Established in 2007, with headquarters in London and offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, Keystone Tutors is one of the UK’s leading private tutoring organisations. Here is a sample of the UKiset tutors that we represent. They are predominantly based in London and work online with families based outside of London or overseas.
Dominic is an experienced Science tutor with a PhD in Chemistry. He has tutored for years and aims to make his lessons interesting and fun. He also recognises the importance of exam technique.
Seyi studied Geography at the University of Oxford and is a qualified Teacher. She tutors English, Maths and Geography to a wide range of students and also assists with Oxbridge applications. She is has an engaging and encouraging tutoring style.
Lucy is a highly engaging tutor with a degree in English and a Masters in Acting. She believes in unlocking the joy of learning and helping her students grow in confidence.
Paige is an English graduate from Durham University who teaches from the 7+/8+ level through to A Level. She joined Keystone in 2017 and has taught over 3,100 hours, helping more than 200 families.
Abigail has been tutoring since 2012 and has taught a range of subjects and age groups. She has always loved learning and aims to enthuse her students about their studies.
Alex joined Keystone in 2016 having graduated with a First Class Degree. Since starting at Keystone he has taught over 3,600 hours with more than 100 families and teaches all the way up from 11+ - A Level.
Matilda is an experienced tutor with an impressive track record. She is enthusiastic and encouraging and her students grow in confidence and self assurance under her guidance, really preparing them for their exams.
Sarah is a Cambridge graduate who teaches a wide variety of subjects across a range of ages. Her sessions are goal-focused as well as being engaging and fun.
Peter is a very experienced and professional tutor. He has helped numerous students gain entry into their chosen school at 11+ and also teaches French, Spanish and English up to A Level.
Alexander has a History degree from York as well as a Masters in Fine Art. He currently works as an artist alongside his tutoring. He has years of experience under his belt and teaches a wide range of ages and subjects.
Lila is a highly academic Oxford graduate who teaches across the age range. She tutors alongside training to be an opera singer.
Simon is a very experienced Teacher and Oxford graduate. He is a Classics specialist and also writes his own materials.
Lou is an experienced and professional tutor in Latin and French up to A level, including IB. We were particularly impressed by her up-beat and methodical approach to tutoring.
Roxaneh is a hugely experienced English tutor. As an actress she infuses her tutoring with a passion for literature and performance.
Alex is Cambridge University graduate and qualified teacher who has billed over 1,500 hours trough Keystone alone. She also has a masters degree in Child Psychology and has considerable tutoring experience beyond her work with Keystone.
Jason is experienced Teacher who has spent over two decades in the classroom. He aims to motivate his tutees and give them the confidence and growth mindset they need to help them realise their academic potential.
Imogen is a Cambridge graduate and aspiring author. She has been teaching and tutoring since 2010. She is motivating and supportive and helps her students to flourish academically.
Dhananjay is a Cambridge graduate and a gifted linguist. He teaches from the 11+ - university level. He is currently a full-time tutor.
Lee has been teaching for the past six years, preparing students for a range of schools and exams. Her patience and enthusiasm have been praised by her past pupils.
Bryony's engaging and supportive teaching style helps to give students confidence. She began tutoring whilst at school and is committed to tutoring for the long term.
Michael is a Maths Tutor with a first class degree from Aberdeen. He has taught since his university days and now tutors full-time.
Hugo is an experienced and enthusiastic English and Maths tutor. He specialises in 11+ and 13+ preparation as well as working with I/GCSE Maths students.
Daniel is an experienced humanities tutor with a very strong academic background. He is a linguist and a translator in his spare time. He also loves history and literature.
William is a primary level tutor who worked as a Teaching Assistant at Garden House for 3 years. William uses a variety of learning techniques and helps build confidence, belief and aspiration in his students.
Anna works as a Learning Technologist (in the Centre for Teaching and Learning) at the University of Oxford. She is an experienced tutor and is passionate about making language and literature studies accessible and enjoyable for children aged 8 to 18.
Sarah is an experienced tutor who teaches a wide variety of subjects, and across the age range. When she is not teaching she is a writer and novelist.
Leo is an Oxford History graduate and has a wealth of experience of teaching the subject, as well as English, Maths, Science, Geography and RS up to the 13+ level. He has worked with Keystone since 2011 and has taught over 1,000 hours since he started.
Eleanor is a charismatic and engaging tutor. At interview, we were particularly impressed by her passion for English and History and her desire to enthuse others in these subjects.
Sophia is a diligent and knowledgeable tutor. Alongside her tutoring work she is novelist.
Nik is one of our most experienced tutors and has been tutoring for over 10 years. He has a PhD in Economics and has a highly engaging teaching style.
Kayleigh is an English Teacher with seven years of classroom experience. She is now tutoring whilst completing a PhD in English Literature.
Sunita is a highly experienced English tutor with a Masters in English Literature as well as a Masters in Creative Writing. She has taught over 2,000 hours with Keystone both face to face and online.
Rana is an extremely adept Primary Level Teacher/tutor with 13 years of teaching experience under her belt.
Jason is an experienced tutor, who has worked with students preparing for the 11+, all the way up to A Level. He encourages students to take an active role in their learning, to ensure they are fully engaged.
