What is UKiset, UKiset Prep and how can Gabbitas help?

If you’re reading this article now, you may already be contemplating UKiset and how it may benefit you or your child to take it. Furthermore, you may be wondering how you can possibly prepare for a test as challenging as UKiset. So, we have asked our Assessment Manager to break down our own UKiset preparation service and explain why you should be considering it if you’re taking the assessment.

 

Q: What is UKiset?

UKiset is a standardised test that efficiently compares international students to their peers who have been in British schools all their lives. It is a computerised test which is designed to adapt to the student as they answer questions. Anyone from the age of 9.5 to 18 years old can take the test.

After the student has taken the test, the UKiset team can send a UKiset report to schools which provides valuable information on a student’s current level, as well as their academic potential. This type of assessment tool is especially important for international students as it bolsters their application with credible evidence that they can compete within the system.

UKiset tests students on some of the fundamental skills required to thrive in the British independent school system. The skills tested are English, maths, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. UKiset uses various methods, including an essay question and comprehension tasks, to get a more well-rounded view of how a student may perform at their desired schools.

 

Q: What makes it so challenging to prepare for independently?

UKiset is notorious for being a well-guarded assessment tool. Sample papers are not issued and it can be hard to get to grips with unfamiliar styles of questions, such as the non-verbal reasoning questions. Many students will not have come across these types of questions in their daily schooling so may not completely understand what the question is asking. However, these questions are a reliable way of seeing a student’s problem-solving skills and logic.

My advice to those looking to prepare for the UKiset is to focus on the fundamental English and maths skills, vocabulary and grammar being very important, as well as knowing their times tables up to 12. I would also recommend taking the time to practice spatial reasoning questions, as the more familiar the student becomes with the style of questions, the easier it will be to recognise patterns.

 

Q: How can Gabbitas help you prepare to take UKiset?

Gabbitas has been offering high quality tuition for over a century in various subjects from the Sciences to the Arts. Our tutors are all DBS-checked and many hold more than one degree including doctorates, masters and even degrees in Medicine, all awarded by prestigious universities. Our most recent venture has been the UKiset preparation service, otherwise known as ‘UKiset Prep’.

 

Q: So what is UKiset Prep and how does it work?

Our UKiset Prep service provides one tutor for all aspects tested in UKiset. We aim to put the student at the centre of their own learning to fully engage them and encourage them to fulfil their potential. UKiset Prep has been designed to provide targeted tutoring to really focus on those areas where a student feels less confident or tends to score lower.

This targeted learning is established through a pre-assessment designed by our assessment team to reflect the actual test as much as possible. In summary, it has a non-verbal reasoning section, a maths section, and an English section that each vary in difficulty depending on the age of the student, as well as their initial English level.

The pre-assessment is analysed by the assessment team and the student is given areas to focus on. At Gabbitas, we involve the parents and student in their learning plan as much as possible to ensure that we are providing the most suitable tuition. For example, when a student is found to learn more efficiently from visual prompts, our tutors tailor their methods to engage the student and deliver outstanding results.

 

Q: What’s different about Gabbitas’ UKiset Prep service?

At Gabbitas we understand that the tutoring market is highly saturated. It can be a deeply confusing experience for parents and student to find the tutor or agency that is the perfect fit for them. We know that to produce the best results, communication is key.

Throughout the process of selecting the most suitable tutor and onwards during tuition, we aim to provide thorough, consistent feedback that puts client experience at the heart. Each student is unique and learns in their own way. Gabbitas listens to all concerns, queries and requests and works to deliver a bespoke learning experience that takes into account a student’s individual requirements.

We’re known for delivering exceptional results, with the vast majority of our students achieving their desired goal and beginning their exciting new journey into the British independent school system, with Gabbitas providing support every step of the way.

 

Q: How do I get in touch to receive UKiset preparation from Gabbitas and when can I start?

To register your interest in UKiset Prep, contact Lina Baubliene, our UKisetPrep Consultant, directly at linabaubliene@ukiset.com or call our mainline on +44 (0) 7767883914.

 

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What is UKiset, UKiset Prep and how can Gabbitas help?

If you’re reading this article now, you may already be contemplating UKiset and how it may benefit you or your child to take it. Furthermore, you may be wondering how you can possibly prepare for a test as challenging as UKiset. So, we have asked our Assessment Manager to break down our own UKiset preparation service and explain why you should be considering it if you’re taking the assessment.

