Keystone Tutors Blog
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7 Plus Reading List
Reading List for children in Year 1 and Year 2 (Age 6 and 7)Parents often ask us for reading recommendations and so we have compiled the following list below as a good starting point! These are all either personal favourites or recommended on well renowned book lists.
Upcoming Webinars
Here are details of our upcoming webinars. Do join us live to ask any questions you might have or register below to receive a recording after the event.
Webinar: The 7 Plus and 8 Plus
In this webinar Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by one of Keystone’s most experienced Professional Tutors, Steph Kitson-Smith, to discuss 7+ and 8+ entry processes and considerations. Ed and Steph looked to cover all key aspects of the 7+ and 8+ entry process, from registration timelines to assessments and interview formats. They advise on how and when to start preparing for assessments and interviews, and how to finalise your shortlist of schools.
How to Help your Child Succeed at School
Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, hosted a practical session that blends educational research on effective parenting with Ed’s own insights as a teacher, tutor, and educational researcher.Ed shares straightforward, achievable strategies parents can use to support their children’s success in school. These tips are designed to work in real life, helping you boost your child’s learning, confidence, and motivation.
11 Plus Maths Exam Guide
Understanding the expectations of Maths in the 11 Plus 11 Plus Maths is a staple of every child’s experience throughout years 5-7 of school, whether they sit an ISEB 11 Plus, Common Entrance Paper or a pre-test for 13 Plus entry.
Webinar : 11+ London Day Schools
This in-depth webinar on the 11+ entry process for London day schools, was hosted by Ed Richardson, Keystone’s Managing Director. Ed led this webinar with Harriet Brook, Keystone’s Head of Consultancy. Ed and Harriet provided expert guidance on all key aspects of the 11+ entry process, including when and how to start preparing for assessments and interviews, and how to finalise a shortlist of schools.
When should you start preparing for the 11 plus?
When should you start preparing for 11+? Starting 11 plus exam preparations in Lower KS2 (Year 3 or Year 4) is highly beneficial, providing ample time for children to thoroughly grasp the 11 plus syllabus within a realistic timeframe. During this stage, children can be introduced to fundamental maths concepts and problem-solving techniques, practice comprehension skills, develop their creative writing and vocabulary and familiarise themselves with various reasoning questions.
11 Plus Interview Questions
Preparing for 11 Plus interviews for independent schools is a crucial step for students aiming to secure a place at their chosen secondary school. In this guide, Keystone’s 11 Plus tutors share valuable advice and practical tips to help students showcase their full potential at interview.In this video Keystone's founder, Will Orr-Ewing, and Managing Director, Ed Richardson, share their insights on tackling the 11 Plus entrance interviews for independent schools.
What is the CEM Test?
As a parent looking for information about how best to prepare your child for the 11 Plus exams, you may have encountered the terms CEM and GL and wondered what on earth they refer to! When it comes to the 11 Plus, these terms refer to two of the assessment manufacturers who develop and provide the 11 Plus tests.
11 Plus Independent Schools’ Entrance Exam Guide
If your child is planning to take the 11 plus exam, and is looking for ways to prepare this comprehensive guide is for you! Keystone’s expert tutors have helped students excel at taking the 11 Plus, and the guidance below aims to distil their best practice into a simple, practical set of top tips.
Children's Writing Competition 2025
Keystone Tutors are excited to launch of our very first Creative Writing Competition and we warmly invite young writers aged 5-13 to get involved! Whether your child is already a passionate storyteller or just beginning their writing journey, this is a wonderful opportunity to develop their imagination, sharpen their writing skills, and gain creative confidence. Free Online Creative Writing Workshop On Sunday 14th September, we hosted two creative writing workshops for children.
Guide to the CAT4 Test
What is the CAT4 test?Made by GL Assessment, it is one of the world’s most widely use cognitive ability tests. CAT stands for Cognitive Ability Test and it is used in schools to understand developed ability (i.e. where a child is now) and likely academic potential (i.e. where a child could be).The CAT4 is used by some independent schools as a part of their admissions process, assessing a candidate’s verbal, non-verbal, mathematical, and spatial reasoning ability and academic potential.
Webinar: How to Support Your Child Through Sixth Form
This webinar was led by our Managing Director, Ed Richardson. The session blended the latest educational research on effective parenting strategies with Ed’s own experience as a teacher, tutor, and educational researcher. The aim is to equip parents with practical, achievable, and impactful ways to support their children through the sixth form years.
7 Plus or 8 Plus Exam?
Historically boys would sit for the 8+ and girls for the 7+. This was based around the fact that it was traditionally accepted that boys mature a little later than girls at this age. Assessing them later meant that they had more time to develop and show their true potential. However, nowadays many schools offer both 7+ and 8+ entry and as such parents have the option to consider which might be most suitable.
8 Plus Reading List
Reading List for children in Year 3 and Year 4 (Age 7 and 8)Children studying for the 8 plus exams are moving on from the initial chapter books and early reading series they may have looked at during seven plus preparation and are starting to choose more sophisticated titles. Books at this age are starting to get longer and tackle a broader range of subjects.
