EDUCATION
READY TO FLY THE NEST
Ali Dugdale meets a joyful gang of Year 6 pupils in their final term at Prince ’ s Mead
Schools are like swans : there ’ s an awful lot of hard work going on under the surface by the teachers so that the children above can progress purposefully and majestically on their way .
Hence when you ask the teachers of Prince ’ s Mead , a prep school for boys and girls aged three to 11 , to define the importance of Year 6 ( the final year ) they talk wisely and earnestly about fulfilment , independence , achievement , self-confidence , consolidation and being prepared .
Put the same question to a group of Year 6 pupils and the response is slightly less considered : “ It ’ s soooooo much fun !” comes the immediate reply , with lots of excited bouncing up and down .
Both responses , of course , are absolutely correct . There ’ s a huge amount of thought and collective experience piled into Prince ’ s Mead ’ s Aim Higher programme , which begins in the Summer term once senior school entry exams are done and scholarships won ( 17 this year , for an impressively broad range of subjects ).
The programme encourages each leaver to take on challenges and to ‘ show ambition both within the classroom and beyond ’. Ultimately , it aims to ensure that every pupil enjoys their transition from prep school to senior , while giving them ‘ lifelong skills and a firm foundation for the future ’.
So what , according to the pupils , is the best thing about their final term ? “ We ’ re allowed to go to the nursery and play with the children there and read to them ; I love that .” says one . “ Oh , yes !” tops another , “ I think it ’ s probably the best thing about being in Year 6 !”
There ’ s much chatter about privileges earned by being in the top year . The stream of activities in the Aim Higher programme , include taking part in a MasterChef competition , an enterprise challenge , a drama production , a trip to London , to Paultons Park ( lots of shrieks of excitement for that one ), and a residential activity camp . The children ’ s enthusiasm is infectious , their self-confidence delightful , their camaraderie joyfully obvious .
Adam King , the head , appears in the doorway . He ’ s been listening in , unseen . “ Our Year 6s are great , aren ’ t they ?” he says . “ They ’ re true ambassadors for the school . I shall really miss them .”
It must be hard to prepare them so well for the future , only to say goodbye . “ It is ,” Adam says . “ But it ’ s the price we pay for getting it right . And I know there are more , many more wonderful Year 6s yet to come .”
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