Millfield Preparatory School
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Millfield Preparatory School is an educational institution located in the English county of Somerset. In July 2007, there are 425 pupils attending the school. 213 are boys, 212 are girls, 166 are boarders and 259 are day pupils. The staff to pupil ratio is 1:8, which is lower than many similar institutions.
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[edit] History
Edgarley became the junior school for Millfield in 1945 when Jack “Boss” Meyer recognised the need to accommodate the increasing numbers of younger children coming to Millfield. The house and grounds were bought from his friends, the Thomas-Ferrands, who had seen their family home suffer from Army occupation during the war. After early problems concerning rising numbers in a small area with struggling finances, Meyer handed over his holdings to a board of governors, who agreed to administer the School with Meyer as the headmaster. Facilities increased and expanded, and the school started to transfer an increasing number of pupils to the senior school in the 1960s. By the 1980s, numbers at the preparatory school were up to 500. A pre-prep department was initially started in the centre of Glastonbury in the mid-1980s. It has now moved onto the prep school campus, sharing the Millfield Prep facilities.
[edit] Academic programme
Depending on age, children are taught in a different way. In the Pre-Prep Department, teachers combine a blend of numeracy and literacy with a wide range of other subjects, as well as many extra-curricular activities. Pupils aged 7-9 work in the junior department and study in small classes each headed by a group tutor who takes most of the lessons. Pupils are taught English, mathematics, science, design and technology, information and communications technology, history, geography, religious studies, art, music, drama and physical education.
From the age of 10, each child is taught by specialist subject teachers. The programme continues to be overseen by a group tutor, who also monitors students' extracurricular development in sport, music and other activities. In addition to the subjects studied in the junior department, children may study French, Spanish and Latin.
[edit] PACE (Potential Academic and Curricular Excellence)
The P.A.C.E. programme aims to identify and challenge pupils who demonstrate exceptional ability or the potential to excel in any areas of the curriculum.
[edit] Language Development Centre (LDC)
Identified by the Independent Schools Inspectorate as “a major feature and strength of the School”, the Language Development Centre is an integral part of Millfield Prep. The centre is staffed by five full-time and five part-time members of staff, all highly trained and experience in working with children with learning difficulties. Its primary function is to support pupils who have identified learning difficulties, including dyslexia. By liaising closely with the group tutors, LDC staff members are at the core of a child’s learning programme.
[edit] Sports
Five full-time and thirty five part-time specialists coach more than thirty sports. The facilities include:
- 25 metre indoor swimming pool
- Equestrian centre with 14 horses stabled, 2 all-weather arenas and off-road riding
- 2 full-size sports halls
- 4 squash courts
- Astro-turf hockey pitch
- 6 hard outdoor tennis courts
- 3 hard netball courts
- Extensive games fields
- 9-hole golf course
The school also has use of a 50 metre Olympic swimming pool, Tarmac athletics track and three Olympic-standard water based astro-turf hockey pitches, all located at Millfield Senior School.
[edit] Arts
Millfield Preparatory School offers opportunities in art, drama and music.
[edit] Art
Within purpose-built art, design and technology classrooms, pupils produce works of art and craft that are regularly displayed in exhibitions. The school has its own artist in residence, whose work pervades the school campus in the form of sculptures.
[edit] Drama
Not only does every pupil take regular drama classes, but they are also given the opportunity to perform in one of the many productions at Millfield. The dedicated assembly hall provides a superb venue for all the major productions at Millfield Preparatory, showcasing the developing talents of the young stars. All pupils with a long-term interest in drama receive speech and drama lessons from specialist tutors and are encouraged to take part in drama festivals and Lamda examinations.
[edit] Music
Millfield Prep offers music facilities: 22 teaching rooms, 2 large classrooms and a 200-seat recital hall, used regularly for smaller concerts and recitals, while larger ensemble concerts take place in the assembly hall. All pupils are actively encouraged to either learn an instrument or sing in a choir. All genres of music are catered for, so violinists and guitarists in turn have the chance to regularly display their talents in front of a large audience. Resident and visiting tutors offer expert tuition to all musicians, and a number of pupils receive musical scholarships from senior independent schools every year, including Millfield Senior School.
[edit] Distinguished Old Pupils
- Lily Allen, singer
- Roger Bird, author, judge, President of the Association of District Judges
- Jenny Brunt, international fashion model
- Maj. Gen. Charlton-Weedy CBE, Chief of Emergency Planning Coll.,York
- Dr. Nigel Clark, ornithology - Head of Projects, British Trust for Ornithology
- Jason Connery, actor
- Sophie Dahl, international fashion model
- Simon Duckett, Welsh International fencer and winner of Commonwealth Games Silver Medal
- Wesley Durston, county cricketer
- Jeremy Edwards, actor
- Joanna Fargus, GB Olympic Swimmer and Commonwealth Gold and Silver medallist
- Sheelagh Ferrell, film producer including joint producer of One Love
- Andrew Foster, National Health Service – Director of Human Resources
- Daniel Galvin Jnr., hairdressing
- David Graveney, Chairman of England cricket selectors
- Aftab Habib, England international cricketer
- William Hargreaves, National Leroc Dance champion
- David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome
- James Hildreth, county cricketer
- Ben Hollioake, England cricket international
- Andrew Jarrett, Davis Cup player, Wimbledon Championship referee
- Dr. Sarah Jarvis, ITN Lunchtime News and Radio 2 Doctor
- Prof. Patrick Jordan, Vice Pres. International Mobile Communications Co., Nierenberg Prof. of Design, Carnegie Mellon University, scientific author and lecturer
- Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Minister for Women. MP for Bolton
- David Luckes, hockey international and member of British Olympic Committee
- Tim Martin, Director of Sales, LA Galaxy
- Max Milligan, photographic artist, lecturer and writer
- Brigadier Mark Milligan, Commanding Officer 14th Regiment Royal Artillery
- Nick Milligan, MD Sky Media, formerly CEO Channel 5
- Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak al Nahayan, Minister of Education United Arab Emirates, Chancellor of UAE University and Higher Colleges of Technology, President of Zahed University, Chairman of Union National Bank, UAE
- Arjun Oberoi, international hotelier
- Dimitri Panayotopoulos, business, Procter & Gamble
- John Pardoe, ex Liberal MP and contender for party leader against David Steel 1976
- Matthew Perry, England rugby international
- Ben Reeves, motor racing
- Dr. Paul Richardson, Associate Professor of Oncology, Harvard University
- Meriel Rosser, Co-ordinator in Darfur for Médecins Sans Frontières. OM of the Year 2005
- Roland Rudd, journalist and financier
- Anabel Sexton, European Brands Communications Dir. Taylor Made/Adidas
- Dr.Colin Sparrow, Senior Tutor for Admissions, King's College, Cambridge
- Luke Sutton, county cricketer
- Jeremy Thomas
- Terri Wakeham, Vice President, Columbia Pictures
