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

  The biggest complaint I hear from UK school returnees is that that the food is a but ropey. Comment of the year from a student has to be 'the best food is their fish and chips and even that isn't very good'!   Face it, school food is never going to be the last word in gourmet but schools do go to great lengths to make sure it that the offerings are wide ranging and can cater to different tastes.   If you are getting constant complaints, rather than shipping over a year's supply of  公仔面, try these steps:  1: See for yourself -  ask to see daily menus. These may be accessible on the school portal or the House parent can send them over. Is there really nothing edible? There is generally fruit available in house and some houses also have mini-kitchens for older students.  2: Ask what your child is eating now. They might tell you and you will have clues based on your knowledge of what they eat and what is being served. If in doubt, speak to the ...

You get through the ISEB CPT, fly through the interviews... only to get a waiting list offer.  Don't despair!  A waiting list place is NOT a rejection. You are still in the picture. In a record year, five of my boys moved from reserve to general places at Winchester. This year, one of my boys moved from the Eton waiting list and one of my girls has just moved off the waiting list at Downe House to the delight of her parents.  Be patient: it is now May and another of my boys in Y8 has just moved off the Waiting List at Eton. Why do schools have waiting lists?  It is no secret that families apply to multiple schools. If a school makes 10 offers, they can assume that a proportion of the candidates will not accept, or may drop our later. Hence the waiting list.  Why do students move from the waiting list? Some students may have a couple of options to consider. Once they give up their places, the schools will go to the waiting list to fill the gaps.  Other plac...

Five ways to FAIL in your school interview   I have just finished reading Alice's adventures in Through the Looking Glass, so here is a tongue-in-cheek mirror-world version of my usual tips!    5: Have no idea about the school (including the name sometimes!) Seriously, this is really an issue, particularly when agencies have big fairs, generate a list of schools and then plonk the child in front of an interviewer. If you know you are going to a fair, spend time looking up the featured schools. After all, this is not a decision to be taken lightly. A bit of interest goes a long way; look at school websites and see what interests your child ahead of the interview.   4: Answer in monosyllables.  'What is your favourite subject?' 'maths' 'why?' 'I like it' 'Moving on... ' Monosyllabic answers kill a conversation. The aim of an interview is to share information about yourself and you can't do that without adding in a f...