Our blog
Our latest education related articles
Sign up to our newsletter to be kept up to date about our latest news and offerings.
Webinar Recording: Personal Statement Masterclass
Jenny McGowan (Director, Asia) hosted a Personal Statement Masterclass aimed at Year 12 students planning to write their personal statement over the summer. In the webinar, Jenny explains the three new questions, discusses what students should include in each section, and shares practical examples and expert advice. She also highlights key steps students can take over the summer to develop a strong first draft before returning to school in September.
Written by Keystone Tutors
Building a home reading routine – recommendations for parents
Reading at home helps young people to broaden their vocabulary, build their comprehension and attain language fluency. But for all its educational benefits, building a lifelong relationship with reading means making it a pleasure, not a chore. You don’t need to spend hours sitting down together over a book to build your child’s reading habits. The most effective way to integrate reading into your child’s homelife is to work out the best times to fit reading into your family’s life, choosing engaging books, and build your child’s motivation to read independently. What works for a child looks different for a teenager, so here’s how to build a home reading routine at every stage in their development.
Written by Anna
Webinar Recording: How to Help your child succeed at school
Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, hosted a practical session that blended educational research on effective parenting with his own insights as a teacher, tutor and educational researcher. Ed shared straightforward, achievable strategies parents could use to support their children’s success in school. These tips are designed to work in real life, helping parents boost their child’s learning, confidence and motivation.
Written by Keystone Tutors
Webinar Recording: The 7+ & 8+
In this webinar, Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by one of Keystone’s most experienced Professional Tutors, Steph Kitson-Smith, to discuss 7+ and 8+ entry processes and considerations. Ed and Steph covered all key aspects of the 7+ and 8+ entry process, from registration timelines to assessments and interview formats. They also advised on how and when to start preparing for assessments and interviews, and how to finalise a shortlist of schools.
Written by Keystone Tutors
Supporting homework without doing it for your child
Homework is essential in reinforcing student’s learning and teaching them study skills. It’s natural to want to help your child with their homework and to want them to do it well, even to do it perfectly. But the question of how to help can be tricky. Curriculums are updated all the time. You may not have studied the same topics or subjects. Luckily, you don’t need to be the expert – or even have the right answers. The most impactful way you can support your child is not to show them exactly how to do their homework, but rather to encourage them to learn how to tackle it themselves. This allows them to become confident in dealing with unfamiliar questions, resolving difficulties and finding solutions – skills essential for adult life. The best way to help your child to learn how to learn depends on their age as children need structure whilst teenagers require more independence. Here are five ways to make your support count at every stage.
Written by Anna
Primary Maths Development: Recommendations for Parents
Building a strong foundation in maths during the primary years can help children develop confidence, curiosity and a lasting enjoyment of the subject. In this guide, Samantha, a former Deputy Headteacher, shares practical advice and activities to help children develop their mathematical understanding, from Reception through to Year 6, and build the skills they need for future learning.
Written by Samantha
A Level Chemistry Super-Curricular Learning
Studying Chemistry opens the door to a fascinating world of discoveries, from developing new medicines and sustainable materials to analysing forensic evidence and understanding the chemistry behind climate change and pollution. Yet some of the most exciting learning happens beyond the classroom.
Written by Emmelianna
Webinar Recording: Exam Success Starts at Home: Proven Study, Revision and Exam Strategies
This webinar is designed for both parents and students preparing for I/GCSE, A Level and IB exams.
Written by Keystone Tutors
How to build a love of reading in primary-age children
A book is the most powerful tool that a parent can give a child - it is a weapon of imagination that can lead children on a path of discovery and success. A love of reading is vital in shaping how children and young people learn, feel, and engage with and understand the world around them. Digital tools and screens are a useful supplement for reading progress, but books remain the “gold standard” for primary-age children.
Written by Samantha
Primary Spelling and Phonics Development
A practical guide for parents of primary-aged children
Every child develops phonics and spelling abilities at a different pace. This guide will give you simple ideas to support your child with their learning.
Written by Francine
Upcoming Webinar: A Level vs IB (Inc. GCSE vs. IGCSE)
Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, and Director of Asia, Jenny McGowan, will discuss the similarities and differences between IGCSEs and GCSEs as well as A Levels and the IB.
