Figure 1.--Here some boys confer after the class finished on a project they have been assigned. Mote the great old desks..
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Figure 1.--Here some boys confer after the class finished on a project they have been assigned. Mote the great old desks.. |
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 Staffordshire 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 uniformily impressed with the purposeful activity that almost always is observable. The actual classrooms vary a great deal. Some arequite stark with antiquated fyrniture. Some are decorated with just about every possible poster and colorful material posible and every possible varition in between. Generally the ypunger children have one form teacher while the older children go to specialist teachers, but different schools have varied approaches as to the how to handel teaching at different levels.
There are ten full-time qualified members of the teaching staff and this ensures that all classes are small -- averaging about 13 boys each. Besides teaching all subjects necessary for Common Entrance, the school has a consistently good record of cholarships, over 40 being won in the past ten years.
Brigtlands Preparatory School Prospectus
Academically we aim to provide a good grounding in the basic skills, and encourage each child to go as far as possible, developing habits of perserverence and industry and at the same time interest anf enjoyment in the work. .... The junior forms are "form taught", each having its own teacher who looks after all general subjects. The middle and senior school are "subject taught", i.e. they go to specialist teachers for each subject. The average size of class is about 14.
Beeston Hall School Prospectus
The boys are given a thorough grounding to fit them in every way to pass on to their Public Schools or Independent Day Grammar Schools at 13 + years of age, by taking the Entrance Examinations orScholarships. .... The number of boys in each form is limited to a maximum of 18 although most forms are smaller than this: this ensures that it is possible to give individual help at all times during a lesson. .... All the classrooms are outside the main school building. The junior forms have a form mistress morning and afternoon, the middle forms have a form room and the masters go to them but the top forms move to specialist rooms thys learning the tyoe of routine of their next school.
Beach Hall Prospectus
There is a carefully prepared time-table which ensures that boys receive a broadly based education. All the usual subjects are taught in six classes which seldom exceed eighteen in mumber. The upper forms are prepared for the Direct Entry Examination held in May each year for entry to Form 2 of the Senior School in September. Boys learn to study in depth, either individually or in groups, a chosen subject in which to undertake a project. Some of these projects are displayed on Open Day and Sports Day. English: this includes concentration on spelling and good handwriting in the first instane, and great stress is laid upon the need for wide reading, to which there is ready access in classrooms. Mathematics: this is largely traditional, including some Algebra and Geometry, but some Modern Mathematics is covered frim the age of 11. French: is taught from the age of 10 upwards. History, Geography, Nature, Science, Scripture, Music, Drama, Physical Education and Games are on the time-table. Each teacher is responsible for one cl;ass and trmedial teaching is available to boys with special problems. Careful records are kept of boys progress and a full report is sent to parents twice a year.
Beech Hill Prospectus
Academically, the object of the School is to give a boy a throughly good groundingin the orthodox classroom subjects and, at the same time, to stimulate his individual interests and cretive abilities. The maximum for any form is 23 -- more or less -- and much importance is attached to the teacher-pupil relationship so that every boy, whatever his intelectual capacity, receives a high degree of individual attention.
Clifton College Preparatory School Prospectus
