Senior School Advisory

Keystone’s advisory team are experienced in providing school-specific support in preparation for school selection and entry from nursery up to 16 Plus.

We maintain positive and close relationships with senior schools both in London and across the UK to make sure that any school recommendations are based off our own knowledge of what different schools are able to offer.

Choosing the right senior school for your child can be an overwhelming task – should they start at 11 Plus or 13 Plus? Would they be better suited to co-educational learning or a single-sex school? Boarding or day, or would flexi work? Do they have the right extracurricular activities available, and can they support any learning difficulties? We are able to unpick all of these big questions and advise on what is going to be right for both your child, and your family as a whole.

The services we offer range from forward-planning well in advance of entry point, to last-minute Occasional Places. Our Schools Shortlisting service provides a sensible, evidence-led list of appropriate schools based off academic ability and the family’s specific requirements. Our full advisory service builds on this by managing the whole process and, where required, liaising with the school on a family’s behalf.

Senior School Consultancy – Key Services:

Initial consultation (in person or online) - Our initial consultations enable us to understand the specific needs of your family, your objectives and key senior school criteria. An initial consultation with a school specialist will either act as a starting point for our Shortlisting or Full Schools Advisory service or will be offered through our Hourly Consultancy service.

Assessments – Keystone's assessments, alongside reviewing school feedback and reports, are a useful tool in determining the schools children should be aiming at. We can provide an initial academic assessment as a standalone service or as part of a more comprehensive consultancy package. Our custom-made assessments indicate a child’s level in relation to their peers, and identify the areas to work on so as to reach their target schools.

Senior School Shortlisting Service - Following your initial consultations, your school specialist will assemble a shortlist of suitable senior schools that meet your requirements. This shortlist will outline recommended school options, will provide a background on each school and will give a clear sense of the next steps you need to take along with any other key information.

Full Senior School Advice - If you are looking for a specialist consultant to oversee your school search and subsequent applications then we can support this through our Full School Advisory service. Within this we will shortlist your senior school options, and following discussion and confirmation of your preferred schools, we will complete registrations, arrange school visits, and undertake any other necessary clerical work.

Ongoing support - For families looking to source the right senior school for their child, and then to look further ahead to UK university entry, we can provide a clear educational timeline and strategy alongside specialist Oxbridge support (where required).

Ad Hoc Advice (Hourly Consultancy) - If you are looking for an unbiased perspective on schools, or for an experienced education consultant who can give some insight into a specific topic (such as day versus boarding; single sex versus co-ed; IB versus A level), we are able to help on an hourly basis. Before a consultation we will collect relevant information, and if applicable, you will receive a summary email with further recommendations following the meeting.

Senior School Mock Interview training for the 11 Plus, 13 Plus Common Entrance and 16 Plus

Our mock interviews give students the opportunity to undertake an interview in unfamiliar surroundings with someone they have not met before. In this sense it more closely replicates the actual interview experience than having a session with a teacher or parent that they know well. Interviews take place at Keystone’s offices.

Mock Interview Format

The interview will last for around 30 minutes and will include questions relating to both the child’s character and academic ability. The emphasis of the interview will be tailored to the student’s target schools, based off feedback Keystone has received from previous students as to each school’s interview format. Following the interview the parents and students will be given verbal feedback on strengths and weaknesses.

Assessments

Keystone has built up extensive knowledge of the assessment requirements for the UK’s most competitive entrance exams, including 11 Plus, 13 Plus and 16 Plus entry.

Students sit our custom-made academic assessments to indicate their level in relation to their peers, and in order to identify suggested areas to work on. Parents also seek academic assessments for their children to determine their general strengths and weaknesses, and decide upon a set of objectives for the course of tuition. Assessments are used to identify a suitable tutor that will suit a child’s learning style, personality and academic aims.

A typical assessment lasts for two hours in which the child will be asked to complete a set of tasks used to determine his or her current abilities and academic potential. A written report will then be provided with the results from the assessment and a plan of action for the period of tuition. Students usually come into our office for the assessment but it can also be done remotely.

To book a free initial school consultation complete our online enquiry form.