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

School interviews? At any age, the idea of being grilled by a stranger can be daunting. And therein lies the problem; we need to adjust the way that we perceive interviews. An interview is a two way process. Your interviewer wants to find out more about you to see if you are suitable for their school or company. You want to present your skills in a way which is attractive and also want to find out whether the school or company is an environment in which you can thrive. Interviews are conversations: both sides need to take part! Planning ideas. Speak to friends who are currently studying at the school. They are the experts! 1: Think about what you really want to get out of the interview. Why do you want to join this school? 2: Think about what skills and talents the school is looking for 3: Think about what you have to offer 4: Ask yourself: what don't I know about this school? Some questions you will be able to research online or find answers through asking friends.

The nights are drawing in, Christmas decorations have been up in Hong Kong for a month now, families are gearing up for the trilogy of Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. This year, why now kill the television and entertain your family with good old fashioned poetry recitals? What makes a poem suitable for a performance? Use the following criteria and you won't go far wrong! 1: Does the poem have a strong story or message? 2: Is there scope for your dramatic range? 3: Do you like it? Is it suitable for your audience? 4: Does it end on a strong note? Casabianca by Felicia Hemans is a stirring ballad which has been enthralling audiences since it was published in the 1820's. The poem is instantly recognisable from the first stanza: The boy stood on the burning deck Whence all but he had fled; The flame that lit the battle's wreck Shone round him o'er the dead. The poem continues for for another ten stirring verses and inspired generations. Less st

As a child, I remember being terrified and thrilled in equal measure by Alan Garner's novels. Set on the edge of the Pennines, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen builds tension from the first line. Two children become enmeshed in a mysterious adventure incorporating local legends, devious residents and portents of doom. The book is rich with imagery and the language will delight. How about this for a simile: "...thin as a rasher of wind.." Fabulous! Radio 4 is currently running an excellent play based on The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and I throughly recommend it (although I have to admit that I was utterly petrified in parts.) For anyone interested in public speaking, Phillip Voss's diction is a delight to listen to. "> To listen to the BBC dramatisation Any 10+ year old will be challenged by this novel. After a diet of watery fiction, this book is a sumptuous feast. "> To see details of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen on Amazon