Figure 1.-- A few day children are lucky to live close enough to school that they can walk to school. Their destinctive uniforms clearly show the school they attend. |
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We will also have a look at the various elements of the school day in detail. We will focus much of our attention on classes, games, and activities, but there are many other aspects of the school day like morning break, lunch, rest period, tuck, prep, and other compobents of the school day which we will look at. Some like morning break are very important to the children. Here we will lay out the various aspects of school life in a rough daily time-table approach. The various schools have quite similar schedules, but they are not identical so our layout is a generalized approach and indivudual schools might have some different approaches. We are not always able to present photographs and written pieces on the many different components, but we will do our best. Many of the dailu activities will seem familar, common to schools around the world. Other aspects are more destinctive.
The children at boarding schools generally get up about 6:45 or 7:00 am. There is generally a bell or prefects to wake the children Getting up in the morning. They then wash up. get dressed, and make their beds. Then there is breakfast. The day children begin to arrive soon after breakfast.
The day children depending on where they live often have to get up before the boarders because of the commute. There are of course many ways of getting to school. A few day children are lucky to live close enough to school that they can walk or ride their bikes. Here they have to live fairly close to the school. In the case of most private schools this is usually only a small number of the children. Riding bikes has become less common in recent years. At many day schools the children come by train or busses. Many boarding schools have a school bus. Also many parents drop off the children by car. Most schools require the day children to wear the full uniform with blazers and ties. Some schools also require caps, although by the 1980s that was becoming less common. Many schools believe that smartly dressed students are a good avertisement for the school.
Uniforms
Britain is of course noted for its often rainy climate. Inclement weather can greatly complicate the school day. The morning is not such a problem because the children are normally in their classes, although this presents problems for morning break. The children after working hard on the studies look forward to a break outside. And without a little physical activity the children can be restless in class. The real problem is in the afternoon which often involves games and other outdoor activities. The schools have to have contigency plans to deal with 100-200 children on rainy days.
Most schools have norning assemblies. These vary from school to school as to how frequently they are heald. They usually consist of a convication of some sort and a Bible reading, commonly by one of the students. The Headmaster often has a motivation speech and sometimes addresses problems at the school. Announcements commonly include a range of successes or awards that the stuents have achieved. Also upcoming events are anounced. There often is a speaker from outside the school.
The academic work of the school takes place in the classrooms. There are normally four morning lessons and a more varied number of afternoon lessons. The traditional prep-school program began for boys about 8 years of age and the boys leave at about 13. Girls may leave ealier. Many schools down begin with 7 year olds and also have pre-prep programs. The classes at most prep schools are called forms. There are normally six forms, but there are variations from school to school. The modern prep school is a place bustling with activity. Academic subjects dominate the morning classes. Going from class to class one sees a wide range of academic activities. The teaching styles varies at different schools as well as from teacher to teacher. Of course there are all kinds of activities going on in the prepschool classroom. Many of the schools are quite traditional with the teachers seated at their desk giving a lesson to the children facing him or her lestening and taking notes, but there is much less of this than there used to be. There is no standard prep school curriculim. There are differences from school to school as to the curriculum as well as academic approaches. There is, however, many similarities at prep schools, primarily because the schools are geared to gain admitance for its students to public schools. And this means with a few exceptions doing well on the Comman Entrance Examination. Thus most schools have a demanding academic program which heavily emphasize four core subjects: math, English, science, and foreign languages. Some schools give less emphasis to science and more emphasis to foreign languages including Latin, but a great emphasis on maths and English is a standard part of the curriculum in virtually every prep school.
Morning break is the term for recess at most prep schools. Normally it is about 11:00 am and weather permitting it is a time frentic activity for about 15-20 minutes. The children have spent the morning in their classrooms and this is a time to let off a little steam. Normally the boys choose a variety of active games. Girls often persue more sedate activities during the break. Here the popular games depend on the school and the age level. The younger boys may head for the playground. Many schools have suitable platground equipment. Older boys may choose a variety of active games. Some but not all all are sports related. Cricket batting using a tennis ball is popular. Various tag and a kind of dodgeball game are also popular. Some schools offer a little snack. The schedule in the pre-prep is often different than that of the main school.
