Figure 1.--Not all prep schools have spatious grounds. These children are using a nearby London park for their outdoor physical education class and sports activities. |
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Not all preparatory schools are located in rural areas and have spacious grounds. There are many prep schools located in cities, many of which but not all are day schools. This of course is the situation of many urban state schools. These schools vary greatly as to the grounds, depending in part on where in the city they are located. Some have grounds as they were founded before the city expanded around of them. Others havery limited grounds and in some cases no grounds at all. Some may have small paved playgrounds for which can make do for morning break. The later schools without grounds are sometimes able to make do with the grounds of nearby parks for sporting activities. During the day, crocodiles of children move back and forth betweem the school and park for outdoors physical education and sports. Of course this lack of open space does affect the atmosphere of the schools.
Not all private schools have beautifully manicures grounds and elaborate fscilities. Many city schools do not have expansive grounds. Many preparatory schools are located in rural or suburban areas and have spacious grounds. The prep schools located in cities, many of which but not all are day schools, often have quite different situations. This of course is the situation of many urban state schools. These schools vary greatly as to the grounds, depending in part on where in the city they are located.
Some have grounds as they were founded before the city expanded around of them. Others have only limited grounds and in some cases no grounds at all. Some may have small paved playgrounds for which can make do for morning break. These areas serve as a school play ground, but not for field games. One of the attractions of large grounds id areas in which the boys can play and build dens, but this is a oncern for boarding schools, not city day schools.
The later schools without grounds are sometimes able to make do with the grounds of nearby parks for sporting activities. During the day, crocodiles of children move back and forth betweem the school and park for outdoors physical education and sports. Of course this lack of open space does affect the atmosphere of the schools.
A primary concern here is games (sports). Large fields are needed for sports like cricket, football, hockey, and rugby. Purchasing the real estate needed for games fields and other facilities are now for most city schools entirely out of the question. Many schools were once located in rural areas and have since been engulfed by the suburbs. As a result, they have to rely on city parks and other municipal facilities for games and many recreational activities. This is not a huge problem for the younger children, but it is for the older boys, many of whom want to participate in the major sports. And many of the private senior (secondary) place considerable emphasis on sports. Part of the ethos of the prep and public schools is games. This is not as important as it once was, but is still an important part of the program in many schools.
