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

  Your child is unlike any other. They have insights, ideas and interests which are unique to them.  School interviews are a time when this should shine forth!  The worst advice I hear is that students should memorise answers for interviews. The best interview is a conversation and the opposite is listening to a child parroting back someone else's answers to you.  There used to be a teacher in Shenzhen who made all his/her students memorise a series of answers to standard questions. My absolute favourite was the response to a question about books which started "My favourite book is Oliver Twist by Mr Charles Dickens. It is a gripping tale of nineteenth century London life...". After I had heard this from the third child, I found that I could recite along with the interviewee...  Encourage your child to discuss their ideas and thoughts with you. You'll be amazed by the way they see the world. As will interviewers at the right-fit schools.  Interested to know...

Many selective schools are now using group interviews as part of their selection process. The theory is simple: look at students in relation to each other; do they interact? Do they support each other? Do they stay with students from their own schools or countries? The group interview is a way of predicting how your year group will behave. There are a few favoured styles for group interviews: - the debate or discussion - a teacher uses an article or a few ideas in order to prompt a discussion. This is a feature of the Wycombe Abbey interview - a sports activity - students are expected to follow instructions. Downe House sees how the girls work as a team by using sport. - a science lesson - Tonbridge see how boys follow guidance, work as a team and use their intellect to engage with experiments - a treasure hunt - great fun at Benenden. and my personal favourite... baking at Downe House! As we all know from Gordon Ramsey- a team which works together in the kitchen is always a...