Industry News
Expert recommends prep schools
Posted on 28th January 2008
Parents who hope to have their children educated at a leading independent school should consider sending them to a prep school, an education expert has advised.
Writing in the Sunday Times, former chief inspector of schools Chris Woodhead said parents need to be aware there is a wide gap between the standards found in good prep schools and state primary schools.
"State-educated children are unlikely to have been prepared for what are very demanding entrance exams at senior schools such as St Paul's or Winchester," he explained.
Mr Woodhead added that a prep school education could prove to be a good investment for families that live in areas which still have state grammar schools, as pupils are likely to be better equipped for the 11-plus exam than those who attend maintained primary schools.
Figures compiled by the Independent Schools Council show that 161,452 primary age pupils attend its member schools.