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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 A, Science, and General I and at least three optional papers (French, Latin, Greek, Mathematics B, General 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.

Categories
GCSE

7 Great Apps for Students

Reference Resources:

  1. Oxford Dictionary of English

One of the most useful applications to have in your pocket is the Oxford Dictionary of English. No classroom is without one and thanks to this app, no student’s pocket need be without one! Carrying the physical version around is just simply impractical.

Accomplishing Tasks:

  1. Microsoft Office

Now part of Microsoft 365, a subscription-based service, software stalwarts like Word, Excel and Powerpoint are available in App format. This makes creating, editing and finishing documents on the go very easy. Collaboration functions mean that multiple people can contribute to the same document, perfect for group projects.

 

  1. Evernote

All smartphones will come equipped with a note taking app but they are generally limited in their ability to sync with other devices and in the case of Evernote, the ability to scan handwritten notes straight into the app.

 

  1. Mathway

Struggling with equations? Mathway is here to help! It will help solve any mathematical problem for you, but will also guide you through the solution to help you better understand it. Mathway is a math tutor in your pocket. A scanning ability lets you photograph your working and Mathway will recognise it.

 

Organisation:

  1. Google Drive

If you’ve got a Gmail account or any other type of Google login then you’ll be able to utilise their Drive system. Upload documents, images, videos and more. The free version includes up to 15 gigabytes of storage space, which will be more than enough for most students. For those studying multimedia courses you can upgrade to 100GB for £1.59/month or 200GB for £2.49/month.

 

  1. Class Timetable

Keep track of you classes or lectures in a simple, visual way with Class Timetable. This app shows your day at a glance and, tilt your phone sideways, shows your week in an instant. Tasks lists can keep track of assignments and paid features include notifications and export functionality.

Student Life (University):

  1. Circle of Six

Circle of Six helps to keep you safe. Two taps within the app lets your chosen six people know where you are and how they can help. Stranded after a last bus, stuck in an awkward date or in any situation where you don’t feel comfortable, Circle of Six is there to help. More than 300,000 users in 36 countries use it and the United States Air Force advises all its cadets to download the app.

Optimising Apps with Private Tutors and Academic Mentors

At Think Tutors we are at the cutting edge of education and technology, utilising a wide variety and apps and resources to maximize our interactions with clients and students. We have found that scheduling and organisation are two key skills that our tutors have helped students to develop, which is essential for their success both now and at university. If you are interested in discussing how our tutors, mentors, and educational directors can assist your child with improving their skills in these areas be sure to get in touch.

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University Admissions

University Applications

The Application

Applications open in September for the follow academic years entry. So, to apply for a course starting in September 2022, you need to be applying in the next few months.

 

To start off the process, your child must create an account on the UCAS website which consists of 5 main areas:

 

  • Personal Details
  • Indicated courses they wish to apply for
  • Full details of the qualifications, including previous and ones currently being studied for
  • A personal statement of up to 4000 characters
  • An academic reference from a teacher, tutor or professional contact – if your child is applying through their school, their teacher or tutor will be able to provide this.

 

Hopefully your child will already have an idea of what they want to apply for and where, and will have attended a few open days during Year 12.

How to Excel at Your Personal Statement

The personal statement requires careful work and is a vital part of the whole application. Ultimately, it’s your child’s chance to convey their ambitions, experience and skills. The same personal statement is used for all of their applications, so if your child is choosing a variety of courses, it’s worth ensuring it contains common themes and experience that can relate to all of them. Remind them to include reasons why they’re applying, such as what interests them, their ambitions and what makes them a suitable candidate.

 

Don’t forget to proofread and edit the personal statement – it usually takes several drafts to get them right. For tips on how to write a personal statement, visit the UCAS page: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/when-apply/how-write-ucas-undergraduate-personal-statement.

 

We highly recommend working from start to finish with our private tutors and academic mentors. Our team has been drawn from many of the best universities in the world and have extensive experience in assisting students in their efforts to gain admission to the universities of their choice.

Deadlines

There are several deadlines for application submissions, which are listed on the individual courses description on the UCAS website, so make sure these are checked to avoid last minute panics or disappointment.

 

The final deadline for all submissions is 15th January 2023; this sounds a long way off but it will be here before you know it. It’s best to get the applications in as early as possible.

