Caroline Oglethorpe discusses the importance of a Pre-Prep education.
Westbourne House School is an inspirational haven for learning, discovery and adventure, and I am thrilled to have returned in September as Head of Pre-Prep. I am delighted to be working with its established team, who are dedicated to the development and wellbeing of your children. I am particularly passionate about Pre-Prep education, because I consider these early years to be the most important years of a child’s development.
From birth to the age of six or seven, children’s brains are developing fast and are particularly sensitive; the way in which our children learn and progress during this period is crucial, as it affects later development. It is a critical time when personalities are shaped, talents become identifiable and abilities start to show themselves. How a child experiences these years has an important impact on the type of learner they will become. To be part of these vital stages of your child’s journey, to be able to nurture and support them, couldn’t be more fulfilling.
A child’s learning environment, both at home and at school, is an essential element of Pre-Prep education. A first-class setting should not only feature high quality teaching and learning, deliver consistent messages, ensure safety and security, offer high adult-to-child ratios and involve parent support; it should also provide an environment which inspires and engages. The ideal environment should see children skipping into school happy and confident, interacting with others and the world around them, and soaking up experiences and information, often unaware that they are learning.
The importance of excellent teaching programmes in English, Maths and other core subjects is never underestimated at Westbourne House. However, that is not the end of the story. It is the additional enrichment that sets our Pre-Prep apart: the opportunities for children to show artistic ability, to experience teamwork and collaborate, to participate in drama productions and public speaking. Recently, five of our amazing Pre-Prep children stood up in front of the Prep school to recite a poem, just one of many possibilities for personal growth. I believe it is essential the children be exposed to these varied experiences.
By encouraging a culture of diversity and opportunity, we engender a growth mind-set, teaching and nurturing the children to feel they can succeed and achieve anything. These key personality characteristics are moulded and set in the early years, so I appreciate how important it is for the Pre-Prep to instil strong values and grow your children into bright and self-assured individuals.
When your children move to the Prep School, they should already believe that the world is at their feet, with nothing to get in the way of them realising their dreams to become an astronaut, a garden designer, a television presenter, the prime minister or a myriad of other possibilities. They are primed and ready to take full advantage of the wealth of opportunities and experiences the Prep School – and the world beyond – has to offer them.
Caroline Oglethorpe
Head of Pre-Prep, Westbourne House School