Life at Prep
Our Vision & Values
Our world is evolving at a rapid pace, and we understand the need to continually innovate our teaching and learning approaches while nurturing an inclusive academic community where our students are challenged to be their best and embrace the available opportunities. All of this is done while staying true to our distinctive focus and cherished community values.
Here, you can explore our Strategic Plan, a roadmap for Victoria College from 2023 to 2028. This plan is the result of extensive research and consultations involving our dedicated staff, enthusiastic students and engaged parents. It succinctly outlines our key priorities as we embark on this exciting journey forward.
Our Vision
A world-class holistic education that inspires every individual to contribute positively to our schools and society.
Our Mission
To create:
- A transformative curriculum in and out of the classroom that inspires excellence, curiosity and independent thinking.
- A dynamic learning environment underpinned by kindness, altruism and compassion.
- A diverse community where everyone is valued and supported to achieve their potential.
Respectful
Behaving in a courteous, kind and polite way towards everyone in the school and the wider community. Listening to and celebrating different views and achievements. Supporting others.
Resilient
Developing a positive approach to learning and life. Understanding things might go wrong and there is always another way or a different option. Learning when to persevere and when to ask for help.
Aspirational
To set your standards higher and stretch yourself further, and passionately pursue the next level of personal best in everything you do: academic work, sport, creative arts, behaviour or just being a supportive friend.
Our Plan
You can read our Strategic Plan for 2023-2028 here.
Belong to one of our five Houses
When the boys start at Victoria College Preparatory School they join one of the five Houses: Braithwaite (green), Bruce (blue), Diarmid (purple), Dunlop (yellow), Sartorius (red).
The Houses were named after valiant Old Victorians, former pupils who fought during the World Wars and were awarded the Victoria Cross.
The boys meet in their House groups once a month, building a sense of belonging and camaraderie from an early age. They quickly become loyal to their House and work hard to earn points to win the Hopewell Cup at the end of the school year. House points are earned through academic endeavours, inter-house competitions in sport, poetry and music and good behaviour.
Boys generally remain in the same House throughout their school career, including when they move up to Victoria College secondary school. They form fond memories and friendships in their Houses that last a lifetime.
Victoria College Preparatory School Handbook
We are a lively, friendly, and caring community, where innovative teaching is underpinned by our strong core values. We aim to provide a broad curriculum so that our pupils develop a wide appreciation and understanding of the world.
We hope you will find this handbook a useful tool to help navigate through the first few months at Victoria College Preparatory School. The handbook can be viewed here.
Lunch at Bistro Victoria
All boys eat lunch at Bistro Victoria, which is a cafeteria shared by the students and staff in our senior school. Lunchtime staff ensure that the boys enjoy eating together with good manners.
Boys can have a hot or cold meal from the Bistro and these are pre-booked at the start of each half-term with Flourish from Caring Cooks. Parents can choose to supply a packed lunch if they prefer. The sample menu can be viewed here.
A Powerful Partnership: Parent Engagement
Friends of Prep
We know the key to a successful education is a strong partnership between parents, students and the school, so we warmly welcome both boys and their families.
We have an open-door policy and encourage parents to be involved as much as they would like and are able. Your views, time and skills can really make a difference and further strengthen the school community in a variety of ways.
We encourage parents to:
- Offer feedback via our Parent Community Discussion Groups and online surveys
- Join our parent-teacher association Friends of Prep
- Become an elected parent representative on the school's Board of Governors
- Be a class or year representative, and organise enrichment activities for the boys and social events for parents
As well as parents’ evenings and open days, we run open class sharing sessions where parents can come and see a lesson in their son’s class. We also have a Parent Community Discussion Group which is held twice a term. Every parent will have an opportunity to take part during their son's time at VCP.
Parents are very much involved in the boys' daily life at VCP. The partnership between pupil, parent and school staff is nurtured and supported to ensure the boys get the most out of their time with us. Our aim is for them to leave Prep after Year 6 as confident, capable boys who are raring to go to secondary school.
As a learning institution, we are open to feedback and continuously improving ourselves. In January 2018, the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate (ISI), the UK body that reviews independent British schools worldwide, published a report on Victoria College and Victoria College Preparatory School (VCP). The report rated student personal development as 'Excellent' at both schools. Learning and achievement were rated ‘Excellent’ at VCP. Read the ISI 2018 Report.