Figure 1.-- The program at many schools has been considerably broadened. There are still some schools that place a great emphasis on sports, but this is much less common than earlier. The academic program has been considerably strengthened. In addition, the fine arts, especially music, know receives considerable attention. A substantial number of children at many schools now receive instrumental tuition. A factor here has been coeducation. |
Happily, preparatory schools have significantly changed for the better in the past 25 years in this area. There seems to be a kinder, gentler atmosphere at many schools. Headmasters and their wives at successful schools invariably make great effort to meet the emotional needs of the children entrusted to their care. Most now stress their homely atmosphere and like to have pictures in their prospectuses of the head and his wife (and perhaps their children) often surrounde by pupils in a cosy sitting room. We note earlier prospectuses in which the children were all cleared out of classrooms and dormitories before they were taken. Now the schools seek to stress that their school is a happy school with a homey environment.
This by far is the most important change made. It is to say that this was not a major priority at many early schools. A corilary development has been changing attitudes toward discipline. There have been other important changes.
The program at many schools has been considerably broadened. Most schools still have a strong sports component. Sports called games no longer dominate the program as was the case in many schools. Many schools have significanylyv expanded the physical plant. The dormitories are better appointed and cheerier. There are also more recreationl facilities such as playgroynd equipment, sports halls, computer rooms, and other facilities that provide play or recreational facilities for the children. Another major change has been coeducation, although there are still many single gender schools.
Happily, preparatory schools have significantly changed for the better in the past 25 years in this area. There seems to be a kinder, gentler atmosphere at many schools. Headmasters and their wives at successful schools invariably make great effort to meet the emotional needs of the children entrusted to their care. Most now stress their homely atmosphere and like to have pictures in their prospectuses of the head and his wife (and perhaps their children) often surrounde by pupils in a cosy sitting room. We note earlier prospectuses in which the children were all cleared out of classrooms and dormitories before they were taken. Clearly the children were not at the center of what was important. Now the schools seek to stress that their school is a happy school with a homey environment. There are usually many references to "pastoral care" of pupils. This by far is the most important change made. This is not to say that prep schools did not exist earlier with kindly staff. It is to say that this was not a major priority at many early schools.
The program at many schools has been considerably broadened. Most schools still have a strong sports component. Sports called games no longer dominate the program as was the case in many schools. There are still some schools that place a great emphasis on sports, but this is much less common than earlier. The academic program has been considerably strengthened. In addition, the fine arts, especially music, know receives considerable attention. A substantial number of children at many schools now receive instrumental tuition. There is an increasing attention to science as well as a new effort to weave subjects together by challebging children to design and build a range of projects. The children are also encouraged to read for enjoymebnt to a greater exten than was formnerly the case.
A corilary development has been changing attitudes toward discipline. The cane (British term for corporal punidhment) was banned in state schools in the 1980s and in private schools. Here the European Union was a factor. A few corporal punishment was also banned at private schools, following some court cases and media coverage. Some believe this has led to a collapse in discipline in many British state schools. This probably a exageration, but some educators did rely too heavily on corporal punishment and were at a loss as to how to discipline with out the cane. The use of corporal punishment had already significanyly declined in British schools. There had definitely been a decline in discipline at many schools. Here a variety of factors are involved which are beyond are concern here. What we have noted is that the end of corporal punishment has not had the same impact on discipline at private schools like the prep schools. This is likely to be because of a number of factors including the generally more orderly atmosphere maintained in private schools, and the fact that the children are likely to come from well orderd homes where they are taught to behave before ever arriving at school. In addition, any child who refused to conform would quickly be asked to leave, but the involvement of parents before that step was reached would usually be enough to correct the child's behaviour. There is a closer connection between parents and teachers than at many state schools. Although having listened to the conversations ijn many teacher's rooms, this can be overstated.
There have been important changes to the physical plant. Successful schools have been able to invest in improvements to the facilities. The dormitories are better appointed and cheerier. There are also more recreationl facilities such as playgroynd equipment, sports halls, computer rooms, and other facilities that provide play or recreational facilities for the children. The boys' bedrooms have become homlier, their beds and other furniture more modern and attractive, more like the beds they might sleep in at home. They're likely to have a duvet cover of their favourite football team and pictures of cars, bikes, footballers or pop stars on the wall.... all things which would have been against the rules just a few years ago.
Another major change has been coeducation, although there are still many single gender schools. But even the single gender schools have been affected. The coming of girls to a boy's school inevitably changed the atmoshere at the school. Any teacher can tell you that children are different. What is effective with one child might not at all work with another child. Regardless of what some feminists say, there re differences between boys and girls. Generally speaking a teacher needs to be a little more forceful with boys and more gentle with girls. Here there is no sharp line, but rather gradiants with many exceptions. The dynamic at British boys'schools going coed was that masters had to adjust their methods and demeanor for the new arrivals. And this carried over to how the boys were treated. A teacher could not be seen as having differnt rules for boys and girls. Thus the atmoshere at the school became a more gentle carring one. Many other changes flowed from the shift to coeducation. This has been a factor in the increasing popularity of instrumental music tuition. We are not sure about the dynamic of girls' schools as few of them have shifted to coeducation. The chhange has also affected boys' schools that have not gone coeducational. This was because they are in competition with the coed schools and a spartan school is just not as appealing as a more honey school, especially to the children involved and their mums.
