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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.
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. The curriculum places a great emphasis on core subjects, especially English amd Mathamatics. Most prep schools report significantly higher achievement levels than the state schools. State schools do not have the same degree of focus. Here educators might debate the value of focusing so intensely on core subjects, but it is probably a factor in the academic results achieved. The children of course all have their favorite subjects as well as activities at school. It is interesting to listen to their assessment. One interesting apect here is that while their choices of favorite subjects varies substantially, the two subjects most infrequently mentioned in maths and science. Here it is difficult to tell if this reflects how the subjects are tauhjt or simply that the children's opinions reflects the more rigourous natue of the disciplines.
The traditional prep-school program began for boys about 8 years of age. Early prep-schools were flexible about this, but fter World War I, increasinglt the schools became more strict boy the age of entry. After World war, escpecially by the 1970s, prep schools became establishing pre-preps. They varied as to the age of entry, but commonly they dealt with children 5-7 years of age. There were many reasons for this development. There was the obvious academic purpose of ensuring that the children were properly prepared for preparatory school. Having a pre-prep ensured that the children could move seemlessly into the preparatory program. It also should be remembered that prep schools are all small businesses. Having a pre-prep ensured a continuity of new entrants into the preparatory school.
The classes at most prep schools are called forms. There are normally six forms, not including the pre-prep that many prep schools now have. Some prep schools use other terms, but form is by far the most common term. This term is used at the public schools and thus is the most widely used term at the prep schools. Normally the youngest children who begin at age 8 years are the Ist formers. The oldest children are the VIth formers who begin the form at age 12, but many are 13 when they finish. The coed prep schools normally have apprimately the same number of boys and girls in the first-fourth forms, but because many girl's public schools want the girls to begin at age 11, there are fewer girls in the fifth and sixth forms. The form numbers are repeated in the public school. Thus a prep school boy completing the VI form, becomes a Ist form boy again at his public school. This same system was once used in the state system, but schools there are adopting an annul progression system, but this varies 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. Some schools persue rather traditional approaches with the children quietly listening or intent on the assignments at hand. One headmaster at a Staffordsgire school commented as he toured with us the quiet classrooms in the large country house serving as the school's main building, "You wouldn't think that these classrooms were full of boys." It is not all quiet activity at the modern prep school. Most schools have adopted a variety of modern, innovative approaches. The authors have been unifoirmily impressed with the purposeful activity that almost always is observable.
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. Increasingly younger teachers are introducing all kinds of innovations to classroom work. Of course this varies with the subject matter. Science in particular permitted all kinds of interesting demonstrations which can easily interest the children. The computer is also making a difference in some classes, although this was still relaively limited in the 1980s. And during the summer term there were a variety of activities that can be conducted outdoors.
The children's clasroom work can be quite impressive for their age level. The schools place a great emphsis on basic literacy. The children do more reading and writing work than comparable children in the state system and their work is more closely momitored. Here small class sizes and the schools commitment to basic skills are key factors. The school magazines often print some of the interesting items. The litterary pieces are often the eaiest to include. The items that describe school life ae the most interesting to us. Some of the literary items are, however, interesting in theor own right. A fun part of the children's written work are the little slips and terms they do not yet quite understand.
Streaming is the assignment of students to classes at each age level according to academic ability. Educators vary as the value of streaming. Some maintain that this permits classroom teachers to sevelop lesson plans appropriate to a child's abilities and more individual attention. Other educators are concerned with the social consequences of separating children by ability. Prep schools have varying approaches to streaming. Here both philosophical and practical issues are at play. Many schools do not stream. Streaming is less common at smaller schools, but is very common at the larger schools with more classes in each form. Common the younger children are not streamed, but at some point at or after form 3, streaming begins. Each school has their own system and approach.
Modern prep schools place a substantial emphasis on academics and grades are very competive. This varies from school to school, but it is fair to say that the prep schools tend to be more competive than in the state schools. At most schools the children know there precise numerical position in the their form. The form rolls used to be posted by name. Some schools use a number, but the forms are generally small enough that the children know each other's position as well. Certainly a system like this stimulateds competition anong the academically able. Some educators believe that such a system is not appropriate for children of this asge because it my discourage the less academiclly able. We did not notice this and we did not notice children being teased because they wre not doing well. We suspect that the impact here is largely determined by how the schools handel it. It may well be that in a supportive environment that it may be best for a child to develop a realistic assessment of his capabilities.
All of the schools when we visited were beginning to integrate computers into the school program. Various schools were at different stages of this process. Many teachers, especiallu older teachers were unfamiliar with computers. Families at the time were just beginning to acquire home computers and so many of the children were also unfamilar with basic computer skills. There was, however, great interest, especially among the boys. Every school had at least somr boys who had achieved considerable computer literacy. Most schools had begun computer classes in basic skills and programs. Actually using computers in the classroom was still limited, in part because suitable educational programs were just beginning to appear and the intenet was still it a very early phase of development. Thus computing was both a classroom and extra-curricular activity.
Schools vary in the attention given to the fine arts. Prep schools until after world War II had a strong games (sports) focus with only limited attention to the fine arts. A most modern schools threre has been an increase in the attention given to the arts. School fine arts programs are persued both within and outside the classroom. Much of the art work is done in the classroom or art room. The art class is a favorite of many children permitting all kinds of hands own activities.Music, drama, and dance is persued more variously.