 

If you’re applying to Oxford or Cambridge (Oxbridge) or to read a dentistry, medicine, or veterinary medicine/science course, the deadline is 15th October 2021. Please note, that the Oxbridge application system follows a slightly different procedure, which will be covered in our next news bulletin. Likewise, for more information about the services that we offer around applying for oxford and applying for Cambridge do contact us: many our private tutors and academic mentors have studied at Oxbridge and are well equipped to help you.

Institutional Decisions

Once your child has submitted their application to UCAS, they’ll need to wait for each institution to make their decision. The UCAS Track portal will keep them updated and notified of any correspondence for their chosen institutions. It’s important to note that applicants are unable to reply to any offers until a decision has been made from all of the institutions.

 

Institutions will make one of three decisions:

 

  • Offer a place – either conditional or unconditional
  • Invitation to interview before making a final decision
  • Advise of an unsuccessful application

 

A conditional offer will have stipulations that will need to be met for the place to be guaranteed – such as final grades in certain subjects.

 

An unconditional offer will have no conditions attached and is usually only given if the grades required are already in places (such as if one is applying after the final exams have been sat, during a gap year).

Responding to Offers

As stated, your child can only respond to offers made once they’ve heard back from all of their chosen institutions.

 

Then, they must select the following:

 

Firm Choice – which should be their first choice course.

 

Insurance Choice – a course they’re keen to study but which has a lower offer requirement than their firm choice.

Next Steps

Unfortunately, it is then a waiting game until results day in August to establish which place will be guaranteed (unless of course they have an unconditional offer).

 

We will publish more on what to expect after receiving your grades later in the academic year.

 

Check out this BBC Radio 5 interview for some further tips: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05gtvtv?utm_content=buffer75548&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Academic Mentoring

It’s never too late to hone your creative skills, learning techniques and hone your learning styles with a view to building your confidence and improving your application. Our academic mentors, private tutors, and university mentors can assist you at any stage in your application, leveraging our expert experience to help you realise your goals.

Categories
GCSE

Different Types of Learning Styles That You Should Know

Introduction to Learning Styles

There are three different categories that student learning styles fall into. These are Visual Learners, Auditory Learners and Kinaesthetic Learners. These learning styles were pioneered by educational theorist Nick Fleming, who formulated a VARK model of Student Learning.

 

Keep reading to learn more about the different learning styles you should know about.

Different Learning Styles

According to Nick Fleming’s VARK Model of Student Learning, the four types of learning styles are Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing Preference and Kinesthetic (these four combine to make VARK). This model acknowledges that all students have different ways of processing information (‘preferred learning modes’). These learning modes have a big influence on a student’s behaviour and learning and can benefit the student’s learning experience when matched up with strategies to help the student learn.

 

You may be wondering, what is my child’s learning style? You can find out more about the different learning styles, as well as the different methods of learning below.

Visual Learners

Visual learners are those who prefer to see things in order to process and learn them. They may remember and subsequently be able to recall information through sight. They may benefit from the use of visual methods such as images, maps or graphics to understand the information presented to them.

 

Learning methods:

 

  • Highlighting information on a page
  • Using graphics such as charts, graphs and diagrams

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners are those who prefer to hear and listen to things in order to process and learn them. They would benefit from listening and speaking to understand information which is being presented to them.

 

Learning methods:

 

  • Repetition
  • Mnemonic devices
  • Recording and listening to your notes

Kinaesthetic Learning Style

Kinaesthetic learners are those who prefer to experience things in order to process and learn them. They are ‘tactile’ learners and may benefit from figuring things out by actively handling them. They work best through touch, motion and movement.

 

Learning methods:

 

  • Using real life case studies to help understand concepts
  • Using photographs that illustrate the concept

Different Methods of Learning: Conclusion

We all have different ways we learn and it’s important to cater to the different methods of learning and to understand which of the  four learning styles your child works best under. The different methods of learning are based on each individual’s cognitive and environmental strategy as well as experiences they have had. Understanding your learning style takes into account all these factors.

 

The VARK model for learning styles is the most accepted understanding for the different ways we learn as it acknowledges that we all have different approaches to processing information.

 

We adapt our teaching and work with our students in a way that they learn best, in order to help them achieve their full potential. Contact us to find out more about our bespoke tutoring.

