Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
While all prep schools have the core subjects, fine arts (primarily art) and games, the rest of the program is more varies. The full academic program includes a range of other subjects, usually including craft, design and technology (CDT), geography, history, information technology, and religious studies. Schools also commonly offer other subjects but these can vary substantially from school to school and are in part affected by the background of the staff.
Craft, Design and Technology (CDT) during the 1980s was a relatively new concept in the prep school curriculum. It was introduced as an academic subject in the British educational system. It is now commonly referred to as Design and Technology (D&T) or in Scotland Crafts and Technology (C&T).
The subject has come to occupy an important position in the school and curriculum. One overview of CDT, explains the concept, "
The subject matter of design and technology is our made world; our clothes, our food, our means
of travel, our shelters, our communication systems. But, more than that, design and technology is about
creating change in the made world; about understanding the processes of change and becoming
capable in the exercise of change-making. When Honda produces a new car; Westwood a new outfit;
Boeing a new airliner, Saloman a new ski, Bovis a new house, or Ericsson a new mobile phone, they
exemplify not only the diversity of our material culture but also the creativity underpinning the
change-making process. Science provides explanations of how the world works, mathematics gives us numbers and procedures through which to explore it, and languages enable us to communicate within it. But uniquely, design and technology empowers us to change the made world. Design and technology is about change in the made world. It enables us to understand the process of change and to engage in it. It is about the future; about what might be or should be."
The fine arts are both part of the curriculum and part of the activities program. The balance here varies among the various disciplines. Art is probably given more attention in the curriculum than the other diciplines. The children may spend more time in music, primarily because such a large number of students at most schools take individual instrument tuition. There are some drama lessons, but th primasry drma experiebce are the plays produced by the children. Less attention is given to dance, but most schools provide lessons in socil dncing and with the increasomg number of cped schools, more and more schools are offering balet and other performing dance instruction.
Prep schools do not place a great emphasis on geography, but it is almost always taught. Commonly schools give about equal attention to history and geography. Commonly there will be 1-2 classes weekly. This varies slightly from school to school. Both British and world geography are taught. Commonlt the children also study local geography. Often guest speakers will be invited in to talk to the children on geographic topics.
This subject has different names and focuses from school to school. It is often referred to as Information Technology (IT). We have also seen it referred to as Information and Communication Technology (ICT). A key element has become computing. And thus many schools also call it "Computing". It has become a well-established subject. Most schools in the 1980s began adding computer rooms or even suites and the larger schools. The skills learned are applied across the school's curriculum. The computer not only provides a range of valuable programs (word processing, spread sheets, and others), but through the internet a wealth of valuable resources are avaiable to students in even rural locations at schools with very small libraries.
Prep schools do not place a great emphasis on history, but it is almost always taught. Commonly there will be 1-2 classes weekly. This varies slightly from school to school. often the senior forms are given more history instruction than the juniors. Normally there is a heavy emphasis on local and British history, with some attention to ancient history. The approach to history varies quite a bit from school to school. At some schools the younger children might be presented with a wide range of historical subjects. We notice one school presenting Local and Britih history, Roman, history, and Egyptian history in separate terms during one year. Grek and Viking history is also commonly addressed. There is commonly some attention to British monarchs. The Tudors and Stuarts are particular favorites. The medieval era is usually studied in some detail which provides an opprtunity to assess more monarchs as well as cultural trends. There may be brief looks at other civiilzations such as the Aztecs and India. Other topics covered are normallt the Civil War, Glorious Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution. Coverage of 20th century history is much more varied. One great advantage British history teachers have is all the wonderful history sites that are available for field trips. Teachers have sites ranging from the stone age (Stonehenge) to the World War II War Room other Whitehall.
Home Economics is a subject that has long been offered at girls' schools. As a result it was also offered at coed schools. This included boys' schools that converted to coeducation. This means that more and more boys have been exposed to home economics. Some of the older boys may have questioned this, but the prep school home economics program generally has a heavy emphsis on cooking which have some obvious and immediate benefits. Children t prep schools, although, they have tick, do not snack like they do at home. Thus the output of the home economics class often provides a welcomed little treat.
Almost all of the prep schools are affiliated with a religious group. The most common is the Church of England in England and the Church of Scotland in Scotland. A munber of schools are affiliated with the Catholic and other religions. There are classess in religion which presents religion as both an academic subject an a matter of religious faith. The religius emphasis is greates at the Catholic schools, although there are variations from school to school.
