Month: November 2022

Categories
School Admissions

Independent School Admissions: The 11+ London Consortium

Which Schools Use the London Consortium?

 

Fourteen schools use the Consortium Test; however, more may start to use it in the years to come. Currently, the schools that use it are:

 

  • Channing, Francis Holland (Regent’s Park and Sloane Square), Godolphin and Latymer, More House, Northwood College, Notting Hill and Ealing High School, Queens College London, Queens Gate, South Hampstead High School, St Augustine’s Priory, St Helen’s, St James Senior Girls’, and St Margaret’s School.

 

What is the London Consortium 11+ Test?

 

For schools within the Consortium, it is only necessary to take one test. The test focusses on mathematics and verbal reasoning, with a particular focus on the non-verbal element. This enables the Consortium to capture students’ creative and visual intelligence in relation to problem-solving and design. It is useful as it can match candidates to the school that fits their profile the best.

When and Where do You Take the Test?

 

The test takes 100 minutes to complete and is taken in Year 6 at the candidates current school. If the candidate does not have a school, the Consortium will ensure that provision is made so that every child has an equal opportunity, regardless of context or background. The schools will administer the cognitive reasoning test on the same day, with each school following the same process.

 

What is the ‘Three Assessment’ Approach?

 

There are three elements of the process that assesses each applicant’s academic ability and potential, making the 11+ Consortium stand out from other entry routes.

 

The first is the fact it is an age standardised measure of ability. Secondly, that it involves a common reference form that schools can use to assess wider contextual information, such as more detail on academic performance, attitudes, and character. This will be obtained from the Head of the candidate’s current school. Thirdly and finally, this approach involves an interview, which further explores the skills, aptitude, and intellectual ability of each applicant.

 

The interview is an excellent opportunity for students to prepare and present their best selves to their preferred school. It covers family, favourite subjects, extracurricular activities, hobbies, achievements, and ambitions while covering character strengths and weaknesses.

 

Our tutors have a 100% success rate with school admissions, and are well equipped to prepare students for the entire process. We ensure that both confidence and ultimately performance are maximised through careful and bespoke planning.

 

What are the Deadlines to Consider?

 

Th deadline to apply for the test usually falls in November, with assessment taking place on various dates in early December. The candidate will then receive an offer by early February, by which time they will have until early March to accept or decline the offer made by the respective school.

 

Contact Think Tutors

 

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors elite tutors or mentors is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the application process for private education. With a 100% school admission success rate, our tutors are adept at enhancing performance through repetition, careful preparation, and confidence building.

 

We can either provide hourly or full-time tuition, in addition to homeschooling. We can organise tuition wherever and whenever, with the option of in-person or online tuition. Please contact us if you are interested in finding a tutor to help your child feel confident and succeed in their studies.

Categories
Topical

How Private Tuition Can Help During the Christmas Break

We provide a diverse range of elite tutors and mentors that can ensure that all of our pupils feel motivated and inspired by education, from the early years to university. From math tuition to perfecting an essay technique, Think Tutors can help your family take a well-deserved break while taking care of education and learning. We can arrange for hourly or full-time private tuition to ensure that your child makes the most of the Christmas holiday.

 

GCSE Tuition

 

We understand that each child thrives with a bespoke education. It could be that a student finds that a difficult topic requires more attention, such as how to effectively analyse text in English Language or how to determine Algebra in Maths. Some may need revision sessions for an important exam or assistance with completing coursework to a high standard. The extra time available during the Christmas period allows for greater focus on these areas.

 

Understanding the pressures that a student may be challenged with, such as mock results before or after Christmas, can be eased with one-to-one tuition. We are passionate at eradicating such worries by instilling a foundation for learning that will both increase motivation, confidence and drive results. We can offer in-person or online tuition to provide a personalised service that works for the entire family.

 

A Level Tuition

 

Students completing their A-Levels are challenged by the pressures of self-study and individual learning. Although this is an important ability to master in preparation for university and life beyond school, it can be difficult to achieve without proper support and guidance.

