Keystone Tutors Blog
Sign up to our newsletter to be kept up to date about our latest news and offerings.
Webinar: Why Homeschooling – a Webinar to Discuss the ins and outs of Homeschooling
Keystone Director of Education, Ed Richardson and Homeschooling Manager, Poppy Dundas, are joined by Andy Thompson, Education Consultant and Director of Oxford Myrtle. Andy looks after a number of families who are homeschooling their children for a variety of reasons. The panel discuss homeschooling, drawing on their experience at Keystone and answering the common questions that arise.
Finding the Right Tutor for My Child
Finding the right tutor can be a real game changer for your child, it can help to overcome areas of concern, and to unlock their academic potential. Looking for the right one, though, can be a minefield, and a stressful one for both you and your child. Below we answer some commonly asked questions that should make the whole process much easier.
The post Covid-19 graduate employment landscape
For this event Keystone Founder and Director, Will Orr-Ewing is joined by Sophie Wade and James Darley to discuss how the employment world will look after the Covid-19 pandemic.
FAQs from International Families about the Re-Opening of British Boarding Schools
Through our recent discussions with families who live abroad and have children studying at British boarding schools, we have compiled a list of their FAQs: .
GAP years - how to plan a GAP year in a socially distanced world
Keystone Director of Education, Ed Richardson is joined by Andrew Mackenzie, Managing Director of Africa and Asia Venture – experts in GAP year travel for over 25 years and Dr Jonathan Burbidge, housemaster and teacher at St Edward's School. Here they will be discussing the possibilities of a gap year and how this might be different from the normal in the context of Coronavirus.
How the fallout from Covid-19 will affect Higher Education in the US
For this event we are delighted to be joined by US university specialists, ESM Prep. Harriet discusses the potential impact of the Covid-19 crisis on higher education in the US as well as broader application strategy.
Homeschooling: How Keystone Tutors Can Help
Keystone has built its reputation on providing supplementary tutoring: filling in gaps in a child’s education. Using excellent tutors teaching one-on-one, we also provide homeschooling support effectively and efficiently, often teaching years of curriculum content in a few months. There was a time when most education was conducted in this manner.
Applying to Universities Outside the UK
In this webinar Keystone Education Consultant, Harriet Blomefield is joined by David Hawkins from The University Guys to discuss applying to universities outside the UK. They discuss a range of options including applying to universities across Europe, Asia and the US.
GCSE and A levels 2020
Ed Richardson, our Director of Education and Harriet Blomefield, our lead consultant answer key questions relating to this year's GCSEs and A Levels. The recording took place on 17th April and was correct at time of recording.
Keystone’s public service offering during the Coronavirus
Like the rest of the country, we have been rocked by the unfolding crisis caused by COVID-19. We are especially aware of the disruption caused to families across the country by measures such as the closure of UK schools and limits placed on movement outside the home. Scaling up a comprehensive online offering is naturally a huge task for schools.
Online Tutoring FAQs
Online tutoring is becoming more and more popular with students of all ages. Five years ago, 18% of Keystone’s lessons were delivered online; now this is 60% and we expect it to increase further. Here we answer typical questions we are asked about the phenomenon.
Our Top 10 Tips for Teaching Online
Our Director of Education, Ed Richardson shares his top 10 tips using the acrostic ONLINE TIPS.
Top Tips for Revision
Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, joins our lead consultant Harriet Blomefield to discuss their top tips for revising.
Revision Strategies For The Upcoming Exam Season
Revision can be daunting and establishing a starting point is often a challenge at this time of year. The following article aims to provide ideas about where to start and how to approach revision with suggestions that can be immediately put into practice and will hopefully ease any revision concerns during the exam season.
Hong Kong School Closures and the Coronavirus
This blog is based on information available at time of writing (27th February 2020). As the school closures in Hong Kong have been extended until April 20th it seemed a pertinent time to write with what we hope will be helpful information during this uncertain time.
Considering UK Universities from Abroad
‘What shall I do when I leave school?’ is just one of several important questions students make during their final three years at school. But it is one that they shouldn’t feel daunted by as this is an exciting time and, typically, the final step in their formal education. The most salient point to remember is that there is a spider’s web of people from whom they can seek advice: teachers, parents, friends and even current university students.