11 Plus Reading List
Reading List for children in Year 5, Year 6 and Year 7 (Age 9 to 11)Children studying for the 11 plus exams are at a key point in their school reading journey. They are starting to develop the independence and autonomy to seek out their own reading books and decide how to incorporate reading into their daily routine.
7 Plus Vocabulary List
Six to seven year olds expand their vocabulary at a rapid rate, learning 5-10 words a day. While these are mostly learnt indirectly through everyday experiences, such as through discussion and reading, direct teaching can consolidate and improve a child’s vocabulary knowledge in readiness for the 7+ exam.
11 Plus Vocabulary List
In order to excel in the 11 Plus, children need to have a wide vocabulary to draw on. Good vocabulary knowledge will help in all aspects of the English exam (reading, writing, verbal reasoning) as well as in the interviews.Comprehending the reading part of the exam requires knowledge of what the individual words mean and what they mean within the context of the particular comprehension.
A Guide to the 8 Plus
The 8 Plus – like its cousins the 7 Plus, 11 Plus, and 13 Plus – is an important hurdle to overcome in gaining entry to some of the UK’s best independent schools.In the article below, Keystone Tutors cover the basics of the exam, its format, and the best ways to prepare for and succeed at this competitive assessment.
Pre-Preparatory School (Reception – Year 3) Reading List
Parents often ask us which books their children should be reading. In some respects, it’s the wrong question to ask – are there any books children shouldn’t be reading? – but with children’s free-time seeming ever to shrink, there is certainly merit in searching out the best.
University Choices
‘What shall I do when I leave school?’ is just one of a number of important questions students make during their final three years at school. But, it is one that they shouldn’t feel daunted by as this is an exciting time and, typically, the final step in their formal education. The most salient point to remember is that there is a spider’s web of people from whom they can seek advice: teachers, parents, friends and even current university students.
Applying to Study History at Oxford or Cambridge University 2025
Between them, Oxford and Cambridge admit around 500 students each year to read History or joint honours degrees such as History & Politics. Until quite recently – in fact, up until 2023 – the two universities operated broadly similar admissions systems for students applying to read these subjects; each set a written test and required the submission of one or two pieces of written work before offering final interviews to successful candidates.
A Guide to A Level Retakes
If results day did not quite go as planned and you are considering an A Level retake, we have outlined the options and answered the questions we are commonly asked at Keystone.
The Oxbridge History Interview
Tips for giving a great Oxbridge history interviewOxbridge interviews typically start relatively straightforwardly, but quickly get complicated. It’s entirely normal for candidates to emerge from the experience feeling wrung out and as though they have never thought so hard in their lives. And, while it’s thankfully less common than it used to be to encounter aggressive or self-satisfied dons, even the kindliest interviewers are still going to force you to think carefully.
How to Write a History Personal Statement for Oxbridge
What are Oxford and Cambridge looking for in candidates to read history? How should candidates prepare for the admissions process?It is critically important for applicants to realise that Oxbridge looks for potential in its candidates – not at current levels of achievement.
Engineering Super Curricular Activities
If you’re aiming for a place on a competitive Engineering course, strong grades alone are not always enough. Admissions tutors want to see that your interest in the subject goes beyond the curriculum. That’s where super-curricular activities come in. Whether you’re discussing ideas from a book or lecture that inspired you, testing your skills in a competition, or carrying out an independent project, these experiences demonstrate that you are passionate about studying Engineering.
How to get a Grade 9 in Religious Studies GCSE
Achieving a grade 9 in GCSE Religious Studies takes more than last-minute revision, it requires a clear grasp of the entire syllabus and a deep understanding of each topic. Too often, students drop marks by overlooking topics, misreading the mark scheme, or neglecting to use key quotes and terminology. In this guide, one of Keystone’s experienced tutors shares his top tips to help you build knowledge, sharpen exam technique, and secure a top grade in Religious Studies GCSE.
Theology and Religious Studies Super Curricular Activities
Theology is a potentially interdisciplinary subject with opportunities to learn more about the ideas, history, practices, sociology, literature and languages of belief. Its scope ranges well beyond what you cover on the A-Level Religious Studies syllabus.
Chemistry Super Curricular Activites
While chemistry is in large part a practical subject, there is much you can do to explore the subject matter further at home. The following recommendations allow you to deepen your understanding and follow a thread that might not be well covered in the A-Level syllabus. Supercurricular work will be helpful for you UCAS application, but that should not be the main motivation. It is more impressive when a student evidences genuine passion rather than merely goes through the motions of it.
Biology Super Curricular Activities
When it comes to applying to study biology at university, academic excellence is only part of the picture. With many highly qualified applicants competing for limited places, admissions tutors are looking for more than top grades — they want to see genuine enthusiasm, intellectual curiosity, and a sustained commitment to the subject. This is where super-curricular activities make all the difference.