 

Q: What is UKiset?

UKiset is a standardised test that efficiently compares international students to their peers who have been in British schools all their lives. It is a computerised test which is designed to adapt to the student as they answer questions. Anyone from the age of 9.5 to 18 years old can take the test.

After the student has taken the test, the UKiset team can send a UKiset report to schools which provides valuable information on a student’s current level, as well as their academic potential. This type of assessment tool is especially important for international students as it bolsters their application with credible evidence that they can compete within the system.

UKiset tests students on some of the fundamental skills required to thrive in the British independent school system. The skills tested are English, maths, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. UKiset uses various methods, including an essay question and comprehension tasks, to get a more well-rounded view of how a student may perform at their desired schools.

 

Q: What makes it so challenging to prepare for independently?

UKiset is notorious for being a well-guarded assessment tool. Sample papers are not issued and it can be hard to get to grips with unfamiliar styles of questions, such as the non-verbal reasoning questions. Many students will not have come across these types of questions in their daily schooling so may not completely understand what the question is asking. However, these questions are a reliable way of seeing a student’s problem-solving skills and logic.

My advice to those looking to prepare for the UKiset is to focus on the fundamental English and maths skills, vocabulary and grammar being very important, as well as knowing their times tables up to 12. I would also recommend taking the time to practice spatial reasoning questions, as the more familiar the student becomes with the style of questions, the easier it will be to recognise patterns.

 

Q: How can Gabbitas help you prepare to take UKiset?

Gabbitas has been offering high quality tuition for over a century in various subjects from the Sciences to the Arts. Our tutors are all DBS-checked and many hold more than one degree including doctorates, masters and even degrees in Medicine, all awarded by prestigious universities. Our most recent venture has been the UKiset preparation service, otherwise known as ‘UKiset Prep’.

 

Q: So what is UKiset Prep and how does it work?

Our UKiset Prep service provides one tutor for all aspects tested in UKiset. We aim to put the student at the centre of their own learning to fully engage them and encourage them to fulfil their potential. UKiset Prep has been designed to provide targeted tutoring to really focus on those areas where a student feels less confident or tends to score lower.

This targeted learning is established through a pre-assessment designed by our assessment team to reflect the actual test as much as possible. In summary, it has a non-verbal reasoning section, a maths section, and an English section that each vary in difficulty depending on the age of the student, as well as their initial English level.

The pre-assessment is analysed by the assessment team and the student is given areas to focus on. At Gabbitas, we involve the parents and student in their learning plan as much as possible to ensure that we are providing the most suitable tuition. For example, when a student is found to learn more efficiently from visual prompts, our tutors tailor their methods to engage the student and deliver outstanding results.

 

Q: What’s different about Gabbitas’ UKiset Prep service?

At Gabbitas we understand that the tutoring market is highly saturated. It can be a deeply confusing experience for parents and student to find the tutor or agency that is the perfect fit for them. We know that to produce the best results, communication is key.

Throughout the process of selecting the most suitable tutor and onwards during tuition, we aim to provide thorough, consistent feedback that puts client experience at the heart. Each student is unique and learns in their own way. Gabbitas listens to all concerns, queries and requests and works to deliver a bespoke learning experience that takes into account a student’s individual requirements.

We’re known for delivering exceptional results, with the vast majority of our students achieving their desired goal and beginning their exciting new journey into the British independent school system, with Gabbitas providing support every step of the way.

 

Q: How do I get in touch to receive UKiset preparation from Gabbitas and when can I start?

To register your interest in UKiset Prep, contact Lina Baubliene, our UKisetPrep Consultant, directly at linabaubliene@ukiset.com or call our mainline on +44 (0) 7767883914.

 

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It’s that time of the year again – mocks exams are looming after the winter break.  So the upcoming holiday will require some time spent on revision…But what is the best way to survive the rigours of revision and how do you make sure your child is making the best of their time? In this blog, we share our top tips for revision and how you can help your child.

Draw up a revision timetable

Plan what you are going to do each day and how much time you are going to spend on it. This way you won’t waste time pottering around thinking about what to do and finding the right books, you can hit the decks running. Don’t waste lots of time making this look pretty – tempting but that does not count as revision.

