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

The latest how-to video from the PreQuest team!

  If your child has just taken the ISEB Pre-test as part of their Eton, Winchester, Tonbridge, Charterhouse, Wellington, Cranleigh, St Paul's (continue ad infinitum, see the list here! ) then you may well be surrounded by a fog of panic and misinformation. So here we go, the top myths...  1: There is a pass mark of X... No... there really isn't. Schools use the Pre-Test as part of their application process in conjunction with school reports, references and additional information. Most schools will apply a range to the results they receive from their cohort which may be broader or narrower depending on their intake.  As a rule of thumb: a school with fast-paced teaching and highly academic focus (such as St Paul's), will take the top end of their cohort. A school with excellent support and a broader intake (e.g. Stowe), will use a wider measure.  2: So and so scored 100%... The scores of the test are not released by schools...  3: So and so took the test twice......

Based in Asia? Is your daughter trying Wycombe 11+ entry? Usually, you would be planning at trip to the UK but not this year! Here is what to expect in 2020.  1: An individual and group interview Individual interviews are a chance for your daughter to really show where her interests lie. Is she a musician? Be excited about that. A scientist? What has she been trying recently? An artist? What is she working on.  The group interview is where your daughter will be able to demonstrate her critical thinking skills. As a member of a group, she will need to join in, be active and engage with others. At Brandon, we hold regular debates because many of our students need a bit of encouragement in order to speak up.  2: An online CAT4 test Your daughter will have an online assessment which will test her on:  verbal non-verbal spatial  quantitative reasoning The test is designed to assess aptitude but familiarity with verbal and non-verbal reasoning is helpful. So how do yo...

If you aren't familiar with the Australian children's writer Mem Fox, you are really missing out. Her stories centre on kindness, something that we could all do with more of in these fraught times.  In my absolute favourite  Wombat Divine, wombat is excluded from the nativity because he falls asleep, walks too slowly or can't keep up. In Whoever you Are, we also explore difference but with humans rather than animals. The book describes the ways in which people may look different but still experience the same pain. I strongly recommend it for anyone with children between 3 - 6. Thought provoking and lovely. A perfect starting off point for discussing inclusion with your family. If you don't want to read yourself, the link above also leads to an audio book!

Dreaming of Oxbridge? If you are applying to UK universities, you might want to consider the following: ORGANISATION 1: Oxbridge applications need to be in by October 15th 2: Check your course requirements; do you need to do extra exams e.g. the TSA? If so, your school will need to register you. If you can't get back to school, you can register with the British Council and take the various tests as an external candidate.  UCAS 1: You can apply for up to five universities (including either Oxford or Cambridge)  2: You get one personal statement. In theory, you could apply for five different subjects but writing your statement is going to be a challenge! THE STATEMENT 1: You get 4000 characters to play with. 2: The statement needs to cover a few areas: why you have chosen your course, how you have developed your academic interests (including reading), how your school work or experience has contributed to your interest in your course. 3: You can add in a few lines about your non-...

  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 daught...

'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, wh...

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. 

These videos are part of Badminton's virtual open day offerings. The school has taken a usual visit schedule and broken it into a series of videos. Again, not a replacement for a school visit but a good overview of a school in which a number of my past students have thrived. 

  This year, only one Hong Kong-based boy was chosen to join College, the prestigious scholars’ house at Winches ter College. He is Brandon and DBS student, Zachary. Only one Hong Kong-based boy was awarded an Exhibition, recognising academic excellence. He is a Brandon and GSIS student, Victor. Both boys are part of our selective Elite Scholars programme which trains our students to excel through lessons in critical thinking, writing, English, science, humanities, maths and even Latin. Our results speak for themselves. We have an incredible seven boys joining Winchester College Commoner houses in September and are very proud of all our boys and their teachers.  Congratulations to all our new Wykhamists!

