The GCSE grading system Since the Government grading system changed from the alphabetic system (A* to G) to the new numerical system running from 9 to 1, it’s become much harder to get the highest grade. A 9 in GCSE Maths or Science is a higher grade than an A* was, as it is meant to differentiate the very top achieving pupils. In 2022, Grade 9s made up 6.6% of all results in England across all GCSE subjects. So how can you ace GCSE Maths and Science? Here we give you our best tips to achieve success. Start from a solid base To excel in GCSE Maths and Science exams, you need to put the work i ..read more

Is your child ready for the important changes coming to the 11+ or 13+ entrance exams process? Every year, we are asked by parents how the exam process has changed compared to previous years. And there are always changes! Like all educational establishments, independent schools tweak and adapt their entrance exams. Changes might include content, timing, method of testing (whether online, multiple choice or a traditional style paper) and whether to use an adaptive style of online testing where the questions get harder or easier in response to a child’s answers. The focus of individual and group ..read more

Choosing the right senior school and establishing the best time for your child to sit entrance examinations can be a complicated and overwhelming experience. If your child is looking to transition to a state selective grammar school, or they are attending a prep school that doesn’t take students beyond age 11, they will have little choice but to move on at the 11+ stage.  However, a lot of independent schools now provide the option of either joining at Year 7 or Year 9; in this case, you will need to decide which of these entry points to aim for.  There is great variation from schoo ..read more

  Summer tutoring can be a great idea, particularly if your child is preparing for exams or you want to prevent summer regression, as covered in a previous blog. But in addition to tutoring, there’s a huge choice of enjoyable summer activities that can maintain and boost learning. Here’s a selection of ideas for your family’s summer bucket list… At Home Create a large poster or collage showing your family’s bucket list choices, involving all the family in deciding what to include. Grow something. Indoors or outdoors. Flowers, wildflowers, succulents, fruit or vegetables. Children really ..read more

  The 7 plus entrance point to independent preparatory schools is now very popular, especially for those schools with a senior department*. However, parents are often concerned about subjecting their children to exams so early, and confused about precisely how schools can assess children at this young age. To set minds at rest, we will explore and demystify the 7+ exam process here, and explain how best to prepare children for it without putting them under too much pressure. Tutoring is not that unusual among children as young as 6 and 7, but it should be undertaken for legitimate reason ..read more

  Online tutoring is a phenomenon, and it’s proving very popular and highly successful for JK students and tutors. The pandemic introduced many teachers and students to online learning for the first time. Many schools, teachers and students adapted well, but the consensus seems to be that the quality of online provision varied enormously. Some students turned to online tutoring to support their home learning, with the best tutoring companies – including JK Educate – being already set up with effective, interactive online teaching platforms to meet their needs. In addition, tutors who had ..read more

  At JK Educate, we have been helping children to succeed in the 11 plus for many years, and this depth of experience has helped us identify a clear set of eleven plus success factors. The eleven plus is a big commitment for families; it requires careful planning, the right resources and support, and a lot of dedication. Academic Assessment An academic assessment is the essential first step on the 11+ journey, to establish your child’s academic potential, their current attainment level and their style of learning. The assessment results inform discussions about the right sort of secondar ..read more

In our most recent blog, we looked at the first steps parents need to take when considering their choice of next school for their child. We also discussed academic assessments, the importance of being realistic in the schools you aspire to and finding out what you can about potential schools in relation to your requirements. What Next? With academic assessment results and your desk research – and perhaps some expert advice – you should have been able to identify a longlist of potential destination schools that would be a great academic fit for your child. Now what? Ideally, you don’t want you ..read more

  You need to choose your child’s next school, but where do you start?! You know your child best, and that’s very valuable. You just need to find the right information to use in tandem with that personal knowledge, to identify the ideal school for them. In this blog, we will cover the first steps parents need to take and the things they need to consider at the very start of thinking about choosing their child’s next school. These steps apply whether you are simply planning the move from primary to secondary school in your current area, or whether the family is relocating within or from o ..read more

  A Life Skill School entrance interviews are often a child’s first experience of needing to present themselves well to adults, with a purpose. This can begin very early, with the school selection processes for entry at 4+; these sessions usually involve teachers observing children interacting in small groups rather than an interview as such, but it’s all part of the same skill set. Interview skills are a set of life skills that are a lifelong asset, from 4, 7 or 11+, up to university and job applications and beyond. It’s never too early or too late to learn how to present the best versi ..read more