Categories
GCSE

Why are Mock Exams so important?

A Familiar Setting

Most schools will try to hold mock exams in the actual room that the national exams will take place in, be this the main hall, exam room or sports halls. By doing so, it gives the pupils an idea of what its actually like to be under full exam conditions in the given space. When they return in to take the national exams, it eliminates the often-overwhelming feeling of “the great unknown” and, it also gives parents an extra point to reassure your child, that they’ve already done exams in that space before and lived to tell the tale!

Revision Prep

Without a doubt, mock exams are an excellent reminder to pupils of the volume of revision and work required to fully prepare for the real thing. Most schools will require pupils to do a mock in all their chosen subjects and the accompanying multiple papers, and not just the core of English, Maths & Science. We highly recommend working with your child to ensure they’ve got a comprehensive revision timetable to factor in enough time to prepare for all their subjects and papers.

Grade Expectations

Finally, Mocks give a realistic view of what grades your child could look to achieve in their real exams. Schools will tend to use recent past papers (often from the previous summer) and the official marking scheme to allow a clear indication of how your child will perform.

 

If for whatever reason your child does not achieve the predicted grades you and they were expecting, do not panic. There is still a good time frame before the exams take place to improve these, given some hard work and dedication on the part of the pupil.

Contact Think Tutors

Our team works with pupils of all levels and abilities to assist in preparing them for exams. If you would like more information on our tuition services and how we can help your child prepare for their exams, please contact us here.

Categories
School Admissions

Admissions Guide: Eton College

Registration: Stage One

The first stage is to register online, pay the registration fee and upload a selection of key documents. As soon as you are considering Eton entrance, our team of education advisors can devise a bespoke attainment plan – including elite tuition. We have a 100% success rate for school entrance when we begin tuition six months or more before Stage One.

Pre-Test: Stage Two

In the autumn term of Year 6, all boys are required to sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The ISEB Common Pre-Test involves four tests, English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, designed to paint a picture of a child’s academic standard. The tests are undertaken online, and are in a multiple choice format. Each child has to only sit one test, with the results accessible for all schools they are registered to, not just Eton. With results published in December, successful boys will be offered a confirmed place conditional to passing the Common Entrance, Eton Assessment or King’s Scholarship when they reach Year 8. Unsuccessful applicants at this stage will either be reassessed after the summer term of Year 7 through another interview and online test or rejected outright.

Assessment: Stage Three

Boys who meet the desired criteria will be invited to an interview in front of a panel, and sit an online test in the spring or summer term of Year 6. At this stage, applicants will be tested by a wider range of questions across the curriculum, and are expected to perform highly in response to a challenging combination of interview questions. Results are published six weeks after the assessment at the latest, and successful candidates are granted a place to study at Eton.

Post Assessment: Stage Four

All applicants who reach this stage are guaranteed a place at Eton. Students and their parents are encouraged, once the entrance assessments are completed, to meet with a variety of housemasters to determine which boarding house is most appropriate for them.

The Kings Scholarship

Operating alongside the typical route to entrance is the King’s Scholarship. Granted to a  maximum of 14 students each year, King’s Scholars (known as a ‘colleger’ or ‘tug’) can be distinguished from Oppidans (non- King’s Scholars) by their black academic gown, and will join a tradition of intellectuals including Aldous Huxley, John Maynard Keynes and Sir Robert Walpole.

 

The examinations are demanding, and the questions notoriously challenging. Candidates must take English, Creative Writing, Mathematics AScience, and General I and at least three optional papers (FrenchLatinGreekMathematics BGeneral II and History-Geography-Divinity). It is important to note that the King’s Scholarship is designed intentionally to find the top candidates in the country, and, as a result, each year truly excellent students do not make the cut.

 

In sum, entrance into Eton is a challenge which requires a considerable amount of prior preparation. At Think Tutors, we are award-winning providers of school entrance tuition, and have a community of elite tutors, mentors and education advisors who are ready to support your family with each step of the journey.