Keystone Tutors Blog
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Webinar: A Guide to University Interviews
Keystone’s Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by Jenny McGowan, Keystone’s Director of Asia, to discuss university interview skills for applicants to Cambridge, Oxford, and courses that typically require interviews, such as medicine and veterinary science. They covered the benefits of practice interviews, recommended reading before your interview, how to approach the interview process, and shared their top preparation tips.
Webinar: A Guide to Pre-Test Preparation
In recent years, many independent senior schools have incorporated ‘Pre-tests’ as an initial entry assessment for Year 7 and 9 entry. Pre-tests commonly form the first stage of the admissions process, and schools use them to identify the students who are most suitable to proceed to the next stage. Pre-tests can be administered in written form or on a computer, with the ISEB Common Pre-Test, CEM Test and the CAT 4 being the most widely used.
Upcoming Webinars
Here are details of our upcoming webinars. Do join us live to ask any questions you might have or register below to receive a recording after the event.
Webinar: How to Use the Summer Holiday to Maximise Your University Application
In this webinar Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by Jenny McGowan, Keystone's Director of Asia, to discuss the sorts of preparation students can complete over the Summer Holidays of Year 12 to ensure they submit a strong UCAS application. The discussion covers how to prepare effectively with particular reference to the importance of super-curricular learning, admissions tests and the personal statement.
Applying to UK Universities from Abroad: Essential Tips & Home Fee Eligibility for Expat Families
Keystone’s Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by Sam Goodwin from UK Study Options for a practical webinar designed for international and expat families. They covered the essentials of applying to UK universities from abroad — including the UCAS process, course selection, personal statements, and how to strengthen applications. They also demystified Home vs. Overseas fee status and what expat families need to know to secure Home fees.
Webinar: Study Skills
Poppy Dundas, Keystone's Head of Elective & Homeschooling, was joined by Emily Briars and Rory Maybery, two of Keystone's long-standing Professional Tutors, to discuss recommended study skills and techniques. This webinar covers how best to support students in their revision, note-taking, timetabling and general organisation ahead of the summer exams period.
Applying to Postgraduate Courses in the UK
In this webinar, Keystone's Asia Director, Jenny McGowan, was joined by Jessica Wärnberg to discuss applying for postgraduate study in the UK. They summarise the different courses available (e.g. MA, MSc, MPhil, PhD) and give an overview of what the application process looks like. Jenny has a Masters and PhD from Oxford and Jessica completed her PhD at St Andrews and both have significant experience of supporting students apply for such courses.
Webinar: Applying to US Universities
Keystone's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, was joined by Sam Harris and Seema Wadhwani from ESM Prep. Sam and Seema are experienced advisors when it comes to US university applications and cover a broad range of questions.
Webinar: Applying to Universities Outside of the UK and US
In this webinar, Keystone's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, was joined by David Hawkins, Founder of The University Guys, to discuss applying to universities outside of the UK and US. From large, open-access public universities in northern Europe to increasingly-popular private universities in cities such as Madrid or Milan, and from the historic universities of Ireland to specialist institutions in Switzerland, Europe has so much to offer.
Webinar: Applying to Oxbridge
Keystone’s Managing Director Ed Richardson, Director of Asia Jenny McGowan, and Head of Consultancy Harriet Brook explained the Oxbridge application process. Their discussion covered the differences between applying to Oxford and Cambridge, course choice, the importance of super-curricular learning, admissions tests, interviews, and how to prepare effectively.
Applying to UK Universities
Applying to UK universities is an exciting yet complex process, with various application deadlines, course requirements, and university choices to consider. Understanding how to navigate UCAS, craft a compelling personal statement, and select the right course can make all the difference. In this guide, Jenny McGowan, one of Keystone's Education Consultants provides expert advice on the key steps in the UK university application process.
Webinar: Choosing the Right School for Your Child
In this webinar, Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook and Director of Asia, Jenny McGowan, provide an overview of what parents should consider when choosing an independent school for their child and what the admissions processes involve. They cover the various entry points from 7+ to 16+ as well as day and boarding schools.
Webinar: A Level vs IB (Inc. GCSE vs. IGCSE)
Keystone’s Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by Jenny McGowan, Keystone's Director of Asia, to discuss the similarities and differences between IGCSEs and GCSEs as well as A Levels and the IB. They also covered how students might choose subjects to study at the different levels.
Webinar: Top Tips for School Entrance Interviews
In this webinar Keystone’s Managing Director, Ed Richardson was joined by Director of Asia, Jenny McGowan, and Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, to discuss school entrance interviews.
Webinar: The 7 Plus and 8 Plus
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 looked to cover all key aspects of the 7+ and 8+ entry process, from registration timelines to assessments and interview formats. They advise on how and when to start preparing for assessments and interviews, and how to finalise your shortlist of schools.
Webinar : 11+ London Day Schools
In this webinar, Charlotte Wilson, one of Keystone's knowledgeable Client Managers, was joined by Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, to discuss 11+ entry with a focus on London day schools. Ed and Charlotte covered all key aspects of the 11+ entry process to London schools, including advising on how and when to start preparing for 11+ assessments and interviews, and how to finalise a shortlist of schools.
Webinar: Navigating A Level Results Day and UCAS Clearing
Keystone's Director of Asia, Jenny McGowan, and Managing Director, Ed Richardson, hosted this webinar about preparing for A Level results day and what to expect. They discussed what you can do before receiving your results, what to do on results day, what you can expect to hear from UCAS on the day and what to do if you don’t receive your predicted grades and their tips for navigating clearing.
