1. We’re looking to place my daughter in a UK boarding school next September, but as we are living overseas, we’re not really sure how to manage the process of shortlisting and visiting schools. What would you advise?

Answered by Anastasia Hatvany, Senior Education Consultant and SEN Specialist

One of the first things you need to establish before you start looking at new schools is your daughter’s academic level. You want a school where your daughter will sit comfortably amongst her peers. Prospective boarding schools will also want to know what your daughter can offer to them — both in terms of academics and extracurricular.

At boarding schools, children become totally immersed in their surroundings, and what they give, they get back tenfold. With this in mind, look at the school and see what they offer to the child: will your daughter be able to get involved with school life?

As you’re abroad, I’d advise you to look at full-boarding options, as everyone tends to stay in during the weekends. Even if there is the occasional quiet weekend, Saturdays will still comprise of lessons in the morning and sports fixtures in the afternoon, and many schools are keen to keep weekends as busy and as purposeful as weekdays.

Visits and open days are imperative. Do go on these if you are able to, as they are the best way to gauge a school’s atmosphere and ethos. You’ll also get to see how pupils interact with one another and engage with their teachers, and in turn see how the staff interact with parents.

Many schools are now offering in-person tours, so try and go for an open day, and then after schedule a private visit. Having said this, Zoom is still a very good way to view a school and there are plenty of excellent virtual open days.

Look at reviews, listen to word of mouth, but most importantly have confidence in yourself as a parent — you will know in your gut if a school is right for your daughter.

 

2. Is it a good idea to move my daughter to a new school for sixth form – she’s mentioned that she might like a ‘change of scene’ but we’re not sure how easy it is to make the transition and how this might impact her academically and socially?

Answered by Anastasia Hatvany, Senior Education Consultant and SEN Specialist

If you’re looking to move your daughter for sixth form, ideally you need to have started shortlisting schools by the end of year 10. Many schools tend to have closed their registrations by the end of September, and by the very latest, the end of October, as many of their candidate assessments take place during October.

Many children — whether they joined their current school at 11 or 13 — can find the change refreshing, but please bear in mind that this needs to be a very considered decision as she is at a critical age. The process will not only take up valuable time that she could use for GCSE revision, but she will also be leaving behind friends and a structure that she has been used to for at least three years.

Remember that competition is often tough for sixth form places, and some schools will have a limited number of spaces; rejection can be disheartening.

Your daughter’s current teachers and pastoral staff know her academic ability and level of wellbeing, so be sure to consult them for their thoughts on the matter. Ask your daughter her reasons for a scene change; for example, is she looking for a change in curriculum, or is she looking for a better cultural fit?

If you’re thinking of moving her from a day to a boarding school, this is often an excellent steppingstone for higher education. She’s likely to develop better organisational skills and grow in independence, all in the comfort of school’s safety net therefore meaning moving to university won’t come as such a shock.

Alternatively, she may be wanting to move closer to home with less school structure. Many children grow out of the school bubble before higher education, and flourish when working more independently.

Overall, I would urge you to research what is out there and bring your daughter on board the decision-making process. She will be able to give you a better idea of what she believes she is missing which should help shape the final decision.

 

3. My son has his heart set on going to veterinary school but knows it’s highly competitive and he needs to prove aptitude as well as academic ability. What can he do to improve his chances of acceptance?

Answered by Sarah Oshun-Williams, Client Account Manager

The methods of improving your chances of acceptance to veterinary school are very similar to those of getting into professions like medicine or law; work experience is essential.

Besides academic ability, he will need to prove his knowledge of the field and enthusiasm to pursue this route. Therefore, he should try to volunteer or shadow as many vets and animal practices as he can, as this will allow your son to showcase his motivation and interest in the field when writing his personal statement. Many universities do however understand that at times it’s hard for candidates to gain experience, so they do not demand months of work under candidates’ belts, instead just enough to show an interest and an aptitude for veterinary.

Work experience will also help your son to be sure that this is the field he’d like to pursue, as it can be a gruelling process. His time at university will be comprised of a lot of exams, laboratory-based anatomy and a lot of contact hours, so it is imperative that he is prepared for the training.

Research is equally as important. There are currently only 10 veterinary schools in the UK, of which you can only apply to 4, so researching the benefits and structure of each course is key to ensure you’re aware of the different requirements, entry procedures and to select the options that are most suitable.

Regarding how he might improve his academic ability, it’s worth considering tutoring. Many agencies — like Gabbitas — have tutors who are experts in their chosen field and some who specialise in veterinary school applications. This will help your son to prepare for any interviews, additional admissions tests, and to know what to expect from the course. A tutor can also be useful in helping him revise for his exams, to ensure that he meets his offer requirements.

