The London prep and pre-prep school scene can be a little daunting and confusing, particularly for first-timers! Some prep schools are for pupils aged 4 to 11 or 13 while others have a Nursery.
For some, you need to register at birth but many have places at different entry points. The school’s website should be your first port of call to get a feel for the values of the school and to discover if the school is single-sex or co-ed, the size of the school, if it is affiliated to a senior school, and to find out about the registration and admissions process.
It is also a good idea to look at the school’s most recent ISI Inspection Report to check that it meets all the standards and to see how it is graded and if there are any areas recommended for improvement.
However, to get a really good feel for the school you should attend one of their open days or go on a personal tour. It’s a good idea to have some questions in mind and to try not to be dazzled by glitzy facilities but to think about how your two or four-year-old will settle in and be nurtured.
Mrs Glencross, Head of Redcliffe Gardens School, shares some ideas for things you should be asking and looking out for during an open day:
- First impressions count! Do you like the Head, the staff, the atmosphere, the sense of community?
- What are the key values that the school seeks to instil in the children and how do they go about this? It is important that these values are important to you too.
- How inclusive and diverse is the school? Does it reflect the different nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds of local people.
- What is the school’s approach to pastoral care? This is hugely important for all children but especially when they are younger, and your child’s welfare and happiness should be the school’s top priority. Some particular questions you might ask are: How does the school help the children settle in? How will they get to know my child? How will they support them if there is a problem? How do they help children develop good relationships with friends and classmates? How do they cover topics such as bullying and internet safety? What happens if my son or daughter is worried about something? How and when would they involve parents if there is a problem?
- What is the school’s approach to teaching and learning? How is the curriculum balanced between the subjects? Does it sound inspiring, modern and exciting?
- What are the classrooms like? Even if they are a bit untidy, are there a lot of displays and examples of pupils’ work?
- How do they assess the children? What sort of support is there for children that need academic stretch or for those who need more consolidation?
- How often does the school have parents’ evenings and issue school reports?
- How do they teach Art, Drama, Music and PE? Do children do LAMDA and learn musical instruments at school? What sort of facilities do they have?
- What clubs and after-school activities does the school run? Do they have school trips and what about residential trips?
- What is school lunch like? Is there a hot school lunch every day? Is there a choice?
- How do the children get experience of being leaders? What positions of responsibility are there for the older children?
- Is there automatic entry from nursery to reception, from reception to the prep school?
- How does the school prepare children for the 11+?
- What are the popular destination schools of the Year 6 leavers? Are they single-sex, mixed, academic, all-rounders, day, boarding, country, town. Even if you haven’t thought about next schools yet, it is always good to know the range of schools the pupils go on to.
- Is the school affiliated to a senior school? What benefits does this bring? Is there automatic entry?
- And if you get a chance to speak to the children themselves, ask them what they like about the school, is it fun, and perhaps what they don’t like!
- Is there a parents’ association and how involved are they with school life?
At Redcliffe, we offer prospective parents a personal tour and a chance to meet the Head. It is your chance to get a feel for the school, to soak up the atmosphere, and to ask as many questions as you would like.
To book a personal tour please visit our website or contact:
The Registrar
Redcliffe Gardens School
47 Redcliffe Gardens
London SW10 9JH
T: 020 7352 9247
E: office@redcliffeschool.com
You can also read other related articles by Redcliffe Gardens School here.
