A good place to start is to choose a school with the same values as your own. A school’s value system and ethos plays a central part in giving each one its own unique ‘personality’, an essential point of difference that will help you decide if your child is going to be happy and thrive there.
Great facilities, resources and small class sizes often come as standard in prep schools, but curriculum design, great teachers, enrichment programmes, after-school care and how the school engages, supports and involves parents can often set it apart.
Be inquisitive and come armed with lots of questions and if you are in it for the long haul, find out about the school’s long-term vision and future plans for developing teaching and learning.
Should they ask about which secondary schools the prep school feeds up to?
It helps to get an idea of how your child’s whole educational journey will play out, but plans often change along with the needs and aspirations of pupils as they get older.
Ask how the transition process from prep to senior is managed. This will ease progression and bring a welcome air of familiarity at what can be an anxious time for a child.
Should parents be looking for a school that plays to their child’s strengths at this stage?
Yes, but it’s important to look for a school that offers a broad curriculum that encourages children to not only develop their current talents, but also to explore new and unchartered learning territories.
Choose a prep school that does the basics extremely well, but also has a diverse and imaginative co- and extra-curricular programme all wrapped up in a nurturing pastoral environment that empowers every child to shine.
Is staying with a peer group a child is comfortable with important at this stage?
No, children make friends so quickly. A happy, nurturing and supportive school environment will ensure this, and the right school will work hard to ensure a seamless transition and a swift but calm settling in period.
Claremont Prep School, Hastings, East Sussex
01424 751555 claremontschool.co.uk
Chinthurst School – Cathy Trundle, Headteacher
What do parents need to consider when choosing a prep school?
Does this school value children and build positive relationships with them? Children need to be treated with kindness and love so they can challenge themselves and make mistakes along the way, confident that they will always be supported.
It is also very important that the school makes lessons fun. Children should skip into school excited about what they will learn that day!
Should they ask about which secondary schools the prep school feeds up to?
This is important, particularly for families joining a school in Year 3 or above. A good prep school will ensure its children progress to senior schools that suit each child’s individual academic levels and talents. Close relationships with parents and children are key to ensuring a school can properly guide families in their choice.
Should parents be looking for a prep school that plays to their child’s strengths (academic, sport, arts) at this stage?
Children’s talents have not always developed when they first start school and, as they mature, their interests and strengths can change. It is more important to look for a prep school that will give children a wide range of opportunities and the time and space to develop their skills and find their niche.
Is staying with a peer group a child is comfortable with important at this stage?
A good school with happy children and experienced staff should be able to welcome new pupils at any stage and ensure they settle in quickly and form bonds with their new class. Kindness and a focus on relationship building should ensure that a child can confidently join a school without the need to move with a peer group.
Chinthurst School, Tadworth, Surrey
01737 812011 chinthurstschool.co.uk
Vinehall School – Joff Powis, Headmaster
What do parents need to consider when choosing a prep school?
Fees, location, class size, academic reputation and wrap around care – all are vital. However, I believe that parents find the best fit prep school for their child only once they have visited and experienced the atmosphere first hand.
They must look beyond the results and facilities of a school to focus on what really matters, which is the happiness of the children, the calibre of the staff and the strong relationships between the teachers and parents.
Should they ask about which secondary schools the prep school feeds up to?
For many parents, entry into the secondary school of choice is paramount to their decision to enter the independent sector in the first place.
I would encourage parents to keep an open mind in order to allow a child to grow and develop before a secondary school choice is finalised. The ‘destination of leavers’ will be proudly stated on any prep school’s website and the greater the variety of these destinations on offer will reflect a prep school’s strength in developing the individual child.
Should parents be looking for a school that plays to their child’s strengths (academic, sport, arts) at this stage?
How can a parent possibly know their child’s strengths yet? The purpose of a prep school is to lay as many opportunities at a child’s feet as time will possibly allow.
As their confidence grows, their interests will spread and new strengths and passions will be discovered. In a small, family school, the needs and talents of each individual child can be recognised, valued and developed in time for the next phase at secondary school, where children will finally specialise.
Is staying with a peer group a child is comfortable with important at this stage?
To feel comfortable and confident within your peer group is absolutely critical in a child’s overall development. A child’s peers are every bit as important as the greatest teacher in creating a sense of belonging, empathy and encouragement. A sense of place and a sense of purpose is instilled in us all at a very young age by our childhood peers.
Of course, the term comfortable can have an ulterior meaning and this is where a stimulating learning environment and high expectations will support each child to grow and reach their potential.
Vinehall School, Robertsbridge, East Sussex
01580 880413 vinehallschool.com
The New Beacon – Mike Piercy, Headmaster
What do parents need to consider when choosing a prep school?
Research is key and a great deal can be discovered through schools’ websites. Unsurprisingly, many schools appear to have similar aims and it can be difficult to differentiate – the ‘news’ pages can be revealing: what achievements does the school celebrate? Education, however, is a human business: talk to trusted friends and family to discover personal stories.
Consider also single-sex or co-education. Boys learn in a very different way to girls and, particularly at prep school age, they will often develop better learning habits at an earlier stage in an all boys’ environment – but you would expect me to say that as Head of a boys’ school! The proviso is that pastoral care must pay equal attention to the gentle and sensitive boy as to the lively and ebullient.
Should they ask about which secondary schools the prep school feeds up to?
Yes, absolutely! A good indicator is a wide range of destination schools which suggests a bespoke approach, tailored to the individual child. The range of schools should be in keeping with your aspirations for your child – but beware of aspirations which may be too ambitious.
Should parents be looking for a school that plays to their child’s strengths at this stage?
A prep school is, by definition, ‘preparatory’. There should be a wide range of opportunity on offer from the academic to the co-curriculum, to the arts, performing arts and sport. If at an early stage your child shows leanings and talents in a particular direction then some prep schools do have specialisms – but beware of narrowing your child’s opportunities at too early an age.
There is a temptation to live out our own ambitions through our children, but my advice would be to provide breadth of opportunity at this early stage coupled with a school’s willingness to support the pursuit of excellence in any given field.
Is staying with a peer group a child is comfortable with important at this stage?
Friends are important to children – they provide comfort and security – but they should not be the determining factor in choosing or changing schools. At The New Beacon in Key Stage 1 we ‘shuffle’ classes almost every year to enhance social development and in response to varying levels of maturity and development.
Children are more resilient and adaptable than we, as parents, may think. There is, of course, socialisation in the classroom but it is by definition a place for learning and playtime is primarily for friends.
The New Beacon School, Sevenoaks, Kent
01732 452131 newbeacon.org.uk
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