For years now, we have been working on ways to help Brandon students excel in the ISEB Pre-test and UKISET. Now we are sharing our secret weapon! Pre-Quest is our new platform which provides hundreds of adaptive questions written by our teachers for each section of the ISEB Pre-test: English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.  Each section is divided into units and each unit into different levels. Work your way through the levels using our tips and checking your answers as you go. Once you have finished, you can mix all the levels in a practice test. Not sure of your result? Try again and the questions will be different.  We have three stages - pre-test, pre-test plus and extension and all are provided in subscriptions which start at US$90 per month.  Conquer your pretest with Pre-Quest!  Watch our videos for overviews:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkKEw52lyyg - Overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQoW8girr1o - Non-verbal reasoning https://ww...

The good news (for parents) is that Hong Kong schools are resuming for many primary and secondary students at the end of the month...  the bad news (for students) is that the timing is perfect for end of term exams!  Our children have been out of school for most of the year, so how do you manage the transition process?  Firstly, thinking about starting to enforce wake-up and sleep times. Many of my students have got used to a bit of a lie-in... there is a fascinating (academic) article on the effects of sleep on the teenage brain which was published in the Neuroscience & Behavioural Review if you are interested in something with which to back up your claim that 'sleep is good for you'!  It sounds basic but do school uniforms still fit? Do schoolbags still have the requisite bits of kit and are books assembled? In our Brave New World, think about packing hand sanitiser, masks and alcohol wipes. Answer practical questions (if you can) including how to handle ...

I am deeply impressed by the way in which schools are responding to our new world. Switching to on-line teaching is not an easy transition (try teaching an online class of students under the age of ten if you don't believe me!) but teachers are doing an amazing job of supporting their students.  I have a deep admiration for anyone who is trying to juggle homeschooling and working from home. One new development is the introduction of 'virtual open days' which allows parents to visit the school online, hear from the Heads and have interviews with admissions people. Of course, this is no substitute for seeing a school in action but it is better than nothing! Have a look at Cheltenham Ladies' video and join their open day : For anyone interested in a modern Catholic education, Downside is also doing a virtual open day on the 15th and 16th of May. Wycombe Abbey will be running a virtual Open Day on the 6th June; all the insight with none of the jetlag!

These wonderful museums can now be explored from home!  No crowds, no queues, nobody in front of you with a selfie-stick... just you and the treasures of the world.

I have two online Sunday school classes. Many of us have never met in person but we get together every week and share prayers and hopes. Thank you to all my students all for being so joyous and positive. We have a wonderful day of celebration ahead of us as Jesus is resurrected and hope return to our lives. Seeing you online each week is a real blessing.

As we expected, boys who are holding conditional offers for Radley are no longer expected to sit the Common Entrance exam in June. If your son is at a prep school, he may be asked to sit the exam as a way of gauging progress. If you are overseas or at a school which does not prepare for CE, I would suggest you complete the ISEB syllabus because it gives a brilliant grounding for Y9. Without the pressure of exams, you might want to try: Identifying smaller, more challenging topics which you might have rushed and really nail them. or Finding an area your child really loves (tectonic plates? algebra? autobiographies) and link this interest to a home project (research, interview, create!) If you are stuck for ideas, do please contact me and I will see what I can think of. Above all: don't worry about missing out, all new Radleians will be examined in September or October for setting purposes.

Amazing theatre, dance and opera in your sitting room. Culture was never so accessible... The National Theatre is sharing a fantastic season with us. If you are just joining them, start with their production of Jane Eyre  ... and maybe donate if you can? The Bolshoi Theatre has sumptuous productions which are glorious to watch. Join them tonight for the premiere of Boris Godunov New York's Metropolitan Opera is offering a nightly free concert. last week, they had the fantastic Siegfried and this week, a stunning stream of Aida. The sets alone are worth tuning in for. For anyone who has ever been lucky enough to see a play at Shakespeare's Globe , you will know the feeling of being transported back in time. Experience Shakespeare's plays as he saw them. This is a perfect way to introduce your children to the arts, without having to worry about them kicking the seat in front of them or asking loudly why the strange lady on the stage is shouting so much!

