Keystone Tutors Blog
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A Guide to Starting Primary School
Starting primary school is a big step in your child’s life and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. This guide gives you a detailed overview on preparing your child for school, recommended reading lists plus some activities and ideas that may be helpful for supporting your child with the transition.
How to Get a 9 in GCSE English
Are you taking your GCSE English exam this summer and looking for advice on how to achieve a top grade? In this article Michael has compiled some useful insights, tips and guidance on how best to prepare for the GCSE English exam and his top tips for achieving a Grade 9.
How to Get a 9 in GCSE Maths
Are you taking your GCSE Maths exam this summer and looking for advice on how to achieve a top grade? In this article, Keystone Tutors have compiled some useful insights, tips and guidance on how best to prepare for the GCSE Maths exam, top tips for achieving a Grade 9 and some interesting findings from the examiners reports.
Webinar: How Do We Best Support School-aged Children with Their Mental Health?
Keystone's Homeschooling and Courses Manager, Poppy Dundas, was joined by Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, and our guest expert Clare de Lotbiniere, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, to discuss how we can support school-aged children with their mental health.
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.
11 Plus Creative Writing Guide
How to prepare for 11 Plus Creative WritingCreative writing at 11 Plus can be a really tricky skill to teach, and an even trickier one to learn. It can seem very vague and wishy washy: ‘more detail’, ‘more vibrant vocabulary’ etc. I often get the sense that students are not really sure why one paragraph may get lots of ticks, and another not so much.
UKiset Non Verbal Reasoning Questions
Non-verbal reasoning is a type of problem-solving centred on shapes, figures and patterns. It tests your ability to think logically and understand the relationships between patterns and numbers.
UKiset Verbal Reasoning Questions
There are three types of reasoning tested within the UKiset: Verbal Reasoning: language questions and problem solving with words Non-Verbal Reasoning: solving problems using shapes, pictures and logic Mathematical Reasoning: looking at number, value, quantity and sequence concepts.
How an Education Consultant Can Help
Common FAQs on Working with an Education Consultant The decision on where your child should go to school or university is a critical one, and can be exciting, complicated, and even a little overwhelming for any parent. It can be the culmination of years of your child’s hard work and careful planning, and can open up avenues for their education and career that enable them to flourish – or close them off.
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.
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.
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.
13 Plus Vocabulary List
Students taking the 13 Plus will be expected to use language effectively in all areas of the English exam, as well as in interviews.The exam will likely test candidates understanding of an unseen passage from a novel, play, poem or from another genre. At this level, students are assessed on their understanding of the text, as well as their analysis and evaluation of it.
8 Plus Vocabulary List
Vocabulary plays a crucial part in all aspects of communication; listening, speaking, reading and writing. Children taking the 8 Plus exam will need to have a good range of vocabulary to call on in interviews, and when completing the reading, writing and reasoning aspects of the entrance exams.This age group will be developing their use of logic and understanding of cause and effect.
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.
Relocating to the UK: A Guide to Applying to a UK School
Keystone works extensively with families looking to relocate to the UK from abroad or apply to a UK boarding school. Our Consultants use their in-depth knowledge of the British education system and entrance exams to help families all over the world find the right UK school for their child.
11 Plus Past Papers and Sample Tests
There are a great variety of resources and materials available online for Pre-Test and 11 plus assessments. The most reliable are from Galore Park, although some schools do offer sample papers or links to the types of assessment they use. Below we have compiled details of entry requirements and links to school specific 11 plus past papers for independent schools in London that are free to download.
Webinar: How to choose a Nursery School - Q & A with a nursery specialist
In this webinar Harriet, Keystone's Director of Education, and Sabine Hook, a specialist nursery consultant, discussed the following key questions: How do you decide what the best option is for your child? When should parents start thinking about nursery schools and when do they need to register? How do you start the search and What do you recommend looking for in a nursery? What questions should parents ask when visiting a nursery? Is the Ofsted report a good place to find out.
How to Choose an Oxbridge College?
Oxford has 39 colleges, Cambridge 31. You can leave it to chance and make an open application, but most people expect to direct their application to one of them. In some ways, it seems an unnecessary distraction. After all, no one presents Formula One drivers on the starting grid with a wine list expecting them to choose which champagne they want to be sprayed with on the podium.
Applying to UK Universities from Hong Kong
UK universities are incredibly popular with students from Hong Kong, and Keystone Tutors has extensive experience in helping these students to gain admission to their desired university. This invaluable guide covers key facts and tips about the application process, how to choose the right university and course, and the costs and fees involved.
What is the Difference Between IGCSE and GCSE?
What are GCSEs and IGCSEs? The General Certificate in Secondary Education or GCSE is a subject-based academic qualification taken by students in the UK at the end of their compulsory education in Year 11 (age 16). They are typically studied over a 2 or 3 year period, starting in either Year 9 or 10 depending on the subject, exam board or school and finish with a set of examinations at the end of the course.
The Importance of Super-Curricular Learning
Application to top UK universities is highly competitive. It is often not enough to simply have strong set of academic grades; admissions tutors will expect you to be able to communicate your enthusiasm and commitment to study your chosen subject at undergraduate level. This can be done most prominently in your personal statement, and also at interview, for those courses and institutions that do so.
Webinar: Applying to UK Universities
Keystone's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Blomefield, was joined by Ed Richardson, our Director of Education and Jenny McGowan, our Director in Asia to discuss the application process to universities in the UK. They also provided some top tips to aid the process.
Webinar: How Do We Best Support School-aged Children with Their Mental Health?
Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, was joined by guest experts Clare de Lotbiniere, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, and Robert Batt, CEO and Clinical Director of The Recovery Centre (TRC), a leading mental health support clinic in London, to discuss supporting school-aged children with their mental health. More Detail on our guest panellists: Clare has worked in state and private education sectors, working with both students and staff.
Where Did the UK’s Most Successful Under 40 Year Olds Study?
This report, by Keystone's Head of Education Consultancy, Harriet Blomefield, explores the educational backgrounds (undergraduate degrees and secondary schools) of 'successful' people under the age of 40. To support this research Keystone collated just under 1,000 young people (aged 40 or under) who have been noted for making a recognised impact in their fields of work: business, politics, the arts and so on.
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.
The Limitations of League Tables
In his recent Keystone blog, ‘How to Assess a School’s Academic Performance’, Felix Hamilton provided useful information for parents questioning which academic performance league-tables are the most trustworthy. He also made the point that schools cannot be judged on academic performance alone, a point that I would support wholeheartedly.
Applying to Study History at Oxford University
Keystone Tutor Tom read History at Christ Church College, Oxford, graduating in 2015. In the interview below Tom covers his inside experience of the application process, the best ways to prepare, and some insights into his work as a tutor helping students gain entry to some of the UK’s top academic institutions.
Applying to Study English at Cambridge University
Securing a place to study, or ‘read’ English at Cambridge University is a challenging task. Extremely able candidates from around the world compete for a limited number of places, and it is essential to prepare for this competitive process effectively. In the article below, Keystone Tutors provide an overview of the best approach to take, some top tips, and even an inside view on the application process from a tutor who read English at Cambridge.
