UK Boarding School Advisory
Keystone’s advisory team are experienced in providing school-specific support in preparation for school selection and entry from nursery up to 16+. We maintain positive and close relationships with boarding schools across the UK to make sure that any school recommendations are based off our own knowledge of what different schools are able to offer.
Our consultancy team have helped hundreds of families based in the UK or overseas through the process of selecting and achieving a place at boarding schools.
Boarding School Placements
With a huge number of boarding schools to choose from in the UK coming to a shortlist of suitable schools for your child can be challenging, particularly if you are not based in the UK and/or if you do not have great deal of experience in this area.
Choosing the right boarding school for your child is essential, this is where they are going to be learning and living, and it needs to be the right fit for them.
There are so many questions to consider:
- Should it be academically selective, if so, to what level?
- Should they start at 11 Plus or 13 Plus?
- Would they be better suited to co-educational learning or a single-sex school?
- How boarding do we want to be – there are many flexi options.
- Do they have the right extracurricular activities available, and can they support any learning difficulties?
We are able to unpick all of these big questions and advise on what is going to be right for both your child, and your family as a whole.
The services Keystone offer range from forward-planning well in advance of entry point, to last-minute Occasional Places. Our Schools Shortlisting service provides a sensible, evidence-led list of appropriate schools based off academic ability and the family’s specific requirements. Our full advisory service builds on this by managing the whole process and, where required, liaising with the school on a family’s behalf.
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Personalised Advice from Experienced
Schools Consultants
Consultancy Services We Offer
The services we offer range from forward-planning well in advance of entry point, to last-minute Occasional Places. Our Schools Shortlisting service provides a sensible, evidence-led list of appropriate schools based off academic ability and the family’s specific requirements. Our full advisory service builds on this by managing the whole process and, where required, liaising with the school on a family’s behalf.
Our initial consultations enable us to understand the specific needs of your family, your objectives and key senior school criteria. An initial consultation with a school specialist will either act as a starting point for our Shortlisting or Full Schools Advisory service or will be offered through our Hourly Consultancy service.
Following your initial consultations, your school specialist will assemble a shortlist of suitable senior schools that meet your requirements. This shortlist will outline recommended school options, will provide a background on each school and will give a clear sense of the next steps you need to take along with any other key information.
Keystone's assessments, alongside reviewing school feedback and reports, are a useful tool in determining the schools children should be aiming at. We can provide an initial academic assessment as a standalone service or as part of a more comprehensive consultancy package. Our custom-made assessments indicate a child’s level in relation to their peers, and identify the areas to work on so as to reach their target schools.
If you are looking for a specialist consultant to oversee your school search and subsequent applications then we can support this through our Full School Advisory service. Within this we will shortlist your senior school options, and following discussion and confirmation of your preferred schools, we will complete registrations, arrange school visits, and undertake any other necessary clerical work.
For families looking to source the right senior school for their child, and then to look further ahead to UK university entry, we can provide a clear educational timeline and strategy alongside specialist Oxbridge support (where required).
Other boarding school services
Boarding school interview preparation
Our mock boarding school interviews give students the opportunity to undertake an interview in unfamiliar surroundings with someone they have not met before. In this sense it more closely replicates the actual interview experience than having a session with a teacher or parent that they know well. Interviews take place at Keystone’s offices.
The interview will last for around 30 minutes and will include questions relating to both the child’s character and academic ability. The emphasis of the interview will be tailored to the student’s target schools, based off feedback Keystone has received from previous students as to each school’s interview format. Following the interview the parents and students will be given verbal feedback on strengths and weaknesses.
Our consultancy team
Latest Articles on Boarding School Admissions
Boarding School Interviews
The boarding school interview is designed to ascertain suitability and readiness for boarding and whether they would be happy at the school. This is very important, especially for international students, as the child is away from home and the boarding school becomes home.
Written by Keystone Tutors
A Guide to the 13 Plus Common Entrance Exams
The 13 Plus Common Entrance (or CE) Exam is crucial in securing a place for your child at your chosen independent school. A good set of exam results will confirm school places – most CE candidates will have been offered a space at their choice of senior school already (by pre-test in year 7 or even year 6) – but subject to them achieving a pass in the 13 Plus exams - and be the final piece in the sometimes complex and nerve-wracking process! For an overview of how the 13 Plus fits within different entry points, see our Guide to UK School Entrance Exams.
In the article, Keystone's 13 Plus tutors have gathered together a range of helpful information and strategies for passing the 13 Plus Common Entrance Exam, based on their experience of successfully guiding hundreds of students through this demanding exam. For subject-specific advice, our 13 Plus English Preparation Guide and 13 Plus Maths Preparation Guide break down the key skills examiners look for.
Written by Keystone Tutors
How to Apply to a UK Boarding School from Singapore: A Guide for Singaporean Families
British boarding schools have an established tradition of educating students from all over the world, including Singapore. For many Singaporean families, the prospect of a UK boarding school education can be appealing but also potentially daunting, particularly due to differences in entry points and curricula. The UK admissions process is often more structured and formalised than families may expect, with early registration deadlines and entrance assessments that may be unfamiliar to first-time applicants. Therefore, gaining a clear understanding of how the process works is important, especially given the competitive nature of many British boarding schools. This guide outlines the UK boarding school system and highlights what Singaporean families should be aware of when considering an application.
Written by Keystone Tutors
How to Prepare for the ISEB Common Pre-Test
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 being one of the most common assessments.
The ISEB Common Pre-Test is used by a range of independent schools in the UK including Eton College, Harrow School, Westminster School and St Paul’s School to assess children before the 13+ entrance exams and at a handful of schools as a pre-test to 11+ entry.
Written by Keystone Tutors
