Figure 1.--Prep schools have smaller class sizes. The teachers are able to give morev invidual attention to the students. This is the approsch in the smaller schools. Larger schools commonly employ streaming..

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.

Academic Organisation

Although classes are organised into 'A' and 'B' streams, each follows a similar syllabus so that easy transfer from one to the other is permitted without upheaval. Classes are small in size (staff members each have their own classroom) and the level of individual attention is high.

Boundary Oak School Prospectus

Ability Grouping

From 11 years onwards the O-level course begins, but without specialisation. In both age ranges [8-10 and 11-12] the emphasis is on grouping by anility, subject by subject. In this way the stronger ones may be developed and the weaker consolidated.

Bromsgrove School Prospectus

In the Classroom

Not every boy is equally good at every sunject: accorfingly, although the normal form system operates fir the English subjects, French, Mathematics, Science and Latin are taught in sets so that a boy is able to benefit by working with others of similar ability. The imporance of academic excellence is not underated and boys who prove their ability are encouraged to reach the scholarship standard demanded by Clifton College and other public schools.

Clifton College Preparatory School Prospectus

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