|
|
The classic British boarding school are public schools, some of which have histories dating back centuries. Unlike schools on the continent, boarding becme an important aspect of British education. It is not entirely clear why this was the case, but there several historical factors
The idea of boarding used to be excepted without much question in Britain, especially England.
Boarding today is anathema to many British parents, especially parents of younger children.
It is seen as not only normal, but highly beneficial to others. Here the parents own experiences, family history, culture, class, and other factors affect attitudes toward boarding.
The oprospect of boarding can be daunting to a younger child or even a teenagers without boarding experiences.
Boarding can be a beneficial even fun experience. And the modern boarding schools are much more accomodating places than the schools a generation ago.
The experience can not only benefit the child academically, but help them become more responsible and and independent person. This occurs lrgely because the children have no real choice in the matter. While most children can and do do well in boarding schools, boarding is not for all children. This is especially the case for younger children. Here it is up to the parents to make this assessment.
An important part of public school boarding became houses which were the residential living facilities for the boys. Pupils generally need permission to go outside defined school bounds. The age range for these schools was loosely defined, only in the 19th century did age conventions begin to tke the modern range. As schools began to focus on about age 13 years to enter the schools, the prep schools began to develop to care for the needs of the younger children. There were several major differences between boarding at public than preparatory schools. The prep schools were generally smaller and the bounds for the children more restrictive as younger children required more supervisuon. The prep schols schools adopted the house system, but not for residential purposes. The primary difference between public and prep school boarding conern the differing residentialmarrangements for the younger children and the different operation of the house system. Boarding at both the public and prep school level was not just a matter of residence. Both schools maintain that boarding was an integral part of the school program with a range of benefits.
