Figure 1.-- The classic British prep school was a small boarding school set in a rural area for boys about 7/8-13 years of age, but there are differences from school to school. |
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Our book here focuses on preparatory schools. This is not as simple as it sounds. There are many different types of prep schools. Here there are both day and boarding schools as well as boys, girls, and coed schools. The basic prep school is for children from about 8-13 years of age. Each prep school has its own destinctive character, but the age range of 8-13 years is very common. There are in fact a range of different schools in the private sector. This includes both variations of the prep school as well as schools which encompass the prep school age group. There are pre-prep schools for younger children. Some of the pre-preps may also have few form for younger prep school age children. This is most common in city day schools. Generally girl's prep schools take girls through age 11 as the girls public schools take new students a couple years younger than the boys' public school. This has begun to change as coed publuc schools become more common. A few boys' prep scools only take boys through age 12 instead of age 13. This is generally the case ln city day schools where space constraints restrict the program.
There are both day and boarding preparatory schools. During the school day the schools look much alike. It is in the fternoon that the differences becime more pparent. Several boarding schools in recent years have shifted to day schools or experienced a decline in the demand for boarding accomodations. After Worl War II public attitudes toward boarding younger children began to change in Britain. We also note changes in the atmosphere and amenities at boarding schools. Changing public attitudes toward boarding as well s the increasing popularity of coeducation were probably factors here. Many schools encourage the children, especially the older chilkdren to board. Another development in recent years has been the development of a number of more flexible approches to boarding such as weekly boarding. We are not sure what impact these variations have had on the schools. When we visited in the 1980s these more flexible boarding sysrems were just beginning to appear.
There are boys, girls, and coed schools. The first prep schools and the largest number of schools were boys' schools. The girls prep schools when founded followedthe same basic approach as the boys schools with a heavy enphasis on sports at a time when girls did not participate much in sports. The girls' schools were a little different than the boys schools in thsat many girls' public schools look new students at ahe 11 rather than age 13. Girls mature a little faster than boys, but I am not surethat was the reason for he difference. The differebce, however, cause a lot of complications at coed schools. Following World War II there was a shit toward coeducation. Quite a few schools sifted to coeducation in the 1970s. This of course resulted in may changes at the school. Few new schools were founded, but quite a number of boys schools shifted to coeducation. For some reason, few girls schools did so. Much of this shift was motivated primarily for commercial reasons, to increase he number of potential new children. Many parents with boys and girls found dealing with one school was easier to manage. There are now quite a number of schools with these different approaches.
The basic prep school is for children from about 7/8-13 years of age. Each prep school has its own destinctive character, but the age range of 8-13 years is very common. There are in fact a range of different schools in the private sector. This includes both variations of the prep school as well as schools which encompass the prep school age group. There are pre-prep schools for younger children. Some of the pre-preps may also have few form for younger prep school age children. This is most common in city day schools. Generally girl's prep schools take girls through age 11 as the girls public schools take new students a couple years younger than the boys' public school. This has begun to change as coed publuc schools become more common. A few boys' prep scools only take boys through age 12 instead of age 13. This is generally the case ln city day schools where space constraints restrict the program.
Some schools are owned and operated by individuals or families, reflecting the foundation of most prep schools by individual as profit making establishments. (For greater details on the origins of English prep schools, see Briston and Weidner, Boys' Preparatory Schools.) Schools such as Marsh Court, Moffats, for example are still owned and operated individual or family enterprises. The Engleheart family which owns Moffats explains, that their "sons and daughters have all gone through the school as pupils. Thus the family element goes deeper than meer ownership, and the school may be seen as an extension of the family ....Iv For a variety of financial and practical reasons, however, an increasing number of English prep schools are operated as educational trusts. As trusts the schools. can not. be maintained for profit, but the school benefits as neither its income or property can be taxed. This permits the school to devote any surplus revenue to improvements. It also avoids the problems faced at privately owned schools when owners facing retirement had the difficult time of finding a buyer. The trust status permits parents to be confident that the school will not be closed and sold on the retirement or death of the headmaster owner.