If you would like to find out more about our tutors, please contact us at info@gabbitas.com, or head to our tutoring page to see some of the services we offer.

 

---

This article was originally published in the Autumn/Winter 2021 edition of Absolutely Education

1. Our two sons are close in age and also very competitive. Teachers have suggested it might be a good idea to choose separate senior schools so they each thrive as individuals. Can your school placement team advise on what we need to consider in making the decision and the pros and cons of splitting them up?

Answered by Anastasia Hatvany, Senior Education Consultant and SEN Specialist

It is lovely for siblings to have a ‘shared education’, being able to reminisce over the breakfast table about the funny mannerisms of the Latin teacher, or the quality of the food in the canteen, but unfortunately sometimes the same school is not the right option. Children have a great sense of identity and fundamental ‘fairness’, meaning that rivalry can easily be started when one may be performing better than the other academically (or socially). This is obviously not healthy and should be avoided to the best of everyone’s ability.

When choosing different schools for siblings, it is important that parents keep in mind that it should be a considered and sensitive decision. It is imperative to analyse the schools properly, so that both are on level ground to avoid any potential issues of unfairness that might arise.

For instance, if one school has family ties — perhaps a parent or grandparent attended — but the other does not, it would be perhaps best to avoid.
Logistics are another factor to keep in mind. The first person your sons will look for when they score a try or take a bow is you, so it is important that both schools are within similar distance to home so that one can easily get there. This is also something to keep in mind if you are looking at boarding: you do not want one son feeling that he has been sent further away than his brother and therefore sees you less.

I would advise that you try to make sure that both schools are also on a similar level regarding academics, sport, drama, and co-curricular activities. Children should be proud of their school. If a child is happy, they are confident, and when confident they will thrive as an individual and reach their academic potential.

 

2. I’ve been told that as my daughter wants to attend a UK independent school, it would be a good idea to take UKiset so her knowledge and potential can be accurately assessed. Can you explain more about the UKiset process and how schools use it?

Answered by Xanthe Lynden, Assessment Manager

The UK Independent School Entry Test (UKiset), is a standardised assessment that effectively compares international students with their counterparts who have been in the British curriculum all their lives. As well as helping schools understand a student’s level of English, the resulting report generated by the assessment provides credible information on how a student like your daughter may perform within the school environment, as well as her aptitude for certain subjects.

Many people like UKiset as the process is a relatively simple one. Registration is quick and easy, and once the test has been taken, students can choose to send their report to up to 5 different British independent schools (or if they prefer, to none at all).

As well as having test centres across the globe, UKiset are now offering online invigilation, meaning that your daughter can take the test without having to organise travel, which of course has been made difficult due to the pandemic.

Note that there is more to the UKiset than just testing a student’s aptitude. When preparing to take the test, your daughter will learn valuable skills which will help ready her for other school entrance exams, as well as give her those skills required for academic success in the independent school system.

It is important to remember that each school will have different requirements and benchmarks for their applicants, however it is undoubtable that a UKiset report will only serve to strengthen your daughter’s applications. It will also give you a good insight as to where she is at currently in her academic career, which give you the chance to help her improve in any areas needed.

At Gabbitas we have recently launched our accredited UKiset Prep service, if you’d like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to contact me via info@gabbitas.com

 

3. My daughter is unhappy at school and this is now reflected in her behaviour and progress. We’re looking to move her but are concerned about how current school reports will impact future school choices. How best should we go about finding a school where she will be welcomed and also have a chance to thrive?

Answered by Paul Kelly, Senior Education Consultant

Unfavourable school reports are an issue that many parents face, and it can be daunting to get to the bottom of the reasons why. It is especially frustrating when they can interfere with attempts to enter a new school, where one’s child may perform better. It is important to treat this as an opportunity to use the problem to your advantage, and consequently help your daughter achieve her academic potential whilst also being happy.

My advice is to first talk to your daughter in an effort to establish why this is happening. Tell her that you recognise that she is unhappy, and you are thinking of changing her school. It could encourage her to talk about the issues she faces. Knowing these issues is beneficial for you too, as it will allow you to approach new schools more easily.

In some cases, it can be better to get an objective outsider — such as a family friend or education consultant — to talk to her, as conversations between parent and child, especially relating to this subject matter, can be emotionally charged and therefore inconclusive.

Regarding finding the best school for your daughter, you should undoubtedly look for somewhere with great pastoral care, as your daughter may be entering at an unusual point of entry. It’s also a case of analysing current issues; is the current school boarding? Maybe try looking at Day schools closer to home. Is it a big school? Perhaps your daughter may prefer a smaller, more intimate learning space.

Think about her subjects. If your daughter is sitting her A-levels, schools understand that sometimes the wrong subjects are chosen, or perhaps she might be better suited to the IB? If she is studying GCSEs, there may be a subject she is more passionate about — use this to your advantage when approaching schools.