 

We understand that examinations and coursework loom over students of all abilities. At Think Tutors, we can offer professional, elite tutors and mentors who provide specialist academic advice to alleviate stress and improve performance. With at least 5 years of tuition experience and unrivalled subject knowledge, our tutors are uniquely placed to ensure the Christmas period is as productive as possible.

 

University Tuition

 

Our tutors were educated at Oxbridge and leading Russell Group universities, thus we are acutely aware of how to guide pupils to academic excellence. With tutors covering every subject at every level, we ensure that your child has the best chance of success in coursework, dissertations, and exams.

 

With little one-on-one support available at university, students may be unsure where to turn in times of confusion and uncertainty. Our tutors ensure that students at this level can think critically and independently, instilling in all students a strong mentality and drive. Tutors and mentors are experts in their subjects, many of them researchers at the top of their fields. This enthusiasm is passed on to the students, who develop an unbreakable work ethic and desire to succeed. Students will enter the new year with a renewed sense of clarity and understanding of their course, ready to tackle any challenge that comes their way.

 

Contact Think Tutors

 

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors’ elite teachers or mentors is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the Christmas period. Our teachers are adept at enhancing performance through repetition, careful preparation, and confidence building. Please contact us if you are interested in finding a tutor to help your child feel confident and succeed in their studies.

 

Categories
University Admissions

University Applications: The Process

Although university open days are useful to make an informed decision on where you would like to attend, in depth research into the potential course, university, accommodations, and city is necessary to ensure that the final decision is the right one. For further clarification, please head to our university admissions page for more information as to how we can help provide a clear voice in the process.

 

Application

 

To start off the process, an account on the UCAS website must be created, which consists of the completion of five main areas: personal details, courses, qualifications, a personal statement, and 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.

 

Our teachers have been drawn from the UK’s elite universities and have extensive experience assisting students in their efforts to gain admission to the universities of their choice. With success in various entrance exams, essays, and interviews, Think Tutors has a wide array of tutors to give both clarity and confidence in the application process.

 

Institutional Decisions

 

Following the submission of an application to UCAS, the Track portal will keep them updated and notify them of any decisions made by their preferred institutions. It is important to note that applicants are unable to reply to any offers until a decision has been made by all of the institutions. Universities will make one of three decisions. Offer a place that is either unconditional or conditional on the grades achieved in the summer of 2023. An invitation to an interview before making a final decision is especially common in courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Education, Music, and Art. Finally, they may inform the student that their application was unsuccessful.

 

Responding to Offers

 

After receiving all five offers back from their selected universities, the applicant must then decide which should be their first and second choices. Completed through UCAS, their first choice will be their ‘firm choice’, and their second choice will be their ‘insurance choice’. This decision should not be rushed, as the deadline to do this is June 8th. It is recommended that the insurance choice be one that has lower grade boundaries than the firm choice, but the decision is entirely up to the applicant.

 

Deadlines

 

The general UCAS application deadline is January 25, 2023, at 6 p.m. UK time. However, it is no longer possible for entry into Oxbridge and courses such as medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine, with the 15th of October as the deadline for 2023 entry. Please contact us if you have any questions about applying to Oxford or Cambridge in 2024. Many of our private tutors and academic mentors have studied at Oxbridge and are acutely aware of what is required for a successful entry.

 

Contact Think Tutors

 

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors’ elite teachers or mentors is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the application process for university. Our teachers are adept at enhancing performance through repetition, careful preparation, and confidence building. Please contact us if you are interested in finding a tutor to help your child feel confident and succeed in their studies.

Categories
School Admissions

Admissions Guide: Westminster School

98% of students achieved grades 7-9 at GCSE, with 25 students achieving straight 9s. Outstanding grades continue at A-Level, with 70% of students achieving straight A*s and 98% of Westminster students awarded A*-B. 94% of students progressed to their first-choice university.