Many schools are associated with individual churches, but some are now non-denominational and have no religious affliliation. Even the non-denominational schools, however, usually have a variety of devotional or chapel services and incourage the children to participate in Sunday religious services. Many boarding schools have a relationship with a nearby church where the school attends as a group. Special provision is made as needed for Catholic, Jewish, and other religions. The largest number of schools inEngland are associated with the Church of England and the Church of Scotland in Scotland. Other schools are associated with the Catholic and other churches. England like much of Europe has become an increasingly secular society, much more so than in the United States. As a result religion has become a relatively minor spect of school life at most prep schools in recent years. The religious tradition is now perhaps most emphasized in the Catholic schools than most of the other schools. There are, however, substantial differences from school to school.
Schools range in approach from progressive to traditional. Individual schools fall some where on a continum between the two extremes. Most observers would probably conclude that the larger number of English prep schools fall toward the traditional orietntation of that spectrum. Most schools stress that they. continue to promote traditional values
The prep schools genetrally maintain academic focus of the standard prep school is theoretically based on the ability of the average child. This is perhaps a misnomner. The children tend to come from well establishec families with successful adults. This is the case almost by definition because of the fees that are required. These parents generally consider academics toi be important. As a result to vareying degrees they have prepared their children and made it clear they expect the chjildren to tske their school work seriously. It is difficult to say if the choildren's inate abilities are different than those in state schools, but the commitment of their families means that the children are not precisely average. While the standard prep schools focuses on the average child, there are schools with programs targeting esopecially bright children who thee Briytish refer to as clever. There are also schools that address the needs of children with academic difficuilties.
British prep schools vary greatly in size from a few private establishments caring for only 15-20 children to large institutions responsible for as many as 800 children. Some of the smaller schools are choir schools, but these schools are often associated with a senior college, church, and university which provide various forms of support. The average prepschool now probably has between 100 and 200 students, including the increasingly obligatory pre-prep departments. Many schools have puposely limited their size on purpose, This is based on the belief that expanding the size of the schools makes it difficult for the staff to know and work with each child and maintain the family atmposphere that is such a key factor of the modern prep school. The size of a school offers a variety of advantages and disadvantages. These advantages and disadvantages are not automatic, but may be more likely at the schools of different sizes. The sense of 'belonging' in a small community is quite apparent at most schools. The boys know each other well and are aware that they are well-known to every member of the staff. The economic realities of modern Britain make it increasingly difficult to operate extremely small schools. Small schools are unable to offer a full range of qualified staff members. Some Headmasters, however, are concerned about expanding their schools significantly beyond the 150 student range. To do so means that the headmaster and staff find it more difficult to get to know each child and give him the individual attention that is the reason that many parents have chose private education in the first place.
Educational continuity is a factor that parents need to keep in mind. It is possible if a college or academy is chosen to have a child in the same school from pre-prep through secondary school. Earlier a child went to a pre-prep or beginning school. Wealty children might have been tutored at home. Then they went to their prep school, and finally did their secondary studies at a public school. Today most prep schools have pre-preps. This both ensures a steady flow of new entrants and makes sure the beginning students are properly prepared. Many preparatory schools are affiliated to a specific senior school. Some prep schools were actually fonded by senior schools or the dtaff at a senior school. These prep schools are known as "feeder schools". Educational continuity is often recognized as helpful, but sometimes it is helpful that a child get a fresh start. Also there is something to be said for diversity and widening the range of educational experience. Here parents have to decide what is best for their children. Even stand alone prep scools maintain close relationships with the local public scgools which the boys attend when they finish at their prep schools. The schools want to make sure the bpys are prepared for their senior schools.
The classic British prep school is for children 8-13 years of age preparing them for the senior school commonly called a public school. The prep school is coomonly located apart from the senior school. Many have string afiliations with the senior school, but only a few are actually operted by the senior school. Some independent schools are full term schools, caring dor the children from pre-prep through secondary schools. These schools in England are often called colleges, but in Scotland the term academy is more common. Often these school is located at one site, but some have separate locations for the different age groups. The principal difference is that while boys are kept at prep schools to age 13, although the girls often leave at about age 11. At most full term schools, the children commonly make the transition from junior to senior school at age 11 years.