 

We offer tutoring for a range of different subjects and can also provide  mentoring, online tutoring and residential placements. If you want to discuss the advantages of homeschooling please contact us.

Categories
A-Level and IB

Top Tips for Efficient Exam Preparation

Take Regular Breaks

Parents can find the process of encouraging their children to study quite frustrating. Some children do just need guidance in how to manage their time effectively. Many young learners can also benefit from a short break before their revision begins. Going straight from a Friday in the classroom to a Saturday morning revision session isn’t always the best idea. A short break can help refresh their mind before revision begins in earnest.

Minimise Distractions

The revision workspace should be quiet, tidy and free from distractions. Mobile phones and televisions can really impact the effectiveness of revision. If they struggle to work alone, allow them the freedom to meet friends and work together.

Make a Revision Plan

A proper revision plan that sets out subjects that need to be covered is vital and offers the best opportunity for a parent to have a positive impact on their child’s studying. Not all young learners are natural project managers so an adult’s influence at this stage in the process can be important.

 

Topics that need the most work should be prioritised. By knowing what needs to be covered, and for how long, your child will use their time more effectively and achieve more. Mixing up textbook revision with past papers offers a good change in pace. Starting with single questions rather than the whole paper is sensible, along with sticking to the time limits set for the questions.

 

On the subject of time, revision sessions should be no more than 90 minutes and an allowance for treats between sessions is a good idea. Revision should be recognised as a marathon, not a sprint to the finish line.

Stay Healthy

Eating and drinking well during revision will make all the difference. Staying hydrated is key to keeping mentally alert, and nutritious meals will help boost your energy levels. Also, don’t forget that time off to meet friends or play sport, allows a child to unwind and stay healthy. With lots of time sat down behind a desk, physical activity offers a welcome break and getting the blood pumping around the body helps deliver more oxygen to the brain, reducing tiredness and increasing productivity.

How can Think Tutors Help?

It’s also important to find out what study methods work for you – be that notes, diagrams, voice memos, or flash cards. If you would like to learn more about how a professional tutor or mentor can help you through revision, please contact us.

Categories
A-Level and IB

How to Write a Good Personal Statement

Personal Statement Structure and Format

When it comes to structure and format, it’s important to remember that you only have 4000 characters and 47 lines to work with, so each paragraph must have both purpose and meaning, and include all the vital information. With qualifications, interests, experience and motivations all important to cover, how is it best to format your personal statement?

 

Sandwiched between an introduction and conclusion should be the majority of your content. We suggest starting with a paragraph on what is most important, your academic achievements, before explaining your hobbies and interests outside the classroom, followed by your experience if you are applying for law or medicine.

 

Some students have found arranging their personal statement in a past-present-future style offers an effective structure. In this method, the introduction describes why you have decided to study your course (past), the main body considers your current interests and motivations (present) and the conclusion summarises why you are looking forward to enrolling (future).

How to Begin a Personal Statement 

The introduction (along with the conclusion) is often considered the hardest part of writing a good personal statement. Whilst UCAS’ ‘Killer Opening‘ recommends starting with the main body, we advise students to start with whatever they are comfortable with. If you are not sure – try writing the main body first, then tackle the introduction and conclusion.

 

The perfect opening paragraph is original, avoids clichés, and confirms to the admissions team why you are a serious candidate. Mind mapping during the planning stage is ideal for this. With your course title in the centre, consider what particular modules you are drawn to and why you are enthusiastic about studying this course.

Concluding a Personal Statement 

Alongside the introduction, students often struggle writing an effective conclusion. A final chance to impart the admissions team with a lasting impression, the conclusion is a perfect opportunity to drive home the most important points in your application.

 

The best conclusions offer a clear snapshot of what you want to gain from your time at university, and come full circle from the points you established in your  introduction without adding any new information. Consider you are most looking forward to? Why this course in particular? And, most importantly: Why is this course right for you?

