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What is IB ToK?

Theory of Knowledge (ToK) is one of the core components of the IB Diploma Programme. It is mandatory for all students and the ToK requirement is central to the educational philosophy of the IB Diploma.

The ToK course provides an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on “how we know” what we claim to know. Students will be required to think deeply and philosophically about what knowledge actually is; where it comes from, what it is constituted of, and the role of bias in shaping our views and beliefs.

How hard is it to get a 9 in GCSE French?

French continues to be the most popular modern language subject at GCSE, with 126,185 provisional entries in 2022, but it saw a fall in the top grades: 31.4 per cent achieved a grade 7/A or above compared with 32.9 per cent in 2021 and 23.7 per cent in 2019. The pass rate fell by 5 percentage points to 78.1 per cent compared with 83.1 per cent in 2021 and 69.7 per cent in 2019. Almost 12,500 students received the top grade of a 9 in French this year, representing the top 10.3% of overall entries. The plurality of students (almost 33,000) received a grade 5, just over 27.2% of the total. Interestingly, this is a slight decline on 2021 figures, where 9.3% of overall candidates received a 9 in GCSE French, when grades were teacher assessed due to the pandemic.

The number of students receiving top grades should only really be reviewed if you’re a bit of a polymath! Understanding these statistics will be of little practical use. While you’re technically competing with over a hundred thousand other candidates, you’re really competing with the exam paper or examiner (in the speaking exam) as to how well you can answer the question and demonstrate what they want to see. The next few sections will go into detail about how best to revise for your French GCSE, prioritising revision tips as you head into exams. 

How hard is it to get a 9 in GCSE Physics? 

Physics is quite often considered the most daunting Science for GCSE pupils, since concepts are challenging and there is a high mathematical element. But do not be perturbed! We will look closely at what is required to get top grades below, and hopefully shed some light on any concerns. On average, AQA award grade 9 to candidates scoring 70% and Edexcel to those achieving 75%. These grade boundaries vary annually. 

Roughly 12-17% of pupils are awarded a 9 in GCSE Physics each year, according to Ofqual. This percentage seems to be increasing each year, although results awarded during COVID may have skewed this data.  

How hard is it to get a 9 in GCSE History?

The grade boundaries for a 9 in History vary year on year, as well as between boards and papers, however, the 2022 exams indicate that a mark of around 75 per cent or higher will receive a 9 in the History GCSE.  

Should I take Maths for A Level? 

Mathematics has been the most popular A Level choice for some time now. This is due to Maths being a highly applicable subject in a range of professions, and is often a requirement for some university degrees. While it is a popular choice, it is also a challenging subject that will require a lot of work to get top marks. 

After completing GCSEs, students will have to make the important decision of choosing which subjects they will continue to study for the next two years. Most people do only 3 or 4 subjects for A Level, so choosing subjects that you are eager to study in depth is vital, as you will spend a lot more time with each of these subjects. With this in mind, students should consider whether Maths is the right choice for them from the perspective of ability and interest. 

Many schools will only let students take A Level Maths if they achieved a 6 or higher in their GCSE Maths exam, though this may vary at different institutions. If you are on track for a 7,8, or 9 at GCSE, then A Level Maths will likely be within your ability.  

Finally, students that are aiming for a certain degree should confirm whether Maths is a required or suggested subject for their course. Potential Maths or Physics students should certainly be taking Maths (and often Further Maths) at A Level, but many other STEM subjects also ask for a strong grade in Maths. For example, courses in Medicine, Psychology, and Computer Science may require students to take Maths or a similar subject for A Level. 

Non-verbal reasoning tests are used to assess how children process visual information and implement visual logic. They are sat for the entrance tests at all levels for a large number of schools in the UK, as well as being a part of the ISEB pre-test and UKiset.  

What is an EPQ? 

An Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a standalone A-Level qualification designed to extend students beyond the A-Level specification and prepare them for university and beyond. It is worth half of an A-Level (28 UCAS points for an A*) and is recognised for university applications. 

There are four main types of EPQ: 

1. Write a dissertation - A 5000 word essay on the student’s chosen topic 
2. Carry out an investigation - Conduct research on a testable hypothesis 
3. Give a performance -  Putting together an artistic production such as a play or a musical 
4. Create an artefact - Students create a product such as a piece of artwork or a phone app 

Alternatives to a 5000 word dissertation must include a 1000 word report detailing the creation process. 

