Brandon Learning Centre: British Education - process, preparation and practicalities

  Applying to British school application process can be a bit daunting. Why are scholarships known as Election at Winchester and King's Scholarships at Eton?  Wycombe Abbey use the ISEB Common Entrance and Oundle have their own papers, are they the same? Is the 13+ the same as common entrance?  To find the answer to these and other puzzles, join our seminar. Learn from our experience preparing students for UK schools since 2005 and help us to raise money for the needy elderly in Helping Hand care homes. 

Girls' schools tend to run group interview days for potential 11+ and 13+ candidates. The girls gather in groups and go through a series of activities together. Some schools, Wycombe Abbey, Downe House and CLC for example, also include online testing.   For the most part, the assessment days are a chance for girls to get to know each other. The length of the day gives the chance to different opportunities to shine and a girl who thrives during the debate may be inspired by another who shows herself to be a leader in the sports activities.  Our girls come back from their assessment days raving about Benenden's food or Downe House's muffin baking activities! This year though, all bets are off and all interviews are on Zoom!  If your daughter has a Zoom group interview coming up, don't panic. Firstly, schools know that this is going to be a very different experience and will be kind and patient. A good interviewer will make sure everyone is included. Talk to your daughter

'My daughter has a place at ___________ for September but we really can't decide whether to risk going. What should we do?'  Sound familiar?  There are no crystal balls here. Schools in the UK are doing everything they can to create safe spaces for the new term. These include one way systems, collecting students from the airport to avoid public transport, providing quarantine accommodation, creating emergency action plans.  If you are worried, you could consider a few steps:  1: Does your child have specific health problems which might make him or her vulnerable to infection?  2: If your child psychologically prepared for departure? Talk to them about any concerns including what might happen to family, who they should approach if they are worried at school and how they can protect themselves.  3: Speak to your school. Ask them about; how students will be kept in groups, boarding arrangements (including bathrooms!), whether students will be wearing masks, what medical servic

Even as adults, interviews are daunting so how do you help a young child to prepare for school interviews?  Here's a hint; avoid rote learning!  Here's another: join our online  charity webinar on the 15th August to learn about long term planning, ideas for online interviews, academic interviews and how to prepare for group interviews We'll be looking at ways of identifying your child's unique strengths and sharing tips to help them get the most from the interview experience. At the same time, we will be raising money for Hong Kong's needy elderly. Everyone wins! 

This is a video taken from our new pre-test practice tool . Hundreds of pre-test questions and tips for anyone who is sitting the ISEB, GL or UKISET tests.