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

 I've been preparing students for UK studies for over twenty years. Based on my experience, I have put together a parents' workbook as you move towards school and university planning. Learn how to:  - identify your child's talents - fill in the gaps!  - develop interests - teach your child to communicate Above all. This preparation will help you to encourage your child to be confident, brave and resilient. 

Vygotsky developed his Zone of Proximal Development theories based on observing how groups of children learn. Children may have the raw ability to learn how to do something but they may not be able to achieve their potential without assistance from a knowledgeable person'who breaks down the task into steps which the child can master. We can call this 'scaffolding'.  Anyone who has ever studied painting or music will understand exactly what this process involves. Remember the Suzuki method? Think about the Zone of Proximal Development as having three steps:    1: Tasks which a learner CANNOT accomplish with assistance Sometimes, the task is too great for a learner. You as a parent need to step back and break the task down into small bites. Think about this; you wouldn't put a child on a racing bike for the first time and expect them to be a competant rider! Apply this to every area your child struggles with.    2: Tasks which a learner CAN accomplish with assistance.   W

  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. Even if a child is an Oscar-level actor, interviewers will quickly realise that they are parroting pre-rehearsed responses.  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.

 I am in the UK for the first time in three years! As I go around the schools, I am amazed at how quickly boarding life has resumed. It is wonderful to see students making the most of the sunshine. As we are in exam season, libraries and studies are packed and (according to one house parent) restorative cakes and toast are in high demand...  I have made a few quick videos to record my impressions of...  Cheltenham Ladies' College (CLC),  Cranleigh ... and Brighton College.  Winchester, Wycombe, Downe and Wellington to come! 

Interviewers love to ask students which books they are reading!  In this short video, you'll hear some of my top tips to tackle the question.   Click the image to get started.  

  Many of our students have mentioned that they have started to feel isolated over the last year so we have put together a group for them to start discussing their ideas. We have girls from all over the world joining our first forum in February. Together, they will discuss big topics and start to think of ways they can change their world, a step at a time.  Sometimes, we avoid action because our problems overwhelm us. By working together, our students will make a difference. 

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 using the lavato

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.

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.

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 where his s

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

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

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

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 team  at Ekhart Yog

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. Create a home-school timetable which is available to all members of the household. Build-in breaks, homework time and time for cultural and healthy activities. Lesson times need to be respected. This means... during lesson times, as much as p

Anyone remember the old rhyme? Latin is a dead tongue, As dead as dead can be. First it killed the Romans, Now its killing me! Anyone who struggled with "Kennedy's Shorter Latin Primer" might agree... so why study Latin? Clarity of thought  - Latin follows strict grammatical rules; no place for waffling here. Access to broader vocabulary - many English words have Latin roots. A link with the past - imagine the joy of being able to decipher that tricky Latin motto, even puzzle through the writing on Roman artefacts. We've been teaching Latin at Brandon over the summer and it has been fabulous to see how quickly our students make significant progress. And best of all... Latin never changes, learn it now you know it forever!

Fed up with the classroom? So are we... which is why our summer courses this year will take place in Ocean Park. Every year, British schools from Winchester to Wycombe try to see what motivates their candidates. Kids need experiences which will allow them to take risks, learn about their own strengths (and weaknesses) and taste the excitement of driving their own learning. I was the Academic Co-ordinator for the Duke TIP programme and watched how transformative experiential learning can be. Hence... the Brandon pop-up at Ocean Park. We're bringing in journalists, videographers and TV editors to teach experiential learning programmes. We'll use case studies, real-life examples and project work. We'll run around the Park, becoming journalists, documentary makers, entrepreneurs and even CEOs. We will be amazing! Communication is key; our students will present, interview and create TED style talks Never let it be said that we stand still. This will be a summer like

We had some wonderful news today: one of our Brandon boys has won an Eton College King's Scholarship award. This has been a particularly good year for our students who seem to be scooping up scholarships and exhibitions in a multitude of schools. The girls have won scholarships at: CLC, Wycombe and exhibitions at Benenden. The boys have aced: Eton, Radley, and Oundle. Brandon has been preparing students for scholarships for over 13 years now.  If you are considering the scholarship route for your son or daughter, the following will help: 1: Understand your child; are they a natural scholar? Some children thrive in academic competitions, others less so. Be honest! 2: Consider a reading list; most prep schools will have a decent list tucked away or the school library is a good place to start. Incorporate fiction, non-fiction and even (gasp) poetry! 3: Be aware of the requirements; do you need to do languages? Cover science? Humanities? What on earth is a General paper? 4: