Is there a right age to send your child to an independent school?
In truth, there is no ‘right’ time. Finding the right school is a process of discovery and what age you send your child comes down to personal choice.
Early Years
In the early years’ environment, children make huge gains socially and emotionally and crucially they learn ‘how to learn’. Building excellent learning habits, personalised pastoral care and experiencing a broad curriculum embeds solid foundations for future years.
At Aldwickbury, our Pre-Prep team strive to provide an environment where boys feel safe, happy, supported and secure. Smaller class sizes allow us to deliver a curriculum that is personalised to the needs of every boy. One of the benefits of Reception entry is that we are academically non-selective. Once a place in our Pre-Prep has been offered and accepted, you have secured your child’s education until age 13. Whilst we welcome applications throughout the school, these are then subject to an assessment that seek to find out more about a child, their values and wider interests.
State ‘til 8
Some parents opt for ‘State ‘til 8’ transferring to the independent sector at the end of Year 2, a convenient entry point into Juniors.
Whilst Year 3 entry at Aldwickbury is popular, family circumstances also dictate entry higher up the school, but where possible we do recommend boys join us in Pre-Prep or Juniors. After all a strong house is built on good foundations! These early years encourage independence, provide access to specialist secondary trained staff, help the boys grow in confidence and prepare them for their senior school of choice.
Opportunities Outside of the Classroom
Longer days allow for a greater variety of experiences and activities. At Aldwickbury we offer a wide-ranging co-curricular programme that makes full use of our grounds. The boys participate in an array of opportunities that seek to ignite their passion. In addition, our exciting Future Thinking Curriculum equips the boys with the skills for an ever-changing world.
Decisions on where and when to send your child to school doesn’t need to be over-complicated. When you walk into the right school you’ll know. You simply need to find the best school for your child that will allow them to thrive. When a child is happy and confident it is easier for them to grow and learn!
Aldwickbury School holds regular Open Mornings throughout the year. Book a visit here or contact our Head of Admissions on 01582 713022 to make an appointment. You can also request a prospectus here.
