Figure 1.-- The standard age range for a traditional prep school is 8-13 years. While this is the most common age range for the school, it is by no means exclusive. There are many differences from school to school. The most obvious is that many schools today have pre-preps and take younger children. The boys are 8 and 9 years old, some of the youngest children at their boarding school. Their school was a traditional prep school for boys 8-13 years of age without a pre-prep. |
The standard age range for a traditional prep school is 8-13 years. This was because as the schools develop it was decided that 8 was the appropriate age to begin boarding. I'm not precisely sure why this convention developed. Many schools were flexible on this, especially with brothers, but 8 years of age developed as the most generally accepted age to begin prep school. The age of finishing is more obvious. The final year is for 12-13 year olds because this is the age that most publc schools begin their academic program. While this is the most common age range for the school, it is by no means exclusive. There are many differences from school to school. The most obvious is that many schools today have pre-preps and take younger children. This was not the case before World War II. Thus there may be programs for children as young as 3-4 years of age, althouh 5 years is probably more common. Often the pre-prep is coeducational regardless of the gender orientation of the prep school itself. Some schools are attached to senior schools and only run to age 11 at which time the children move to the senior school. Often girls schools have younger children than the boys' schools because many girls' public schools like the girls to enter at age 11. This affects the program at coed schools where the girls often leave at age 11 while the boys tend to stay until 13. This create complications for managing the pupil load as it means the classes in the last 2 years will be smaller than the earlier years. A few boys' prep schools only run to age 12 rather than 13. This is not common, but does occur, mostly in a few urban day schools.
There are many differences from school to school. The most obvious is that many schools today have pre-preps and take younger children. This was not the case before World War II. Thus there may be programs for children as young as 3-4 years of age, althouh 5 years is probably more common. Often the pre-prep is coeducational regardless of the gender orientation of the prep school itself. The inovation of pre-preps is a relatively new development that has become very common in recent years. The pre-prep is run as a separate program and usually separate facilities. Some schools even have separate locations. Often the pre-prep children did not wear the school uniform, although this varied from school to school.
The standard age range for a traditional prep school is 8-13 years. While this is the most common age range for the school, it is by no means exclusive. The choice of age 8 years was because as the schools develop it was decided that 8 was the appropriate age to begin boarding. I'm not precisely sure why this convention developed. We do note that age 8 is often the age that many American summer camp begin accepting children. Many schools were flexible on the entry age, especially with brothers, but 8 years of age developed as the most generally accepted age to begin prep school.
There are at many schools often a lot of transfers at age 11. Some schools are attached to senior schools and only run to age 11 at which time the children move to the senior school. Often girls schools have younger children than the boys' schools because many girls' public schools like the girls to enter at age 11. This affects the program at coed schools where the girls often leave at age 11 while the boys tend to stay until 13. This create complications for managing the pupil load as it means the classes in the last 2 years will be smaller than the earlier years. Also a number of day boys at boarding schools, often choose to begin boarding at age 11. Many schools encourage this a needed preparation for public school life.
A few boys' prep schools only run to age 12 rather than 13. This is not common, but does occur, mostly in a few urban day schools.
The age of finishing is more obvious. The final year is for 12-13 year old because this is the age that most publc schools begin their academic program. Some of the children are only 12 when they finish, but almost all are 13 or will be 13 by the time the term begins at their new public school in September. Most boys are a little uneasy to leave their now familiar schools for the uncertainties of the larger public school. Most are also quite ready to go as the prep schools are really focused on the younger age groups and many of the boys by the time they leave begin to feel that theu have out grown their prep school, which in many cases they have.