If your son is holding a conditional 2020 offer for Winchester College, his place is guaranteed and is no longer dependent upon his passing the Commoner exams. So, will the exams take place?  There is not a straight yes or no answer to this question. As with the 13+, the Winchester Commoner exams will be issued for 2020 boys. They will be sent to prep schools as normal. However, we are not in a normal world, so.... schools can use the papers 'at their discretion' and return them to the College for marking.  In September, after their arrival at Wincoll, all the JP (Y9) boys will take setting exams.  So has all your son's work been wasted? Absolutely not. The Commoner exams are designed to test a skill set which is absolutely necessary for boys to thrive at the College.  My suggestion? Relax a bit but work as though your son will be sitting the exams but, rather than panicking about passing, think about the skills he is acquiring and work out wher...

13+ and 11+ Common Entrance exams are designed by the Independent Schools' Examination Board. Students sit the exams in their prep schools (or at Branodn for Hong Kong students), and the scripts are sent to individual senion schools for marking. The decision about whether 13+ exams will be issued is made by the ISEB. So far, the ISEB has indicated that they will be producing the summer 2020 papers. With UK schools closed though, the bigger question is where our students will be taking their exams! Individual senior schools may decide that they do not require their 2020 candidates to sit the exams, or may opt for home 'open book' testing. If this is the case, they will contact parents individually and through their schools. Most girls' schools sit the 13+ or 11+ exams in January, with boys' and mixed schools normally opting for the June dates. Eton has made all 2020 offers now unconditional but their boys can choose to sit the exam where p...

Brandon has been online for a while now! Here are some tips for teachers who are about to start sharing the online experience. Above all, don’t feel isolated, we are all in the same boat.  We use Zoom, Kahoots, Google Docs Pre-Quest (our own platform) and a whole range of other products to try to get the most out of our lessons. Be interactive – we found that just trying to teach in the same way didn’t really work so we have incorporated annotation, interactive whiteboard hangman as a warm-up, Kahoots and masses of quizzes into our lessons. We tried some of the fun gadgets (wishful thinking tropical backgrounds!) but the novelty factor wore off very quickly. Get physical – ask students to move for a few minutes during longer lessons. We have a series of go-to stretches for when classes start dozing off! Try new activities – we tried to think about how we could use technology to help some of our less confident students. As part of their interview skills class,...

Where the River runs Gold by Sita Brahmachari is a fantastic read... the first chapter didn't grab me but, oh my goodness, the second did. Humans have destroyed the natural world and climate disasters have done the rest, leaving food shortages and searing temperatures  Society is fragmented, with the fortunate few living a disposable lifestyle and the remainder working to indulge them... Does this sound familiar? Shifa, the heroine, and her brother Themba are sent to a 'pollination camp' where children slave in polytunnels, replacing extinct bees (if you think this could never happen, read this:   The vanishing bee explained . Relationships, bullying and loss are all examined as the action moves at breakneck speed. An uplifting and challenging book. If your child: Wants to be challenged Was a fan of Louis Sacher's 'Holes' Enjoys dystopian fiction Cares about climate change I highly recommend this book to them. Buy it at an independent books...

Beginning in the run-up to the First World War, The Skylarks' War by Hilary McKay is an incredible (and very moving) read. Winner of the 2018  Costa Children's Book Awards, the story is a worthy addition to the canon of children's books set during WWII and WWI which includes Carrie's War, the Silver Sword, Goodnight Mister Tom and Charlotte Sometimes. I particularly like the way that McKay explores gender stereotypes (the heroine, Clarry, is always battling against the 'girls don't do that' sentiment of the times)  and the gaps between public behaviour and private fears. You engage with the characters almost immediately. Their behaviour is never cliched and you find yourself warming to people you expected to loathe. Look out for lots of plot twists and some deeply emotional moments) I strongly recommend this to our students! Read more about the book here

Our churches are closed and not being able to attend mass is awful, a feeling that I know is shared by many of my friends.  Here are ideas for online resources which will help make Lent brighter for you:  Superb videos for Bible studies The Apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter have an incredible link to four churches so you can pray the mass from home.  Latin mass online! Includes a link to the missal so you can follow the service We pray for strength during this time. 