Tips on How to Make a Personal Statement Stand Out

There is not just one method to make a personal statement stand out  – as long as it covers the key questions within the general structure of an introduction, main body and conclusion, it can be highly successful. However, here are some general tips to ensure your personal statement is the best it can be:

 

  • Write in the first person, only using ‘I’ when you really need to.
  • Be informed. Research the course you want to study, and even try and speak to someone who is currently studying it so you have a clear picture of what you are applying for.
  • Avoid clichés, as well as words such as ‘fascinated’ and ‘passionate’.
  • Be prepared. Make a detailed plan and mind map to improve your structure and ensure you are covering everything you need to.
  • Don’t worry about the word count too much with your first draft, it’s much easier to take words out than put them in.
  • Draft, re-draft, and draft again.

 

When you are re-drafting, consider these key questions:

 

  • Have I repeated myself?
  • Is this cliché?
  • Is my wording consistent?
  • Does this sentence serve a purpose?

 

Above all, remember, be clear, concise and direct.

 

There are a lot of resources online to help you with your personal statement, from UCAS’S personal statement tool, to The Complete University Guide’s tips page. At Think Tutors we’re expertly equipped to consult on personal statements (at any stage in their creation) and we have a strong track record of bringing out the best in each and every applicant. Please contact us to find out more.

Contact Think Tutors 

From taking the first steps of writing, to polishing your final draft, this blog has covered the key steps for making your personal statement as good as it can be. For more information on Think Tutors services such as A-Level tuition and University tuition please contact us.

Categories
A-Level and IB

How to develop an outstanding essay: two top-level tricks

Building Creative Confidence

Dull writing can leave examiners yawning. At Think Tutors we have refined the art of essay writing instruction to perfection, working with industry-leading professionals trained at many of the world’s top universities. Here are just two tips that will brighten up your essays and make them exciting to read.

Creative Thinking Skills: The drop intro 

Capture the reader’s attention with a drop intro. Look at the essay title and think of a strange or striking example. Discuss it for a few lines, then zoom back in and answer the question head-on.

 

You might start with an anecdote, a quote, a shocking fact, or a story in the news.

 

Imagine you’re writing an essay about the climate crisis. You’ve been asked to discuss whether renewable energy can fully replace fossil fuels in the next 50 years.

 

It’s not exactly an inspiring question, and could yield some boring answers. Dodge the trap and dive straight in with some action:

 

Climate protesters set out to “swarm” the capital in April 2019. Organisers staged simultaneous demonstrations across London, blocking roads and even gluing themselves to trains to make their cause known. 

 

In the last few years, the fight for action on the climate crisis has reached fever pitch.

 

Now comes your argument. You could say: “But it’s too little, too late,” or “keeping the pressure up is the only way we will meet our zero-carbon goals”.

 

You can then build in material on renewable energy and fossil fuels. The trick is to get the reader excited first.

 

The key skill here is pulling back from your example and making sure you link it neatly to your argument – the line that normally comes first in an essay. It might help if you draft this part first, even though you’ll be saving it for your second paragraph.

 

It can be difficult to pull off, but a good drop intro shows you’re in control of your material.

 

From this point, it’s up to you — as long as you engage with the question and provide some strong examples, you’ll be on the right track.

Creative Thinking Skills: the snap judgement

The best essays pack a punch. For humanities questions that ask how successful a decision was, or how a writer achieves an effect, a quick snap-take response can lift a good essay to new heights.

 

Imagine you are answering the question: “How does Shakespeare use language and structure to portray King Lear’s death?”

 

Somewhere in your response, tell us exactly what you think. You can be quite chatty. The line can take on the tone of a review, or a boxing match commentator sizing up the competitors:

 

“Shakespeare pulls out all the stops as Lear cries in disbelief at his daughter’s death. It’s a heart-wrenching scene, and Shakespeare makes sure the audience knows it.”

 

Don’t be afraid to answer the question bluntly. You can heap up your evidence later.

 

Each paragraph could do with a line or two like this. They will help guide your analysis and signpost your argument in an exciting way for the reader.

 

These lines give your points a crisp framework – and lend your essay some welly.

 

Private Tutoring, Academic Mentoring and University Tutoring

It doesn’t matter where you are in your educational journey, essay writing skills (and writing abilities more broadly) are fundamental to your success and the realisation of your personal and academic goals. At Think Tutors we offer a wide range of services to help students hone their creative and analytic writing skills. We have worked with everyone from young children to graduate students.

