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How hard is it to get a 9 in GCSE French? French continues to be the most popular modern language subject at GCSE, with 126,185 provisional entries in 2022, but it saw a fall in the top grades: 31.4 per cent achieved a grade 7/A or above compared with 32.9 per cent in 2021 and 23.7 per cent in 2019. The pass rate fell by 5 percentage points to 78.1 per cent compared with 83.1 per cent in 2021 and 69.7 per cent in 2019.

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How hard is it to get a 9 in GCSE History? The grade boundaries for a 9 in History vary year on year, as well as between boards and papers, however, the 2022 exams indicate that a mark of around 75 per cent or higher will receive a 9 in the History GCSE.

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How hard is it to get a 9 in GCSE Physics?  Physics is quite often considered the most daunting Science for GCSE pupils, since concepts are challenging and there is a high mathematical element. But do not be perturbed! We will look closely at what is required to get top grades below, and hopefully shed some light on any concerns. On average, AQA award grade 9 to candidates scoring 70% and Edexcel to those achieving 75%. These grade boundaries vary annually.

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Non-verbal reasoning tests are used to assess how children process visual information and implement visual logic. They are sat for the entrance tests at all levels for a large number of schools in the UK, as well as being a part of the ISEB pre-test and UKiset.

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Should I take Maths for A Level?  Mathematics has been the most popular A Level choice for some time now. This is due to Maths being a highly applicable subject in a range of professions, and is often a requirement for some university degrees. While it is a popular choice, it is also a challenging subject that will require a lot of work to get top marks.

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Which is ‘best’, Oxford or Cambridge University?   It should be clear that the ‘best’ of these two historic institutions is going to be the one which has the most to offer you. This decision should be based on careful and thorough research. Knowing exactly why you want to go to Oxford over Cambridge won’t just help improve your application, it will be the reason behind it, as you cannot apply for both.

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What is an EPQ?  An Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a standalone A-Level qualification designed to extend students beyond the A-Level specification and prepare them for university and beyond. It is worth half of an A-Level (28 UCAS points for an A*) and is recognised for university applications.

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Deciding whether to study Double Award (Combined Science) or Triple Award GCSE Science can be a difficult decision and one which might influence future A Level and degree choices.In this article we discuss the differences between Double Award and Triple Award Science, the pros and cons of each and how to decide between these two GCSE qualifications.

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Are you taking your GCSE Biology exam this summer and looking for guidance on how to achieve a top grade? In this article, °®ÒºÊÓÆµ Tutors have compiled the best advice for acing the GCSE Biology exam, including how best to prepare, top tips for achieving a Grade 9, and key findings from examiner reports.

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In this joint discussion hosted by ESM Prep and °®ÒºÊÓÆµ Tutors, ESM College Coach Josh Davis and °®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, meet to compare the US and UK university application processes. They identify key differences between the timelines and requirements, discussing the best way to balance both processes with limited stress and maximum effect.

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Below you will find the recordings of our five-part webinar for school leaders on Oxbridge applications.

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What is STEP Maths?  STEP stands for Sixth Term Examination Paper and is a collection of three exams (STEP 1, 2 and 3) which traditionally are used in conditional offers by Cambridge to determine if you get accepted for Maths or Maths-related degrees. Other universities, like Warwick and Imperial, use STEP in some of their Maths offers. You sit these papers in the Summer alongside your other exams like A-Levels, IB and Pre-U.

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°®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, was joined by Tom Perrin, one of °®ÒºÊÓÆµ's most experienced tutors, to discuss their top tips on how to keep your child's enthusiasm for learning over the Summer Holidays.

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Cambridge’s History Admissions Assessment, or HAA, is still a relatively new exam. It launched only in 2016, when the abolition of AS-levels deprived the university of a favoured metric which its colleges had used, up to that point, to help determine admissions decisions in history in place of a written exam in the style of Oxford’s well-established HAT.