While many preparatory schools have given substantial attention to sports facilities, we note that often the libraries are a rather neglected their school library. While this is not the case of all prep schools, we have noted that a substantial number have very limited libraries. Quite a few have no dedicated library at all, but have a small collection of books in a multiple-use room. One school had a small collection of books in the billirds game room. Other schools have a library in a small room. Generally speaking the book collection is very limited meaning that there is little opportunity for the children to learn research and library schools. Some schools had reasonable libraries, but generally speaking even the best prep school linraries were inferior to the libraries at most state primary schools. I'm not surejust why the prep schools have generally given only limited attention to building school libraries.
The children's taste in books is quite electic. The titles of course vary over times. Children's authors like Roald Dahl are popular with the younger children when we visited in the 1980s. We saw the boys reading The BFG and James and the Giant Peach, but other titles were popular as well. The girls enjoyed the popular series like Nancy Drew. Throughout the schools children can normally perusing a variety of non-fiction books. Boys and girls differewidely on the books chosen. The boys tend to favor books on dinasaours, other animals, adventures, military history, cars, and sports. The girls often choose books on animals (here dinasaours are not such a favorite but horses are), and dance. The older children at about 12-13 years old begin to choose more adult novels. Mysteries seemed to have been especially popular. Most prep school strongly promote free reading. Some schools carefully monitor reading to mske sure the children "suitable" books. Usuall the children are not allowed to read comic books.
Most schools have lunch about 1:00 pm after morning classess. Some may have lunch a little earlier. The boarding schools all have dining rooms providing cooked meals. The food, seating arrangements, and other matters vary from school to school. The situation is a little more varied at day schools. Some have dining rooms also, but the children at many day schools bring bag lunches. There are varing approaches to supervising the lunch period at the different schools. On nice days the children may have impromtu picnics. Other schools have the children eat indoors. Of course during the Winter and on days with inclemate weather they have to ear indoors.
Most schools have a rest period after lunch for about a half hour. Here regulations vary from school to school. Most schools insist that this be quiet time. Some schools are very strict. The general pattern at boarding schools is that the children must be in their dormitories laying down on their beds. This is not a universal approach, but it is by far the most common. Some children take a nap. Many children use the time to read books, but this is not required. It is left up to each boy or girl. Some schools may have the children go to their classrooms. This is more common at day schools. Some day schools have free play after lunch rather than a rest period. At some schools the children can use the time more flexibly such as practice their musical instruments. Some children find the imposed quiet time difficult, but it becomes an accepted part of the daily routine.
While academics have become increasingly important at the modern prep school, games (sports) continue to be important at most schools. This of course reflects the public school tradition. Most readers will be familiar with the Duke of Wellington's remark that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing field's of Eton. The prep schools after all are geared to prepare children for public schools. Here the ballance varies greatly from school to school. This is something prospective parents should seriously consider before selecting a school. Some headmasters place great importance on games. We have even known headmasters to get in fist fights on the games field--although that of course is quite rare. Schools have fixtures, mostly with other prep schools near by. The principal games for boys are cricket and rugby and now football (soccer). Field hockey was once common, but has gradually lost out to soccer. The girls compete in netball and hockey. A considerable part of the afternnon at most schools is devoted to games. Here the emphasis is on the main sports and individual coaching is provided. Attention is also given to other sports like track and field. The younger children might play games like rounders.
Life at British prep schools tends to be very structured. With classess, games, meals, rest time, musical instrument practive prep, and other scheduled activities, the children do not have a lot of free time. Thus for many their free time is very precious. The children use it in a variety of ways, depending on the time and weather. Many younger children like free play, building forts or playing ad hoc games. There are also inside recreation. Some schools have gym for various games or other activities like rollar skating. The schools have a good supply of board gamesand chess a prenial favotite. Several schools have model railroads. This is something that is difficult for boys to do in a small house, but with interested staff some schools have wonderful lay outs. Some children take the opportunity to go to the libray or read the newspaper. Generall television is not incouraged, except for the news. And now ith the computer, there are a whole range of interesting activities.