Approaching the next school can be a tricky process, so if you’d like some impartial advice on next steps or help liaising with schools, please contact us at info@gabbitas.com.

 

---

This article was originally published in the Summer 2021 edition of Absolutely Education

Original Source: Better Education

 

When you wave your little one off to their first day of school, the prospect of university and career choices feels light years away. But then someone presses fast forward and there you are in Year 9 having to make subject choices that could impact on your child’s opportunities later on in life. How do you know if dropping History rather than Geography will rule you out of being a future Prime Minister? By picking Business Studies over Economics means that a career in high finance may be compromised? And all of this is happening when your child is only 13 or 14 years old!

We always advise students that rather than gazing into a crystal ball it is better to take action with some career profiling; this will highlight their strengths and guide them to explore a variety of suitable options. Taking this long term perspective can be hugely helpful for making confident choices for GCSE’s or the equivalent. Objective profiling gives clear guidance and can reassure families that the subject choices made at this stage need not be life defining.

Roll forward another two years and then it is a different scenario…..the post 16 choices a student makes starts charting a much more specific course.

The first decision to be made is which curriculum to study at 6^th form (Year 12 and 13) level. The International Baccalaureate offers academic rigour and a chance to study a wide range of subjects.  However, this broad based programme is not for everyone; for some children the thought of battling on for two more years with subjects they do not want to study can be torture. And, if the end game is to achieve the highest possible grades for university entrance, then is risking low scores in subjects that do not come naturally worth the risk?  A Levels offer a more focused approach but here you are confined to studying only 3 subjects, 4 at a maximum. Is it really possible aged 16 to know which 3 subjects are going to equip you for life? Or maybe you are thinking about the French Baccalaureate system, but even here you have to pick a particular pathway which will steer you towards certain university degrees and potential career paths.

The good news is that all of these qualifications are globally recognised at universities across the world and some of them are even credit bearing for courses in the US. But how do you make such a critical decision when it’s hard to know what you will be doing next month, let alone in 10 years’ time? Again we find some objective profiling is valuable here. Assessing a students’ interest levels for particular degrees and then ‘health checking’ their suitability to study these areas can be a good way of evaluating where their strengths lie and how best to turn those to academic advantage. It is also useful at this decision making point to work out what the expectations are for the next level of education. To be a competitive applicant to study Economics at LSE, for example, it is sensible to be studying Maths at the highest possible level; and nothing is more heart-breaking than a student coming to see me wanting to study at Medical school and realising too late that the top subject requirement is Chemistry not Biology.

We are living in an age of rapid change, Oxford University predicts that 47% of today’s jobs will disappear in the next two decades and be replaced by…. who can tell? So how can you help your child to make sounds choices in such uncertain times? Gabbitas can help, contact us today to find out more about student profiling and University preparation.

In recent years, independent sixth form colleges have become a popular and viable alternative to senior schools. Not only are their academic results impressive, but they offer students exam-focused teaching in an environment that gets them ready for university. In this blog, we take a look at the benefits of attending a sixth form college and why it might be a good route for your child.

Greater choice

The first benefit of attending a sixth form college is of course the wide variety of choice available for students. Many colleges will offer up to 40 different subjects at A Levels and greater flexibility in subject combinations than traditional schools. For students wanting to study non-traditional subjects this could be a great route.

 

More relaxed atmosphere

The ethos in sixth form colleges is very much that students should be treated as adults rather than children. The atmosphere is more relaxed with less supervision and students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own academic lives. This can often be a good fit with young people who feel they have outgrown the traditional school environment and are looking for a less controlled environment similar to university.

 

Specialist teaching

Sixth form colleges have some of the best A Level teachers in the profession. Not only are teachers subject experts, they become experts in that particular syllabus since Key Stage 5 is the only thing they teach. This leads to impressive academic outcomes and a rich and challenging learning environment for students.

 

New experiences

Moving to a new environment after GCSEs can be a natural break for students. It is a chance to take on a new challenge, make new friends and gain confidence in a new school. This can be extremely positive for the personal development of young adults and is a helpful stepping stone to university.

 

University preparation

Colleges often run targeted programmes for students applying to competitive university courses such as medicine or Oxbridge. The support you can get here leading up to your application is unrivalled.

 

Small class sizes

Sixth form colleges have small class sizes, usually about 6-8 students. This leads to really personalised and attentive teaching which means almost 1-1 tuition in many cases.

 

Opportunities for everyone

Each sixth form college is unique with very different admission criteria. Some are extremely selective, where as others offer a range of opportunities from A Levels to Foundation Courses to GCSE re-sits. It’s important to make sure you understand which college might be best for your child and to thoroughly research the best options.