They will cover:
- The similarities and differences between IGCSEs and GCSEs
- How A Levels compare with the IB qualifications
- Considerations when choosing the subjects at each level
- Consequences of subject choices for university entrance
Register here
Written by Keystone Tutors
Explore our Upcoming Webinars
View details of our upcoming webinars. Do join us live to ask any questions you might have or register to receive a recording after the event.
How to Help Your Child Improve Their Writing
A practical guide for parents of primary-aged children
Every child develops writing skills at a different pace. Some children have wonderful ideas but struggle to organise them; others write accurately but need encouragement to develop their vocabulary or imagination. Small, consistent habits can make a significant difference to a child's writing development. Whether your child is preparing for a 7+, 8+ or 11+ school entrance exam or simply wants to become a more confident writer, the following strategies can help you support them at home.
Written by Jessica
A Complete Guide to Cambridge University Interviews
Interviewing for a Place to Study at Cambridge University
Cambridge University, founded over 800 years ago, supposedly by scholars fleeing from irate townsfolk in Oxford, is one of the world's greatest universities and a historic seat of learning. Graced by the stunning architecture of its colleges, and filled with keen minds from around the world, Cambridge is an amazing place to study your chosen subject.
Securing a place at one of the University's 31 historic colleges is no easy feat, and the Cambridge admissions interview is often the subject of a great deal of nervousness. We hope the answers below to many of the most frequently asked questions about these interviews will help you with making a successful application!
Written by Keystone Tutors
Children's Writing Competition 2026
We were excited to announce the return of our Creative Writing Competition this summer 2026. We ran two competitions, so there was an opportunity for every age group to take part.
- Junior Competition — for writers aged 5–13 (Years 1–8)
- Senior Competition — for writers aged 14–18 (Years 9–13)
This was a brilliant opportunity for students to build imagination, sharpen writing skills, and gain creative confidence over the summer.
See below for this year's winning entries!
____________________________________________________________________
Written by Keystone Tutors
How to Help your Child with Mental Maths
A practical guide for parents of primary-aged children
If your child is heading towards 7+ or 8+ assessments, or you simply want them to feel confident with numbers, mental maths is the place to start. It's built through short, regular practice rather than long sessions, and much of it can happen through games, shopping trips and conversation. Below you'll find a simple ten-minute routine, guidance on what to focus on from Reception to Year 6, and practical mental maths games for primary children to try at home.
Written by Jenny
A Guide to the TARA (Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions)
What is the TARA?
TARA stands for Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions. It is a computer-based admissions test delievered by UAT-UK and is used by select UK universities (including UCL and Oxford) as part of their admissions process for certain courses (a full list is provided below).
UCL began using the TARA in 2025 for candidates applying for 2026-entry (primarily for Computer Science, Management Science and Social Sciences). Oxford University will be using the TARA this year for 2027-entry onwards. This means that Oxford will no longer use the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment) as part of its admissions process.
This represents a significant change for Oxford (it has used the TSA since 2008 as a key part of its admissions process). However, the good news for students is that the TARA is very similar to the TSA, so students can continue to take advantage of the wealth of TSA past paper questions available online while the TARA continues to be developed.
Written by Callum
A Guide to Charterhouse Admissions
Founded in 1611, Charterhouse is one of the great historic public schools of England. With four centuries of history behind it, the school is committed to being at the forefront of educational progress in the twenty-first century. Located in Godalming, Surrey, the school became fully co-educational in September 2021 and now welcomes pupils from 13 to 18. Charterhouse offers a broad education combining academic ambition with extensive opportunities in sport, music, drama, the arts and other co-curricular activities.
Charterhouse is academically selective, but its admissions process is not based solely on examination performance. The school describes its approach as a ‘complete child’ philosophy, considering each applicant’s academic ability alongside their character, interests, talents and personality.
Charterhouse has several entry points, including 11+, 13+, 14+ and 16+. There are two main entrance points, in Year 9 (13+) and Year 12 (16+), although Charterhouse also admit around 20 pupils in Year 10, at the start of the GCSE course. The application process and assessments vary depending on the age at which a pupil wishes to join. All admissions though are by assessment, which is competitive, and contingent on performance at interview, as well as a positive reference from the candidate’s current school.
Written by Keystone Tutors