Can a quarter of exam grades awarded really be wrong?
As an avid Podcast listener, the More or Less Podcast has long been a weekly essential. The Podcast looks to explain the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life. I was particularly captivated by a recent episode, in which the Podcast investigated the truth behind claims made by The Times that “48% of A level results are wrong”.
Book your family in for an MOT with Keystone’s Education Health Check!
Unsure about how to monitor your child’s education, or keen to have an unbiased opinion regarding progress and future goals? .
Getting ready to start AQA A-Level Philosophy
Maybe you’ve just finished your GCSEs and have decided to enter the brave new world of Philosophy at A Level. It might feel both exciting and a little daunting to be beginning a brand-new subject in Year 12, rather than continuing one, such as Physics or English, that you’ve studied for some years.
What is the purpose of your CV? - Guest Post – Coaching4Careers
Coaching4Careers deliver coaching for businesses, universities, schools, charities and committees in the UK and internationally. Their experienced consultants help people at all levels to identify their strengths, so that they can build a career based on their natural talents and passions. They also help schools and their students with career planning, including getting the most from work experience assignments. Find out more here.
Thinking about your future? - Guest Post – Coaching4Careers
Coaching4Careers deliver coaching for businesses, universities, schools, charities and committees in the UK and internationally. Their experienced consultants help people at all levels to identify their strengths, so that they can build a career based on their natural talents and passions. They also help schools and their students with career planning, including getting the most from work experience assignments. Find out more here.
Applying to Study Engineering in the UK
Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson and senior tutor Jon Gale discuss UK Engineering Degrees.
The LNAT Exam
The National Admissions Test for Law, or LNAT, can seem like a formidable hurdle for many students applying to read law at university; this is particularly the case when one considers the historically low average scores (usually around 50%) and the fact that many students do not know what to expect.
Oxford Classics Admission Test (CAT)
This guide is for anyone applying to sit Classics or any combination involving Classics at the University of Oxford. In the sections below you can find out if you need to sit the test and how you go about doing that. There is also some advice on how best to prepare for the test and how important the test will be to your application to study at Oxford.
The Maths Admissions Test (MAT) - Oxford
What is the MAT? The Maths Admissions Test (MAT) is the admissions test used by Oxford for degrees in Mathematics. If you’re applying for a Maths or Computer Science degree at Oxford or a Maths degree at Imperial College London, you must sit the MAT just after beginning year 13 in late October/early November.
The Modern Languages Aptitude Test (MLAT) - Oxford
Any candidate applying to study Modern Languages at Oxford or Cambridge will have to sit a written paper as part of the admissions process: The Modern Languages Aptitude Test (MLAT) at Oxford and the Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MMLAA) at Cambridge. There are big differences between the two tests, from the structure and what they are testing to when they are sat. This blog covers the Oxford MLAT. You can read our blog on the Cambridge MMLAA here.
The Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MMLAA) - Cambridge
Any candidate applying to study Modern Languages at Oxford or Cambridge will have to sit a written paper as part of the admissions process: The Modern Languages Aptitude Test (MLAT) at Oxford and the Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MMLAA) at Cambridge. There are big differences between the two tests, from the structure and what they are testing to when they are sat. This blog covers the Cambridge MMLAA. You can read our blog on the Oxford MLAT here.
What Should We Be Able To Do By The End Of Reception?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the first part of the National Curriculum for children aged 3-5, therefore covering both Nursery and Reception. During those years children will be assessed regularly in seven areas of learning: three ‘prime’ areas (Communication, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development) and a further four ‘specific’ areas (Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding of the World and Expressive Arts and Design).
What can parents do to help 3+ assessments?
In some areas of London some children as young as 3 are already embarking into the mad and unsettling world of 3+ assessments. Assessing for nursery entry has long been a feature of prominent Pre-schools in New York but has thankfully been more of rarity this side of the pond. Some schools use this assessment to select children for nursery classes, usually linked to sought after independent schools.
What to look for when choosing a nursery for your child
Choosing a nursery is often a daunting experience for new parents as their main frame of reference will be dim memories of their own nursery experience! The increasingly competitive London nursery scene now means that parents in the most sought after areas are forced to make selections on nurseries before their child has turned 1 or even, in some cases, before they have been born.
