Posts Tagged ‘independent secondary schools’

Why You Should Consider a Private Primary School For Your Child

February 20th, 2012

Most young parents always seem to be too concerned about their child’s education. Why not? A strong foundation would prepare their little ones for future learning and higher studies. It is therefore imperative to find a renowned primary school that can prepare their child for competitive entrance exams to independent secondary schools and state grammar schools.

If you are a resident of the UK, there are two choices available in preparatory or primary schools- state schools or government funded schools that provide education free of charge, and private or independent schools that charge a fee for providing education. While both state primary schools and private primary schools offer a full programme of studies based on the National Curriculum, a private primary or preparatory school provides many more additional facilities and learning opportunities which would go a long way in shaping your child’s future. Some of the reasons why you should choose an independent or private primary school over a state school are as follows:

1. Private primary schools are known to provide more individual teaching when compared to state schools.
2. A private school has better pupil-teacher ratios, usually at around 9:1.
3. A private school usually offers longer teaching hours and homework.
4. A private preparatory school gives special emphasis on extra curricular activities and organised sports.
5. A private school gives more importance to traditional academic subjects such as maths, classics and modern languages than that prescribed by the National Curriculum.

There are more than 2,500 independent or private schools in the UK. Gone are the days when only the elite sent their children to private schools. The benefits provided by any well-known private primary school now compel every couple to choose a private preparatory school for their child.

A private primary school provides education to children in their Foundation Stage (2-5 years of age) and the Main School (5 – 11 years of age). To ensure safety of your children, they get all their staff checked by the Criminal Records Bureau. A good private primary school ensures that every child engages in a wide range of activities during the Foundation Stage to grow, develop and learn rapidly. Every child is provided with numerous experiences to help him/her understand the world around better. Children are given enough space to move around, work on the floor and on tabletops in indoor as well as outdoor classrooms. Many private primary schools also offer extra subjects like piano lessons and QCA approved computer modules at an extra cost.

Most good private primary schools hire specialist subject teachers for children in their main school to teach French, swimming, games, and computers. In addition to classroom sessions, children are also taken on educational visits and trips. These schools also request some parents to pay a visit and talk about their work or special interests. All these are arranged with just one objective: help children learn better, communicate with others effectively, and think creatively.

It has been observed that different children have different learning requirements or difficulties at various times. A good private primary school always adopts an emphatic approach to help the child. In many cases, the school advises for a child’s assessment by an educational psychologist to identify his learning difficulties, if any. This would help both the parents and the school to offer a little more guidance and support to the child.

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Primary School Admissions in the UK

February 17th, 2012

Primary schools in the UK are broadly divided into state managed primary schools and private primary schools. State primary schools are funded by the government and strictly follow the guidelines laid down by the law when it comes to admissions. A vast section of the UK population sends their children to state schools, as these schools provide education free of cost.

Private or independent preparatory schools, on the other hand, charge a fee for providing education as prescribed by the National Curriculum. There are more than 2,500 private schools in the UK. These schools are known to provide better learning facilities when compared to state run schools. Good private primary schools offer more individual teaching and have better pupil-teacher ratios. They give equal emphasis on extra-curricular activities and organised sports to ensure overall development of a child. They also provide longer teaching hours and homework and have special focus on traditional academic subjects such as maths, classics and modern languages. Today, more and more parents are willing to send their children to these private schools instead of non-fee paying state schools.

Admission to these private schools is simpler when compared to independent secondary schools where admissions are based on competitive entrance exams. Independent primary schools are generally free to select their pupils. These schools are, however, required to strictly follow the general legislation against discrimination.

While some of them select students based on the financial condition of their parents, there are some that admit children on the basis of their merit. There are also many of them in the UK that give importance to the musical or sporting talent in children during admissions. Some preparatory schools, which are confined to a particular religion, may also select students from all races and religions subject to the requirement that all students will attend services irrespective of the religion they follow. Many of them in the UK may give preference to some children during admission if their siblings are currently studying in the same school.

The best primary schools in the UK always welcome children from all backgrounds, regardless of their religion or race. They treat all applications for admission on merit. It is also important to note that the level of ability of a child or the existence of any special educational needs plays no role during admission to most reputed preparatory schools. As long as the school’s management feels that the school is capable of meeting a child’s special needs, the admission of a child with special needs would not be a problem.

Most private primary schools provide the interested parents with an information pack about the school. Parents are also invited to visit the them and observe the classes and meet the school staff. If the parents like the school and decide to send their children to a particular school, they could even meet the head teacher. The registration form needs to be filled in at this stage. A provisional starting date and time is also agreed upon.

Most private Independent schools London admit children at any time during the year depending on the availability of places and their parents’ wishes. At the time of admission, parents are required to sign an admissions policy form wherein they undertake to pay the school fees, including the initial registration fee and to give a term’s notice in the event of withdrawal of their child from the school.

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