Categories
A-Level and IB

Learning Latin

The Latin Language

Some say Latin is a dead language. In so far that it is not spoken widely anymore, that is correct. However, others see it rather as an eternal language, useful in so many ways to understand not only the times we live in but also to connect us with the past. Just think how many times you have seen a company or organisation with a Latin name or motto. I’d reckon quite a few.

 

It is no accident that the subject that Latin is a part of, Classics, comes from the Latin word classis meaning ‘fleet’. When one comes to studying Latin, and Greek, ancient history and civilisation, you are learning a whole fleet of subjects encompassing history, politics, law, poetry, philosophy, drama, science, geography and more, that make up and can be found within classical literature. It’s also a sought-after degree at both Oxford and Cambridge, with many distinguished alumni in fields ranging from politics and literature to the military and journalism.

Learning Latin

This is what lies ahead for a student beginning Latin. Immediately, a student will be able to recognise the connections between Latin and English, the roots of our language, where words derive from, and how languages work. In this way it most definitely helps increase attainment in English and subjects requiring analytical thought such as Maths.

 

The Latin Language can also lead students to learn and love the Romance languages as well such as French, Spanish and Italian which have similarities. However, when learning Latin through translating Roman myths and history, and other writings, you can perceive the very roots of Western Civilisation and humanity itself; that there are things that we can learn about ourselves and our society and, if we open our minds to it, take it as an inspiration or a warning as to where we are heading.

Why Learn Latin

Latin is a wonderful language, and wonderful to study. It is delightful to hear that the British Government is encouraging more state schools to take up Latin, along with other modern languages as part of a pilot scheme. It is already building on a lot of work over the past decade by the charity Classics for all in giving more state school pupils the opportunity and resources to study Latin, Classical Greek, Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.

 

The linguistic links between Latin and English were the initial fascination for me, and enough of a spark to pursue Latin further and find my talent. Then I eventually transitioned to studying Classical Greek too, developing an interest in historical writing and rhetoric, and eventually leading to study Classics at university and a route into Law.

 

I have had the privilege to study Latin at school. It has also been a privilege for me to share my passion for Latin and Classical Greek for over ten years to independent and state school students alike, and it has been so rewarding to see them do so well. I look forward to even more students seizing this opportunity in the future… carpe diem!

Academic Support

If you’d like to find out more about learning Latin with an expert tutor, please contact us. We also offer online tutoring, and academic mentoring  across a variety of subjects. If you’re interested in studying classics at university (especially at Oxford or Cambridge) then connect with us as our academic and university mentors can offer invaluable insights and guidance on the admissions process and including tutors for university students.

Categories
Homeschooling

Is Homeschooling Right for My Child?

With homeschooling becoming more common, you might be wondering if this could be an option for your child. There are many benefits to homeschooling, particularly for families who need to relocate frequently. Home education is not the best option for every child, as we understand that each individual has a different learning style. Alternative options that could be considered are remote tutoring or mentoring support.

 

This blog aims to help you identify whether homeschooling could be right for you and your child, by answering the following questions:

  • What is homeschooling?
  • Who might homeschooling be good for?
  • What are the benefits of homeschooling?
  • What are the alternatives to homeschooling?
  • How can Think Tutors help?

At Think Tutors, we offer homeschool tutoring support tailored to your child’s learning style and needs. You can contact us online to find out more about how we can support your child with tuition.

What Is Homeschooling?

Elective Home Education (EHE), commonly referred to as homeschooling, is where a child’s education occurs outside of school. Home education can be undertaken on a short-term or long-term basis, depending on what works best for you.

Your child’s education is extremely important, therefore you must think carefully when considering if homeschooling is right for your child. You might take the following questions into consideration:

  • Is homeschooling in your child’s best interests?
  • What does your child think about being home educated?
  • Do you have the time, resources and home environment to adequately educate your child?
  • Are there any alternatives to homeschooling that might suit your child better?
  • Do you, as a parent or guardian, have enough support from others? Homeschooling in the UK can be difficult and you need a good support system in place for yourself
  • What are your long-term intentions for your child’s education? Is homeschooling temporary, short-term or permanent?

At Think Tutors, our homeschool tutoring complements your child’s home education. Our expert tutors can travel around the world with you, if required, to ensure your child has educational stability no matter where they are. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help support your child’s educational journey.

Who Might Homeschooling Be Good For?