 

82 pupils were offered places at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, while others chose to study at UCL (University College London), Imperial, and LSE (London School of Economics) in London. 22 of their pupils went to study in America at prestigious Ivy League colleges such as Stanford, Columbia, and Yale. Popular course choices by Westminster alumni were Medicine, Mathematics, History, Languages, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

 

Stage 1: Registration

 

For 13 plus admissions, the school takes on around 130 boys a year, a mix of day and boarding pupils. Around half of those boys will progress from Westminster Under, with the remainder progressing from a vast range of feeder schools such as Sussex House, Hall School, and Dulwich Prep. The school makes it clear that it does not accept those who are applying for 11 plus at Westminster Under at the same time as 13 plus. The first step is to register your son when he is in Year 5, the academic year that includes his tenth birthday. This can be done on the Westminster website.

 

Entrance to the sixth form opens yearly, with the next available entrance in September 2024. At this stage, about 200 boys and girls enter the Sixth Form, with around 120 progressing internally.

 

The school encourages that you check that your child is the correct age for registration via the registration checker on their website; this is also where you can apply for 13 or 16 plus entry. Notably, entrance to the school is incredibly competitive. Tuition from one of our school admission experts can guide your child to success in both exams and interviews to study at elite private education institutions.

 

Stage 2: School Visit and Pre-Interview Tests

 

The next stage of the process is to visit the school in one of the two open days that they have yearly. Westminster highly recommends this part of the admission process as it allows parents and child alike to learn in detail what the school can offer for your child’s academic and personal development.

 

Think Tutors can help organise school visits for you and your child. With links to top independent schools, we can ensure that you have a clear idea of the school in preparation for your visit.

 

13 Plus Admissions

 

Westminster uses results from the ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board) Common Pre-tests, reports from the candidates’ present school, and a Pre-Interview test to assess a child at 13 plus. These tests are taken online, and the child is assessed on Mathematics, English and Reasoning. Think Tutors are au fait with the ISEB Common Pre-Tests and can ensure that your child has an advantage at this stage of their admission, which is critical to guaranteeing an interview.

 

16 Plus Admissions

 

For entry into the sixth form, pupils are required to sit tests in their four chosen subjects that they will undertake at A Level. Each test can take from 45 minutes to 1 hour, varying in questions and the need for subject knowledge. Tests differ from subject to subject. Examinations are taken at Westminster, typically in the first week of November.

 

Stage 3: Interviews

 

13 Plus Admissions

 

Children who have performed well in the ISEB Common Pre-Test will be contacted for an interview, usually around mid-December. In addition to an interview, this stage also includes two tests in Mathematics and English. Both these tests take 40 minutes each to complete and are taken in early January. The interview will be on a separate day in late January or early February.

 

16 Plus Admissions

 

Students who were both successful and unsuccessful at the pre-interview tests will be notified in late November. Those who performed most strongly will be invited for an interview but will be required to complete a personal statement prior to the interview. The process will include: 20-minute interviews for each subject, a 40-minute thinking skills assessment, and a general interview.

 

Stage 4: Offer of a place

 

13 Plus Admissions

 

Success in all stages will lead to an unconditional offer, made on the expectation that the boy continues his current academic trajectory and good conduct. If not immediately offered an unconditional place, the pupil may be placed on the waiting list and, when spaces become available, be promoted to an unconditional place.

 

16 Plus Admissions

 

If successful, pupils will be contacted in the first week of December. The offer will be subject to the student achieving a minimum of eight GCSE/IGCSE grades of 7, with at least four subjects scoring grades 8 (preferably in the subjects they will be studying at A Level). Furthermore, the successful students will be invited to spend a day at the school in March to become acquainted with their fellow pupils, meet existing pupils, be assigned to a House, and meet their Housemaster. Similarly, to 13 plus, some candidates will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if they are offered a place later in the year.

 

Contact Think Tutors

 

Organising tuition or mentoring with one of Think Tutors elite tutors or mentors is an excellent way to gain an advantage in the application process for private education. With a 100% school admission success rate, our teachers are adept at enhancing performance through repetition, careful preparation, and confidence building. Please contact us if you are interested in finding a tutor to help your child feel confident and succeed in their studies.