Webinar: 16+ Preparation
In this webinar, Keystone's Director of Asia, Jenny McGowan and Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson discussed all of the key steps, from registration timelines to assessment and interview formats. They advise on how and when to start preparing for 16+ assessments and interviews, along with other application requirements including 16 plus personal statements. This webinar is useful for anyone looking to apply to join UK schools for sixth form.
Webinar: Gap Years
In this webinar, Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by Helen Hawkins, Head of Marketing at Raleigh International, to discuss options for Gap Years. Their discussion covered some of the pros and cons of taking a gap year, different gap year opportunities and the impact of a gap year on university application.
Webinar: The Graduate Market
In this event Keystone's Managing Director, Ed Richardson, was joined by James Darley, the Founder and CEO of Transform Society, to discuss graduate employment.
Webinar: Assessing and Supporting Children
Keystone's Head of Elective & Homeschooling, Poppy Dundas, was joined by Sarah Warley, Founder at The Key Clinic. Together they discussed the work that Sarah and her team do at The Key Clinic, getting to the root cause of a child's difficulties in order to unlock their full potential. They discussed this in relation to homeschooling and tutoring, and the common issues seen within children.To find out more about how Keystone can support with homeschooling, do follow this link.
Tips for Dealing with Exam Season Anxiety
Keystone's Head of Elective and Homeschooling, Poppy Dundas, was joined by our guest expert Clare de Lotbiniere, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and Professional Tutors Jon Gale and Lara Isaac. Lara is also a trained nutritionist and together they discuss how best to get your child prepared for the upcoming exams, including dealing with exam anxiety and calming nerves, keeping motivation strong, the best foods to eat and general revision tips and tricks.
Webinar: How to Prepare Competitive Oxbridge Candidates
A webinar for school leaders.
Webinar: How to Manage Dual US/UK University Applications
In this joint discussion hosted by ESM Prep and Keystone Tutors, ESM College Coach Josh Davis and Keystone's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, meet to compare the US and UK university application processes. They identify key differences between the timelines and requirements, discussing the best way to balance both processes with limited stress and maximum effect.
The Road to Oxbridge: A Webinar Series for School Leaders
Below you will find the recordings of our five-part webinar for school leaders on Oxbridge applications.
Webinar: Creative Ways to Support Learning Over the Summer Holidays
Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, was joined by Tom Perrin, one of Keystone's most experienced tutors, to discuss their top tips on how to keep your child's enthusiasm for learning over the Summer Holidays.
Webinar: Understanding Scholarships and Bursaries
Keystone's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, was joined by Camilla Smiley, who works as an Education Consultant for Keystone, to discuss the ins and outs of Scholarships and Bursaries. They provided an overview of scholarships and bursaries, and their top tips for applicants.
Webinar: Choosing the Right Prep School for Your Child
Keystone's Director in Asia, Jenny McGowan, was joined by our Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, and Ed Richardson, our Director of Education to discuss different Prep school options for your child. They provided a fantastic insight into the junior/Prep school landscape for any parent considering Prep school options for their child.
Webinar: Choosing the Right Senior School for Your Child
Keystone's Director in Asia, Jenny McGowan, was joined by our Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, and Ed Richardson, our Director of Education to discuss the different senior school options for your child. They provided their top tips on how to select and apply to a school .
Webinar: Getting Your Child Exam Fit
Keystone's Homeschooling and Courses Manager, Poppy Dundas, was joined by Professional Tutors Jon Gale and Lara Isaac. Lara is also a trained nutritionist and together they discussed how best to get your child prepared for the upcoming exams. Topics included keeping motivation strong, the best foods to eat, how to structure revision days, how to calm nerves and general revision tips and tricks.
Webinar: How Do We Best Support School-aged Children with Their Mental Health?
Keystone's Homeschooling and Courses Manager, Poppy Dundas, was joined by Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, and our guest expert Clare de Lotbiniere, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, to discuss how we can support school-aged children with their mental health.
Webinar: How to choose a Nursery School - Q & A with a nursery specialist
In this webinar Harriet, Keystone's Director of Education, and Sabine Hook, a specialist nursery consultant, discussed the following key questions: How do you decide what the best option is for your child? When should parents start thinking about nursery schools and when do they need to register? How do you start the search and What do you recommend looking for in a nursery? What questions should parents ask when visiting a nursery? Is the Ofsted report a good place to find out.
Webinar: Applying to UK Universities
Keystone's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Blomefield, was joined by Ed Richardson, our Director of Education and Jenny McGowan, our Director in Asia to discuss the application process to universities in the UK. They also provided some top tips to aid the process.
Webinar: How Do We Best Support School-aged Children with Their Mental Health?
Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, was joined by guest experts Clare de Lotbiniere, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, and Robert Batt, CEO and Clinical Director of The Recovery Centre (TRC), a leading mental health support clinic in London, to discuss supporting school-aged children with their mental health. More Detail on our guest panellists: Clare has worked in state and private education sectors, working with both students and staff.
Webinar: “Can Do Better?” Have We Found the Best Way to Assess Schools and How to Select Them?
This webinar, co-hosted by Keystone Tutors and Wild Search, brought together a distinguished panel of experienced educationalists to challenge some of the assumptions which are often made regarding schools.
Webinar: 21st Century Schooling
Keystone's Founder and Director, Will Orr-Ewing, delved into new forms of schooling for the 21st Century. Will was joined by guest speakers, Jonathan Noakes, who is Head of Teaching & Learning at Eton College, Sam Rogerson, Co-Founder and Head of Lexicon School and Hugh Dickinson, Founder of Concept Education.