Homeschooling in the UK tends to be the most effective option for children and families for the following reasons:

  • Convenience – You may not have any issues with your child’s current education but want to go full time with a homeschool tutor because it is more convenient. Home education cuts down on travel expenses and saves you precious time that can be better spent elsewhere.
  • Health Issues – There can be hundreds, or even thousands, of children studying in a single school at any one time. If your child has health issues, keeping them away from the crowded school environment may help to protect from viruses or colds spread around the school. If your child has a mental health condition such as anxiety, the school environment can be overwhelming which could have a negative impact on their overall mental health.
  • Special Educational Needs – Sometimes, children with special educational needs do not have their requirements met in schools, particularly those that are not experienced or have the necessary facilities. Homeschooling is a personal, unique type of education that ensures your child’s requirements and special educational needs are met to help support them in their skills and growth, and most importantly making it a place they feel safe and happy.
  • Bullying – If your child is being bullied at school, or you feel that they are being treated unfairly by teachers, opting for homeschool tutoring support may help to prevent their education and mental well-being from being impacted in a negative way.
  • Relocation –  At Think Tutors, our homeschool tutors can travel with you around the world, and even relocate with you. We understand that, due to personal circumstances, some families have to relocate multiple times a year; this is common if someone within the household travels for work, or is in the armed  forces. As a result, one of the advantages of homeschooling is your child’s education will not be disrupted from frequently moving schools.
  • Covid-19 – The pandemic has seen a rise in homeschooling in the UK. Homeschooling can be undertaken on a short-term, temporary basis or can be made permanent for the entirety of your child’s school life. If you are concerned about the disruption that Covid-19 has had on your child’s education, or you still do not feel comfortable with your child mixing with other school children, you may opt to homeschool instead.

Homeschooling might not be the best option for all children, it is important to take that into consideration when thinking about home education for your child. If you do decide that homeschool tutoring is the best option for your child, you’ll need to take into consideration their current academic level. At Think Tutors, we offer academic assessments in each subject at every level, in order to help understand your child’s overall academic abilities including strengths and areas where additional support might be needed.

What are the benefits of Homeschooling?

Although homeschooling in the UK is not right for every child, there are many benefits of homeschooling that you should know about:

  • Unique, tailored learning – Homeschooling your child means  they receive a personalised education that is unique to them. Depending on what your child responds best to, what they enjoy, how they learn and their personal requirements, you can tailor their learning to get the most out of their homeschool tutoring.
  • Flexibility and freedom – Homeschooling in the UK does not need to follow the national curriculum which means your child has the freedom to study any subject they choose. This means they can concentrate on their strengths and weaknesses in different subjects. The flexibility of homeschooling is particularly useful during exam seasons as lessons can be adapted to prepare your child for their exams, whether that be through focusing on a specific subject or working on their time management skills.
  • Increased emotional and physical safety – One of the biggest advantages of homeschooling is that it removes your child from the school environment. This can protect their physical and emotional safety, for example, if they are being bullied or have mental or physical health conditions. If you are planning on removing your child from the school system for health reasons, our remote tutoring can complement your homeschooling efforts without your child leaving the house. Find out more about the benefits of remote tutoring, and whether this could be a good option for you and your child.
  • Stability – Children need stability to thrive, but Covid-19 has meant that the last two years have been uncertain. This may have been confusing and disruptive for your child’s education. One of the benefits of homeschooling is the stability it provides. Whether your family needs to relocate frequently, or if you are still cautious about Covid-19, UK homeschooling provides an alternative option to attending school.
  • Less stress – Homeschooling reduces stress for a child in many ways. Even if you decide to follow the national curriculum, you are able to follow it according to your child’s requirements, preventing unnecessary stress. Most schools have a heavy focus on mock assessments and exams, you can prepare your child for their exams according to their learning style.

There are many advantages of homeschooling, from flexibility to stability. You might however be concerned about your child’s socialisation skills if homeschooling, in this case there are other options such as, face to face tutoring support or even mentoring support which allows your child to attend school and can be provided outside of school hours.

 

Whether your child is in their younger years, or studying for their A Levels, Think Tutors provide tutoring support for all stages to help students flourish academically.

What are the Alternatives to Homeschooling?

If you are questioning whether homeschooling is the best option for your child, the answer could be no. Although there are many benefits of homeschooling, not all children will thrive in an elective home education environment. As a parent or guardian, you might also decide that homeschooling is not the right choice for you either.

