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Wednesday 16 October

The Importance of Opportunity that Prep Schools can provide

Millfield School Stand: 762

Prep schools prepare pupils to get the most out of their educational journey and form early, outstanding learning habits. They have the resources to enable each child to be treated and valued as an individual. At Millfield Prep, we believe that all children are brilliant at something, and often many things, so we aim to help them discover what they are brilliant at.

Academic standards and rigour are a given, but one of the key benefits of a Prep school is that it creates environments that keep children younger for longer, enabling them to have a further two years to develop and gain confidence before going to a senior school environment.

Children lucky enough to attend Prep schools have an extensive array of co-curricular opportunities at their disposal. It is these unbelievable opportunities that really make Prep schools shine, and in particular Millfield Prep. Sport, music, drama, art, and outdoor spaces all greatly enhance learning by building new skills, uncovering hidden talents by giving things a go, and unearthing possibility. Here are four reasons why you should consider a Prep school education if you are in a position to.

A strong foundation for learning

Giving children a strong foundation for independent learning is an essential aspect of a Prep school education. At Millfield Prep, we feel strongly that our offering allows children to cherish their childhood and stay younger for longer. By staying in a Prep school environment until the age of 13, our children are more mature, more confident and sure of their own likes and dislikes to make that move to being around older teenagers.

Development of study skills, working collaboratively and developing a growth mindset are established within the children from a young age. Prep schools offer small class sizes, often less than 14, giving the individuals significantly more attention than in a class of 30+. Millfield Prep’s Personalised Curriculum Centre (PCC) offers a graduated approach to assist those with learning differences. Access to specialist tutors and sessions are available for students, and our facilities for supporting learning are among the best in the country.

We encourage the children to reflect our value: ‘Be Challengers’, where they are encouraged to be curious and ask inquisitive questions.

Recognising talent, potential and being themselves

A Prep school education recognises potential from an early age, whilst also acknowledging that physical and mental development happens at different times in children and therefore success at younger years, particularly in sport, does not always indicate future potential. Prep schools celebrate exceptional talent in the form of scholarships for academic attainment, art, music, drama, sport and good all-rounders. Many schools will also reward more diverse and specific activities such as chess, golf, riding, swimming or tennis.

Another of our school values ‘Be You’, highlights that everyone is unique and encourages pupils to embrace their differences. Children can tailor their co-curricular activities to what really interests them but equally, can challenge themselves by trying something new. No one child has the same timetable as there are so many components that the children get to choose to make up their week.

Millfield Prep is set up specifically for the pupils to thrive in an environment tailored around their needs. Our campus features a high-spec music recital hall, state of the art sports pavilion, outstanding sports facilities and fully equipped classrooms. Our value ‘Be Brilliant’ inspires pupils to work hard, give their best and celebrate other people’s successes which, in turn, helps each child in discovering their own brilliance.

Balancing digital and outside learning

In a world where digital learning is at the forefront of education, we encourage the limited use of technology outside the classroom to get a good balance of screen time and non-screen time. At Millfield Prep, we counteract the digital focus with extensive outdoor learning. Pupils are encouraged to immerse themselves in a good book to enhance their vocabulary and repertoire to assist with their studies.

Education is not just about results in the classroom. Just a stone’s throw away from Glastonbury Tor, Millfield Prep’s pupils benefit from the green landscapes and fresh air of the Somerset countryside. Pupils visit a variety of local heritage sites, including the Jurassic Coast and Shapwick Heath, as well as trips to castles and nature reserves in Cornwall and South Wales. These experiences increase awareness of the wider issues outside the school bubble and encourage our pupils to ‘Be Curious’, urging the children to explore and try new things.

Responsibility and Independence

Responsibility is instilled into Prep pupils early on – pupils are expected to contribute to the school community from Pre-School to Year 8. Pupils become committee members for eco, food, digital and wellbeing boards. When they progress to Year 8, they are selected to become monitors in IT, music, pastoral, games or boarding houses and may even become Heads of School. This reflects our value ‘Be Kind’, and children are often awarded a ‘kindness certificate’ for being responsible for their actions and respectful to others and our environment.

Boarding from a young age develops children’s social skills and independence. Boarding at Millfield Prep is multifaceted, with options to board full-time or flexibly from the age of 7. Boarders enjoy the family-feel of the houses and living with their Houseparents and other children, while being on-site and able to get involved in extracurricular activities and immerse themselves in independent study. The majority of our pupils move on to Millfield Senior School, benefitting from regular use of the senior school’s facilities and building their familiarity before transitioning into senior school.

Diversity is celebrated at Millfield Prep and we welcome pupils from well over 20 different nationalities to study with us each year. Our community understands the enormous strength it takes to study abroad, and we support this by providing seamless pastoral care and embracing a multitude of religions, beliefs and cultures. We cater for expat, forces and international families alike, offering children a sought-after British education. Children also enjoy overseas trips to exotic destinations including Dubai, New York, Barcelona and Austria where they can experience different cultures.

Visit Millfield Prep at our next Open Day on Saturday 1 March or 10 May. Book online here: https://bit.ly/2jcjeoM

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