Prep Schools Podcast

Surbiton Prep Schools Podcast

The talented staff of the Boys’ and Girls’ Prep Schools discuss a range of pertinent topics at the heart of raising pre-teen children. Episodes include advice for parents of children just starting school in reception, all the way up to sitting the Eleven Plus and secondary entrance exams in Y6. Episodes are written and delivered by a number of staff across the Boys’ and Girls’ schools, including Headteachers Louise McCabe-Arnold and Tracy Chong.

Latest Episode

Screen time

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In a world where we all use screens for most work-based and entertainment tasks, we ask the question: how much screen time should we have each day? In this episode, Tracey and Louise discuss balancing screen time at home and the difference between active and passive screen time.

Previous Episodes

Routines

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In this episode, Tracey and Louise talk about the importance of routines in children’s lives, including starting the day with routines, building in good bedtime routines, screen routines, and how to structure holiday routines.

Excellence at the Boys' Prep. An interview with Byron King, Deputy Head in charge of Teaching and Learning at the Boys' Prep.

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In today’s episode, we talk with Byron King, Deputy Head in charge of Teaching and Learning at the Boy’s Prep. We’ll talk about what makes us different from other schools, how we live our values at a primary level, and we’ll also talk about technology in the classroom and the role of AI in the future of education. Byron King is our resident expert in AI. Watch out for future episodes on AI where Byron shares the strides we are making in this 21st century pedagogical field.

Third Culture Kids

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Excellence series: What does an excellent prep school look like?

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In Spring 2023, the Surbiton High Prep and Senior schools achieved ‘Excellent in all areas’ from ISI. In this episode we interview Tracey Chong, Head of the Boys’ Prep, and Louise McCabe-Arnold, Head of the Girls’ Prep, and talk about what goes on in our classrooms day in, day out and what makes our school quite so excellent. We give you an insight into our philosophy of what we feel shapes a bright young mind, and we even talk a little bit about the school dog, Kona.

The Importance of Play ... and the Role of Boredom

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In a world full of screens, games and social media the importance of imaginative play has never been more important. Whether it’s dressing up, small-world play or making their own games and rules, when children play away from screens and devices, they recharge and positively stimulate their brains. In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their thoughts with parents on the importance of play and the role of boredom in primary-aged pupils’ lives.

Getting enough sleep?

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What effect does poor sleep have on children’s learning? Is my child getting enough sleep? What is the optimal amount of sleep for a 7 year old? In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their thoughts with parents on the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Dealing with stress and anxiety

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Dealing with stress and anxiety is something that impacts us all, as adults and as children, and learning how to deal with it is vital for a healthy and happy life. In this episode, Louise McCabe Arnold and Tracey Chong (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their advice on how to support children with stress and anxiety, no matter how young they are.

Prep Schools: The Quiet Child

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Some children are confident, others are shy; some extroverted, others introverted. But what do you do to make sure a quiet child is getting the most out of their educational environment? What do you do as a parent if you are an extrovert and your child isn’t? Or vice versa? In this episode, Louise McCabe Arnold and Tracey Chong (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their experience of working with children across the whole extrovert-introvert spectrum.

‘Reading with your child’ – with Tracey Chong & Louise McCabe-Arnold.

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“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein,

Literacy is access to knowledge. Getting your your child into reading in an enthusiastic, but non-pushy way is the key to starting their education career. In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their thoughts on reading strategies with young children.

‘The importance of Grit’ – with Tracey Chong & Louise McCabe-Arnold.

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According to a tremendous amount of research from a range of education academics such as Carol Dweck and Angela Duckworth, grit and resilience are two of the most important virtues that impact educational development. So, how do we build a sense of grit and resilience in our own children. In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their thoughts on grit, how to build it, how to sustain it, and the role it plays in life-long learning.

The value of picture books’ – with Tracey Chong & Louise McCabe-Arnold.

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From Eric Carle’s ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ to Julia Donaldson’s ‘Room on the Broom’, picture books are one of the most formative and magical experiences in a child’s educational development. In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) share their love of picture books and their thoughts on it’s importance as a cornerstone of language and learning.

Talking about bereavement with children’– with Tracey Chong & Louise McCabe-Arnold

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Bereavement can be one of the most difficult topics to cover with your child. Following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, your children may be filled with questions about death. In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton Girls’ Prep and Boys’ Prep, respectively) draw on their combined experience of talking to pupils, parents and colleagues about death, and share their thoughts on the best approach with young children.

‘Putting the Right Foot Forwards’ – with Tracey Chong & Louise McCabe-Arnold

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Starting a new year in primary school is a big thing. Starting a new chapter of your life in Reception is even bigger. In this episode, Louise and Tracey (the Heads of Surbiton High Girls’ and Boys’ Preparatory Schools, respectively) share their thoughts on the best ways to prepare children for a new year at school, or for their first year of school entirely.