Why Choose A Private Pre-Prep School?

The deadline for applications to state primary schools is coming up next month, and many people may still be wondering whether to apply for a place in a state primary, or send their child to an independent pre-prep.

Many people do feel that it’s better to send their child to the local primary school for the first few years before moving them into private education. They may want their child to make friends locally, and some feel that the real benefit of a private education comes later on in a child’s schooling.

Here are a few key benefits of choosing a private primary school for your child:

Small Class Sizes

The majority of state primary schools will have a Reception year intake of up to 30 children per class. Even if they start out with fewer children, most have spaces for 30 per class, and so will allow others to join later in the year (for example if they’ve just moved to the area). Of course, you will find the occasional small village school with a small intake, but for the majority a class of 30 children is the norm. In an independent primary school classes may have around 10-12 children. They also often still have the qualified teaching assistants you would see in a state school too - so this gives an excellent adult to child ratio and means your child will be well cared for with plenty of attention and support.

A Broader, More Rounded Education

It is well known that private schools offer more than just an academic curriculum. An independent pre-prep setting will allow your child to experience a wide range of different activities alongside the standard lessons. Private primary schools are able to offer many different activities that state schools simply do not have the budget for. This allows your child to enjoy their first few years of school without too much emphasis being on testing and schooling in the traditional sense.

Avoid Leaving Friends Later On

Many parents opt to send their child to a state primary school and then move them to an independent secondary later on - however this involves wrenching their child away from the friends they have spent the last seven years getting to know. It can be hard for an eleven-year-old to leave their friends, even if they know it is for their own benefit. On the other hand, many independent pre-prep schools feed into an independent prep and then to an independent secondary school so they could stay with the same class throughout their education.

Better Facilities

Most private pre-pre schools have great facilities for children. This includes after school clubs in a wide range of areas but also things like having plenty of supplies in lessons, more learning resources and so on. Things like this can make a marked difference to children’s learning, especially now that things like tablets and computer learning have become the norm in classrooms.