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:34)

How can you set up a successful online 'classroom' at home? Try these... Before you do anything; create a big timetable so everyone in the house can see when lessons are taking place. Set up your workspace... 1: Humans love to fiddle... dig out an old stress ball or something your child can play with as they listen. Go for something soft... avoid fidgetspinners or other noise-making gadgets which will be picked up by the microphone. 2: Try to set up the workstation so it doesn't need adjusting. If you are using an Ipad, get a stand. Why? This removes the need to constantly move the screen. Set up the chair and desk so that the monitor is at a comfortable height and distance. 3: Use headphones if you can but be aware that the microphone can pick up surround sounds so show your child how to use the 'mute' option. 4: Look what is behind your child; there may personal items, doorways into bathrooms, a passageway with constant traffic. Rig up a screen i...

Anna's animal magazine includes articles, illustrations and even a competition! We love projects! Managing your own learning; carrying out research; deciding how to present findings; every step of the way takes students further on the road to becoming independent learners. Take advantage of the school shut-down and work on a  project at home. Start with a big question: 'why does ... , 'what happens when...', 'could we...'  or 'how could we solve or improve....' Brainstorm ideas and try to narrow down the research topic; be targeted but wide enough to be interesting! It could cover design, sport, art, dance, drama, history, science, maths, the Greek myths, dinosaurs, cars... anything your child finds of interest. Once you have a question, work together to develop a research plan. Use books, online resources, observation, family archives... What form will the end product make? The report can be written, illustrated, created using software...

 How many parents look back and wish they had spent more time with their children? Now you can! Take advantage and work on a family project together. How about... - A family history book - children interview parents, family members and grandparents and create a book of family memories. Suggest a few key areas; family traditions, recipes, houses, holidays, stories which have been passed on. The results can be handwritten, printed, or even stored on index cards to share at family gatherings. - A family portrait. Can't draw? Try a collage. - A family tree - challenge yourselves to see how many generations back you can go. You could add in world events to give context. Some families move around a lot and you could incorporate key events in new countries.  - A family map. Draw or print a world map and chart the movement of your family.  A thought: we are all under immense stress; be kind, patient, and this too will pass. Be calm... we may not be able to change e...

With our children confined to the house and a swirling cloud of panic surrounding us, how can we avoid the build-up of stress? Our children rely on school and social activities to provide them with structure and meaning. Take those away and we are rudderless. This is where mindfulness and yoga come in. UK charity Childline has collated a number of resources for those looking for calm  The Childline 'Calm Zone'  includes a whole range of different techniques to try including breathing exercises and a hilarious relaxing games section (sounds like an oxymoron but they do really work!) There is also a  brilliant Youtube channel called Cosmic Kids which combines yoga and animation (bear with me, it does seem to work!) and would be the perfect break for younger children. Cosmickids Youtube Channel For parents, have a look at the thoughtful and engaging classes offered by Chaz Rough at  Yogamazing  and the incredible range offered by Esther Ekhart and her tea...

All our schools are closed and suddenly sitting rooms have become school rooms! At Brandon, we have been teaching online for more than five years now and have a decent idea of how you can make the transition to home schooling painless. Try the following checklist Set up your school area;   you will need: ·         a desk with a clear working space (a kitchen table will do if a desk is not available but, if possible, it should be dedicated to studying during 'school time'); ·         a comfortable chair at the correct height for the desk; ·         good lighting; ·         a stable internet connection; ·         a computer, possibly with a camera for online lessons; ·         stationery; ·         a printer. Creat...