 

You might decide against homeschooling for the following reasons:

  • Work-life balance – Your child’s home environment will also be their working environment, you might find that they struggle to maintain a work-life balance.
  • Reduction in socialisation – Although homeschooling can create experiences that are tailored to your child’s learning style, they will not experience the ‘standard’ experiences of a school pupil.

If you decide that homeschool tutoring is not the right choice for your child, there are alternatives to homeschooling that you should consider, such as:

Legal Responsibilities of Parents or Guardians

As a parent or guardian you take sole responsibility for the following:

 

  • Ensuring that your child is being adequately educated – You do not need to be the person who teaches your child. You could hire a homeschooling tutor or make use of online tutoring services, such as the tutoring support that Think Tutors offers.
  • All Costs – You must cover all the costs of education, including exam or assessment fees.
  • Any special educational needs/requirements – Local authorities are not required to provide extra support for your child, it is up to you to meet their requirements

Taking sole responsibility means that you could be held accountable by local authorities and be given a School Attendance Order if your child is not being adequately educated.

 

There are different types of homeschooling, so flexi-schooling is an option to consider if you are concerned about taking sole responsibility for your child’s education. Flexi-schooling means that your child splits their education between an education provider, such as a school, and home education.

Contact Think Tutors

There are many benefits of homeschooling in the UK because it provides unique learning opportunities that are tailored to your child’s personal requirements. Home education has the flexibility and freedom to focus on strengths and weaknesses of particular subjects, rather than being limited by the national curriculum. It is also more convenient as it reduces travel, time, and hassle if you frequently relocate, as our homeschool tutors can travel with you around the world.

 

If you are still wondering ‘is homeschooling right for my child?’ you might decide to consider alternatives to homeschooling, such as online tutoring or mentoring. Whether your child is studying for their GCSEs, A Levels or is in their younger years, we provide tailored tutoring services available to support them.

 

If you have an enquiry about homeschool tutoring, or you want to know more about our other tuition services or mentoring support, then please contact us and we will be in touch shortly.

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Homeschooling

Setting the Standard for Safeguarding in Private Tuition

Private Tutoring and Home Educating

The past 12 months of lockdown and social distancing behaviours have impacted the education sector at all levels. With schools closed for considerable periods, exam schedules torn up and some exam results ending in political headaches, it has been a tough year for schools, colleges and universities.

 

These shortcomings have highlighted the suitability of private tuition as a supplement to the problems listed above, as parents are rightly worried about the choices their children will have in the future. Private tuition can offer dedicated, one-to-one focus from a qualified tutor to help beat the uncertainty and give a child the support they deserve.

 

The recognition of this fact has led to an increase in the number of companies who are offering tuition services, often competing on price rather than quality in order to gain as much ground in the marketplace as possible. More and more evidence has emerged that, in the process of doing so, some companies are sidestepping critically important safeguarding elements that are so important to working with children.

Safeguarding

As a well-established and trusted provider of private tuition, Think Tutors has a safeguarding process that is unrivalled in its thoroughness. At the heart of this process is the fact that we treat all our tutors as a community, who share our values and strive to offer the best quality tuition to every child we work with.

 

We do not operate like many agencies do – our tutors are well known to us and we work with them in a way that benefits the child the most. From the very outset, our onboarding process is designed to evaluate the quality and suitability of tutors to work with our clients.

 

This begins with a formal interview, during which we take the time to find out about the tutor’s motivations in order to give us an understanding of how they can support the children we work with. All our tutors undergo an Enhanced DBS check, which is reviewed yearly. They are also requested to undertake, unless they otherwise have, a Safeguarding Children Level 2 course, providing an up-to-date knowledge of policies, guidance and legislation.

 

We also check two references from each tutor and explore questions related to safeguarding in their previous roles to determine suitability. We perform document and identity checks in order to satisfy ourselves that the tutors are who they say they are.

 

Once we are confident in a tutor’s abilities and satisfied that they have met all our safeguarding checks, we then send out our comprehensive onboarding pack, with codes of conduct, policies and agreements for tutors to read and sign.

 

If you would like to work with Think Tutors, or have any questions about our safeguarding process, please do get in touch.