Nurturing your child’s education is one of the most important investments you can make for their future. Deciding where to send your child requires a lot of thought, as every parent wants to make the right choice. Our independent school, St Peter’s Prep, is located in the picturesque town of Lympstone, Devon, surrounded by the beautiful outdoors and a short drive from Exeter City; the perfect, diverse environment for your child to thrive.
From the earliest nursery days to upper prep school, we provide an exceptional educational journey that supports and prepares your child for the times ahead. We understand that choosing the right school for your child is a pivotal decision, so we’ve put together a guide that delves into the world of private schools and the unique advantages independent schools can offer.
Better Teacher to Student Ratio
One of the benefits of attending an independent school is the smaller class sizes. A better teacher-to-student ratio can help make a positive difference in the level of education a child receives by giving teachers more time for helpful feedback, the space for emotional support, giving students the room for their ideas and thoughts to be shared, as well as the benefit of added physical space for interactive learning.
All of the above allows our teachers to give each child the attention they deserve to excel, reach their full potential, and increase their confidence.
A Wider Range of Subjects
As a private school, we’re not restricted by the national curriculum, so we don’t have to follow its exact curriculum. This independence allows us to be more innovative in our teaching style, create teacher autonomy, and develop a tailored curriculum that supports our student’s learning styles. This freedom also allows our students to learn various subjects that may typically not be part of the national curriculum followed by state schools. If you’d like to learn more about the Differences Between State, Public and Private Schools, our previous blog can help.
At St Peter’s Prep, our children study:
- Art and Design
- Drama
- English
- French
- Games and Physical Education
- Geography
- History
- Information and Communications Technology
- Mathematics
- Music
- Personal, Social & Health Education
- Religion and Philosophy
- Science
- Spanish
If you’d like to know more, our prospectus can provide an in-depth summary of the subjects we teach.
Extracurricular Activities
After-school activities allow children to develop their social skills, interact with new pupils, increase their confidence and sense of self, improve academic performance, boost creativity, and learn valuable new skills.
We believe extracurricular activities play an essential role in a child’s mental health and wellbeing by providing a fun space to relax and participate in something they’re passionate about, such as coding, kickboxing, or joining the school’s eco-council group.
Participating in extracurricular activities also teaches children valuable time management skills as they learn to juggle school and other commitments outside of school, prioritising tasks and managing their schedules effectively.
Outstanding Care
Every parent wants the reassurance that their child is in a secure and nurturing environment whilst receiving the appropriate care. At St Peter’s Prep, we take pride in our comprehensive approach to caring for our students, through a supportive pastoral care system and our ‘wraparound care’ service.
Our pastoral care system ensures that our dedicated tutors closely monitor each child’s emotional, social, and personal development. Outstanding pastoral care takes precedence above all else. We believe the welfare and happiness of our students remain a top priority and are integral to their academic development, confidence, self-esteem, character-building, sense of belonging, and emotional resilience.
We offer an exceptional wraparound care service from 08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, providing a safe and interactive environment for your child before and after school hours. We also recognise the challenges of securing care for your child during the holidays, but don’t worry, as FISH operate a holiday club right here at our preparatory school during school breaks.
Preparing Your Child For Future
Private schools can help prepare your child for the future in many ways. Our smaller class sizes and highly qualified teachers equip children with strong foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills, whilst our tailored curriculum meets individual needs, helping every child reach their full potential.
Our children also have the opportunity to build on their leadership skills through a plethora of extracurricular activities, contributing to their character development; vital for future endeavours.
Extended school days allow students to study subjects deeper and give our teachers the time to cover more material for outstanding academic achievement. Longer school days encourage students to adapt to the modern work schedule, where time management and commitment are essential over extended hours.
Many children benefit from our boarding programme, whether that be flexi or weekly, with children always being home for the weekend. This gives our students the opportunity to reap all the advantages of a nurturing environment, develop strong social skills, make lasting friendships, and access extra academic support for more help. Our guide, Benefits of Boarding at St Peter’s Prep, can provide you with more insight.
Choosing the right school for your child is an important decision that can profoundly shape their future. We hope this guide has provided you with some relevant insight into the numerous advantages private schools can offer, along with the practices our independent school follows to ready your children for a bright future.