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°®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, was joined by Camilla Smiley, who works as an Education Consultant for °®ÒºÊÓÆµ, to discuss the ins and outs of Scholarships and Bursaries. They provided an overview of scholarships and bursaries, and their top tips for applicants.

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°®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Director in Asia, Jenny McGowan, was joined by our Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, and Ed Richardson, our Director of Education to discuss different Prep school options for your child. They provided a fantastic insight into the junior/Prep school landscape for any parent considering Prep school options for their child.

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°®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Director in Asia, Jenny McGowan, was joined by our Head of Consultancy, Harriet Brook, and Ed Richardson, our Director of Education to discuss the different senior school options for your child. They provided their top tips on how to select and apply to a school .

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°®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Homeschooling and Courses Manager, Poppy Dundas, was joined by Professional Tutors Jon Gale and Lara Isaac. Lara is also a trained nutritionist and together they discussed how best to get your child prepared for the upcoming exams. Topics included keeping motivation strong, the best foods to eat, how to structure revision days, how to calm nerves and general revision tips and tricks.

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Starting primary school is a big step in your child’s life and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. This guide gives you a detailed overview on preparing your child for school, recommended reading lists plus some activities and ideas that may be helpful for supporting your child with the transition.

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Are you taking your GCSE English exam this summer and looking for advice on how to achieve a top grade?  In this article Michael has compiled some useful insights, tips and guidance on how best to prepare for the GCSE English exam and his top tips for achieving a Grade 9.

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Are you taking your GCSE Maths exam this summer and looking for advice on how to achieve a top grade?  In this article, °®ÒºÊÓÆµ Tutors have compiled some useful insights, tips and guidance on how best to prepare for the GCSE Maths exam, top tips for achieving a Grade 9 and some interesting findings from the examiners reports.

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°®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Homeschooling and Courses Manager, Poppy Dundas, was joined by °®ÒºÊÓÆµ's Director of Education, Ed Richardson, and our guest expert Clare de Lotbiniere, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, to discuss how we can support school-aged children with their mental health.

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Understanding the expectations of Maths in the 11 Plus 11 Plus Maths is a staple of every child’s experience throughout years 5-7 of school, whether they sit an ISEB 11 Plus, Common Entrance Paper or a pre-test for 13 Plus entry.

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There are three types of reasoning tested within the UKiset: Verbal Reasoning: language questions and problem solving with words  Non-Verbal Reasoning: solving problems using shapes, pictures and logic  Mathematical Reasoning: looking at number, value, quantity and sequence concepts.

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Non-verbal reasoning is a type of problem-solving centred on shapes, figures and patterns. It tests your ability to think logically and understand the relationships between patterns and numbers.

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Common FAQs on Working with an Education Consultant The decision on where your child should go to school or university is a critical one, and can be exciting, complicated, and even a little overwhelming for any parent.   It can be the culmination of years of your child’s hard work and careful planning, and can open up avenues for their education and career that enable them to flourish – or close them off.

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Reading List for children in Year 1 and Year 2 (Age 6 and 7)Parents often ask us for reading recommendations and so we have compiled the following list below as a good starting point! These are all either personal favourites or recommended on well renowned book lists.

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Reading List for children in Year 3 and Year 4 (Age 7 and 8)Children studying for the 8 plus exams are moving on from the initial chapter books and early reading series they may have looked at during seven plus preparation and are starting to choose more sophisticated titles. Books at this age are starting to get longer and tackle a broader range of subjects.

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Reading List for children in Year 5, Year 6 and Year 7 (Age 9 to 11)Children studying for the 11 plus exams are at a key point in their school reading journey. They are starting to develop the independence and autonomy to seek out their own reading books and decide how to incorporate reading into their daily routine.

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In order to excel in the 11 Plus, children need to have a wide vocabulary to draw on. Good vocabulary knowledge will help in all aspects of the English exam (reading, writing, verbal reasoning) as well as in the interviews.Comprehending the reading part of the exam requires knowledge of what the individual words mean and what they mean within the context of the particular comprehension.

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In the press

Knight Frank
Ed Richardson
Times Educational Supplement
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