Finally, students will have to give a 10-15 minute presentation on their project which will include a Q&A session. 

Which is ‘best’, Oxford or Cambridge University?  

It should be clear that the ‘best’ of these two historic institutions is going to be the one which has the most to offer you. This decision should be based on careful and thorough research. Knowing exactly why you want to go to Oxford over Cambridge won’t just help improve your application, it will be the reason behind it, as you cannot apply for both.

Keystone Founder, Will Orr-Ewing was quoted in today's Telegraph article on rate of admissions for independent school pupils to Oxbridge. 

Read the full article here. 

Are you taking your GCSE Biology exam this summer and looking for guidance on how to achieve a top grade?

In this article, Keystone Tutors have compiled the best advice for acing the GCSE Biology exam, including how best to prepare, top tips for achieving a Grade 9, and key findings from examiner reports.

Deciding whether to study Double Award (Combined Science) or Triple Award GCSE Science can be a difficult decision and one which might influence future A Level and degree choices.

In this article we discuss the differences between Double Award and Triple Award Science, the pros and cons of each and how to decide between these two GCSE qualifications.

What is STEP Maths? 

STEP stands for Sixth Term Examination Paper and is a collection of three exams (STEP 1, 2 and 3) which traditionally are used in conditional offers by Cambridge to determine if you get accepted for Maths or Maths-related degrees. Other universities, like Warwick and Imperial, use STEP in some of their Maths offers. You sit these papers in the Summer alongside your other exams like A-Levels, IB and Pre-U. The grades you can get in STEP, from best to worst, are S, 1, 2, 3, U. 

STEP 1 has been discontinued as of 2021 and so only STEP 2 and 3 remain. In the past, if you studied only Maths but not Further Maths, you would have to sit STEP 1 for Cambridge, while if you sat Maths and Further Maths (which was the case for the vast majority of candidates) you would sit STEP 2 and 3. Now Cambridge requires that any Maths candidates study both Maths and Further Maths and so there is no need for STEP 1. However, the past STEP 1 papers can be very useful for revision, especially early on, as they are essentially easier versions of STEP 2, and so can be used as a stepping-stone. 

Starting primary school is a big step in your child’s life and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. This guide gives you a detailed overview on preparing your child for school, recommended reading lists plus some activities and ideas that may be helpful for supporting your child with the transition.

Keystone's founder Will Orr-Ewing was quoted in today's Times article on the impact of Russian sanctions on UK independent education.

Read the full article here.

Are you taking your GCSE Maths exam this summer and looking for advice on how to achieve a top grade?  In this article, Keystone Tutors have compiled some useful insights, tips and guidance on how best to prepare for the GCSE Maths exam, top tips for achieving a Grade 9 and some interesting findings from the examiners reports.

Non-verbal reasoning is a type of problem-solving centred on shapes, figures and patterns. It tests your ability to think logically and understand the relationships between patterns and numbers.

There are three types of reasoning tested within the UKiset:

• Verbal Reasoning: language questions and problem solving with words 
• Non-Verbal Reasoning: solving problems using shapes, pictures and logic 
• Mathematical Reasoning: looking at number, value, quantity and sequence concepts. 

Because the test is adaptive, the level of difficulty of each question will correspond to the accuracy of responses – the more questions a student answers correctly, the more challenging the questions are likely to become. So if a candidate finds the test particularly tough as it progresses, it is not necessarily a bad thing! 

Students taking the 13 Plus will be expected to use language effectively in all areas of the English exam, as well as in interviews. For a complete overview of the assessment, see our Guide to the 13 Plus Common Entrance Exams, which outlines formats, key subjects, and preparation strategies.

The exam will likely test candidates understanding of an unseen passage from a novel, play, poem or from another genre. At this level, students are assessed on their understanding of the text, as well as their analysis and evaluation of it. They may need to provide character analysis and give and justify their opinion; a broad vocabulary will help students’ to express their ideas clearly in their written responses. Our 13 Plus English Preparation Guide covers the comprehension, analysis, and essay-writing skills examiners look for.