One of the fascinating aspects of prep schools like any school is of course the children. We have slected some captivating images of the children as they go about their daily routein. We not happy and sad children. Some having a good laugh and others deep in thought. We would love to give the children a penny for their thoughts. We notice others completely abosorbed in a book or other activity. These an many other experiences and emotions are all part of the daily life at any prepschool. Some of these images are posed with the children having fun getting theit photograph taken. Other images are candid portraits with the childre bblivious to our photographic activities.
Orep school students begin a 8 years of age and finish at 13. Boarders live and go to school together, spending more time with each other than their own families. Not all children begin at 8 or stay until 13. But some children starting in the pre-ptep sprnd even longer times together. The children become very close, not unlike brother and sisters. They know each other probably better than anyone ever will. As a result the children become vet good friends. They share not only school and sports, but meals and free times. Children can be cruel to each other, but with rhe proper guidance vey positive, suportive relationships develop. This was not always the case in British boarding schools, but this has changed. We noted very friendly atmosheres at almost all the prep schools we visited.
We found children at preparatory schools engaged in a wide range of activities beyond the academic program. Many activities were conducted at most schools. Other activities were conducted at only a few schools. Each school had its own unique range of activities and approasch to those activities. MOst schools scheduled days for clubs or occupations. Most schools offered some choice so the children could persue their interests, but this varied from school. The size of the school was a factor here. Also the schools generally incouraged the children to at least try new and different activities. Often children will only want to persue familiar activities or activities for which they already have some skills. For relatively small schools, most prep schools offered an impressive range of activities. A variety of factors affected the particular mix of activities offered. The interests of the children were similar at the different schools. Thus an important factor was the interests and skills of the staff.
Going home for the day children is generally stasggered. The younger children go home first, especially the pre-prep. The younger prep school children go home a little later. Often their prep period is very short. Older children stay later. They have longer prep and are often involved in games, both mastches and practices. Again when going home the children are expected to put on the full uniform including ties and blazers and caps if the school still required them. Some schools also had footwear rules. Some schools are quite strict about the children being properly turned out at the end of the day. Other schools are more relaxed about this. A few children walk or ride bikes. Other takes busses or trans which is cmmon at day schools. Boarding schools may have small busses for the day children. Often parents pick up their children.
Teachers commonly bring current events into the classroom. The teachers may mention current events as they pertain to a subject that the children re studying. This is probably most common in history and gegraphy, but current events can pertain to many other sujects. Often the children will bring up current events when they ask questions in class. Some children will read magazines and newspapers in the library. The children do noy get to watch much television at school, but often they are encouraged to watch the news in the evening after dinner. Generally speking there is a conservative orientation at the schools. Many teachers are not nearly as affluent as the families from which the teachers come. So the schools are really right-wing bastions in the same way that some state schools are left-wing bastions. Good teachers will attempt to bring out the various views on an issue.
A lot goes on at school after the day children go home. Here the program varies from school to school. It also varies seasonally. Generally the children are allowed to stay up longer during the summer term with longer days. Of course thed schools vary considerably as to the facilities availavle for freetime activities. There can be free time, supervised activities like a free swim, tea (evening meal), perhaps some television (usually the news), prep, and finally bed time. Some schools give more attention to free time while others place greater emphasis on prep. The amount of time in the evening depends on the child's age.
Most schools require the children to do some preparation ("prep") or homework every day. This is scheuled at various times, normally in the afternoon or evening. Here schools vary. Generally the younger children are given little or no prep, but prep is gradualy increased as they move from form to form. Prep is much more common in thr middle and senior forms. Schools have varying attitudes toward prep, but most schools assign at least some prep. Newlands like many other other schools believes that prep is "essential for the full benefits to be derived from the instruction given". Some offer the children more free time while others insist on more prep. At some boarding schools it constitututes a major part of the evening program. More commobly schools have the older children do aboit an hour of prep and then allow them to persue free time or organized activitoies before their bed time.
Getting the children to bed is a major undertaking each evening. The schools have it down to a a carefully orchestrated military operation. This is all overseen my matron. The children's bed-times are staggered by age so the younger children go to bed a little earlier. Each age/class group has their set washing up and bed time. Usually there is a bell of some sort and the children know just when their bedtime is. There is rarely any fussng about it, but the younger children would prefer to stay up longer. Quite a few go to bed a good bit earlier than at home. fter a bath or wash the children are allowed a little quiet time in their dormitories before lights out.