 

Plan your time well

No-one can focus for longer than 30 minutes effectively, so allow yourself 45 minute slots. This will give you time to get set up , to have 30 minutes of effective revision and then 10 minutes at the end to review what you have done or test yourself.

 

Factor in short breaks

5-10 minutes is ample, longer than that and you will start getting distracted by other things and lose momentum. Use this time for fixing a drink, grabbing a healthy snack or running around the garden to get some fresh air and exercise.

 

Don’t let revision take up your whole day

If you have planned to do 4 hours a day get up early and get it over and done with by lunch time.  Then you have the whole of the rest of the day free.  Or split it with 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening.  It’s important you keep a balance and you will resent the revision far less if you have other things to look forward to in the day.

 

Find a quiet place to work

Once located, make sure it is set up with all the pens, paper books etc you need. Ask other people to respect this space and recognise that you are working and not to be disturbed.  Try to eliminate as many distractions from this space as possible, keep your phone turned off when you are revising and turn off email alerts on your computer too!

 

Make summary notes

This has proved to be the most successful way of memorising information. Summarise the information from your original notes, then summarise the summary. See if you can get each topic down to one side of A4 or try using index cards for revision notes.

 

Use colours and mind maps in your revision notes

Colourful notes are more easily absorbed by the brain than black and white ones! Write key points on coloured post it notes and stick them around the house – the bathroom mirror is a particularly good place!

 

Remember, revision is only part of the equation

You also need to master exam technique to score the really good grades. Do plenty of past papers in each subject so that you are thoroughly familiar with the style of questions and what is expected. Do some of these in timed conditions to get a feel for what it will be like to complete a whole paper in one sitting.

 

Start your revision early

The longer you have the more prepared you can be. Cramming might create a feel-good factor when a subject is covered in a single afternoon, however, the study of ‘spaced repetition’ demonstrates that studying a subject for one hour a day every day for a week results in greater recall, as the brain can only remember five to seven bits of new information at a time.

 

Finally – try to relax!

Feeling stressed about revision? Try practicing mindfulness to help manage anxiety and tension. Focus on the moment and allow feelings to come and go. Use breathing exercises to slow down the heart and reduce tension.

Luke Baerschmidt is in his final year at Sedbergh School and has been predicted great grades in his A’ Levels.  Luke is applying for a degree in Business Analytics and knows he will have to deliver on those predictions to secure his place.  Here are the tech tips he is using to help him study and revise.

For the average teenager, studying and revision isn’t the first thing on our minds and for lots of us it’s hard to get things done without a nudge in the right direction.  But with the pressure mounting it’s time to get serious and I have found these 4 tools vital in helping me achieve my mock results and buckle down for next year.

Tool 1: Cold Turkey

The first revision tool is the foundation of how I start my revising, as for myself I know that I can’t do any work if I have distractions all around me. This app, ‘Cold Turkey’ shuts down any incoming notifications during set periods of time that you choose to fit your timetable.  I find it incredibly helpful as it gives me my own bubble to concentrate and work and without it I would find it much harder to get things done. An alternative to this is ‘Forest’, it is a softer form of shutting yourself off from the world. With this one you keep your phone on that app only whilst you revise, you start with a seed which grows to a tree and the longer you revise the bigger your forest grows.  It’s satisfying for those who enjoy a subtle reward for hard work.

 

Tool 2: Grammarly

The second tool I use is ‘Grammarly.’ When writing essays or projects I find this tool very valuable for the final draft; it checks all your grammar and word choice based on set criteria that you choose, whether it is to inform or explain to experts or beginners and it sculpts your form of writing around that set criteria. In fact, I even checked this entire piece on it!   Another feature that I like about this tool is the analytical check, this tells you the rarity of the words you use and the average length of each word which then gives you a performance score and a summary and I find that helpful for seeing how my work would appear to a professional.

 

Tool 3: Simplemind

The third tool is ‘Simplemind’, I use this for mind maps to keep all the information clear. It is super easy to use and you can print off the finished map. I use it mainly for my Psychology work and I could claim that this was the main reason for my A* prediction for this subject!

 

Tool 4: School Planner

Lastly, ‘School Planner’ is essential for organising my work and keeping on top of it. It is a super simple tool that records your daily activities and work and also leaves gaps for sport and social time since you have to have that vice. The nice thing for me is that it builds in a weekly report of if you are keeping up with your schedule which I use as a form of guilt trip if I can’t complete my weekly tasks.