"Lara is brilliant and works wonders! We cannot thank her enough for her work with our son. With Lara’s help, our son's English has improved considerably - his vocabulary is greatly expanded and Lara has taught him how to use this effectively to add detail and nuance in his writing. Lara has been indispensable as he successfully navigated the highly competitive school application processes to gain entrance into his first-choice schools. "
Mother of 11+ student"We can’t thank Philippa enough for how she helped my son. He was very lucky to have had her as a tutor. I’m glad the exams (13+ English entrance exam to Eton) went well, but even if they had not, it was clear he had learnt a lot and had come a long way. I am very appreciative of the care and attention you paid. Thank you."
Mother of 13+ studentWant to know more about our tutors? Contact us today to discuss your requirements.
What is the UKiset test and how can you prepare?
What is the UKiset test? The UK Independent Schools’ Entry Test (UKiset) is a computerised assessment designed for overseas students aged between 9 and 18 years old. Many UK independent schools require overseas students to take this test as part of their admissions process, as it serves as a pre-test to help schools identify the most suitable candidates.
UKiset Verbal Reasoning
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.
Webinar: Choosing the Right Senior School for Your Child
Keystone's Founder and Director, Will Orr-Ewing, will be joined by Keystone's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, and our special guest Sophie Langdale, Director of Admissions and Communications at Radley College, to discuss different senior school options. Sophie has previously run Admissions at top day school Magdalen College School and top all-girls boarding school Wycombe Abbey so brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this discussion.
Webinar: School Closures and 2021 Exams
Keystone's Head of Consultancy (Harriet Blomefield) was joined by our Director of Education (Ed Richardson) and Director of Keystone Asia (Jenny McGowan) to discuss what they know so far in relation to summer 2021 exams and what this means for student preparation. They also shared their top tips for setting up effective home schooling.
The UKiset (United Kingdom Independent Schools Entry Test) is used to test a child’s current learning and academic potential. It is used by hundreds of British curriculum schools to assess children applying for places.
The UKiset is split into 3 components:
1. Reasoning
Designed to explore what kind of thinking a candidate finds easy or difficult and includes:
This part of the test is adaptive which means that the questions asked are designed to assess the student’s ability level.
The more questions the student answers correctly, the more difficult the test will become.
Therefore, not being able to answer a question does not mean the student is performing badly!
2. Reading and Listening
The second part of UKiset is the Cambridge English test, an online multiple choice test that assesses receptive language skills.
3. Essay writing
The final section of UKiset is a short English essay, designed to demonstrate expressive language skills.
The UKiset is an online test normally delivered in a formal environment like a test centre, lasts 2 hours, and the questions are adaptive, meaning that correct answers will unlock even harder questions. The UKiset can be taken by children between 9 and 18 years, and compares their academic ability with those of British students of the same age studying in independent schools. Results are valid for 1 year and can be taken every 6 months.
Read more about the UKiset and how you can prepare for it in our blog post https://www.keystonetutors.com/news/what-is-the-ukiset-test-and-how-can-you-prepare
The UKiset tutors we represent are made up of ex-teachers from the top schools in the UK, or are professional private tutors. They are passionate about the subjects they specialise in, and have extensive experience in helping their students to develop and reach their full potential.
The tutors we represent are able to deliver in-person tuition within central London. For those outside of central London we offer online tutoring.
The tutors we represent are well versed in delivering online tuition, using videoconferencing and an interactive whiteboard. This gives students, wherever they are in the world, access to experienced, high quality tutors who are familiar with the requirements of the UKiset.
You can read more about our online tutoring here.
You’ll have heard about entrance exams being used for independent schools, but you may not be sure what part ‘pre-tests’ play in the process. Here are some quick answers to key questions about these assessment tools and how they can impact on your child’s educational journey.
The ISEB (Independent Schools Examination Board) Pre-Test, and the UKiset (United Kingdom Independent Schools Entry Test) are both used to assess the academic abilities of a candidate for a place at an independent school, in advance of other formal entrance exam. They provide initial results which schools can use to narrow down the pool of applicants for places, or to supplement their other assessment exercises. As such, if your chosen school uses them in its application process, they are a vital hurdle to clear.
The ISEB is used primarily at 11+ stage (either before 11+ entrance exams or before 13+ entrance exams) and is normally taken in year 6 or 7, when a child is between 10 and 12 years old. By contrast the UKiset can be taken at any age between 9 and 18 years and assesses children in comparison with the average attainment level for children their age. A further difference is that the ISEB can only be taken once per academic year, and the result your child achieves then stands for all applications - whereas the UKiset can be taken once every six months. Ensuring your child gets the best possible result is therefore a priority.
Both tests are delivered online, normally in testing centres or at your child’s school. They are both adaptive tests, meaning that as your child answers questions correctly the subsequent questions become more difficult, fully testing your child’s abilities. Both contain sections on English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Both tests require specific preparation, and due to their online, adaptive nature it’s not straightforward to practice with past papers as it would be with a traditional exam. There are simulators and other resources like books and practice exercises available, and your child’s school should also be able to provide relevant advice. Both ISEB and UKiset provide relevant information on their websites which you should be sure to investigate.
Tuition can also help - not only by creating a structured programme of practice for the key skills that help a child succeed at these tests, but also by raising your child’s confidence and specific exam technique in advance of what is likely to be an unusual and slightly daunting experience even for the brightest children. If you are interested in finding out more about our UKiset tuition do contact us.