You are invited to join our Network, supporting international youngsters at UK boarding schools

Have you considered offering care and support to an international student at boarding school, during the occasional weekend and half term holiday?

Imagine if your child were attending a boarding school in Moldova and the reassurance you would gain from having a local family to support them and keep you regularly informed on how they are getting on.

This is an excellent opportunity: 

• For your own children to make new friends and to learn about other countries and cultural understanding.
• To fill the ‘empty nest’ when your own children have perhaps gone off to university or left home.
• To become involved in the school life of a young person, supporting them through attendance at school matches, concerts, parents’ evenings.
• To build lasting friendships with international families overseas.
• To put your spare bedroom to good use.

WHAT IS A GUARDIAN FAMILY?

Children studying at UK boarding schools whose parents live overseas require a UK-based guardian family, who live close to the school, to offer them accommodation at their exeat weekends and half term holidays, as well as act as their ‘English family’ to be there in case of emergency, monitor their academic study, be the friendly face at the airport that welcomes them back to the UK at the start of each term and ensure they are well-settled and happy.

Guardian families come in all shapes and sizes from large families, couples without children or children who have flown the nest, retired couples to single mums. All have a common interest in offering care and support to children and teenagers from overseas. All you need is a little time and a spare room in your home!

WHAT DOES THE ROLE ENTAIL?

The child will be living in a boarding house at school during the term-time and will return home to their parents during the long holidays at Christmas, Easter and over the summer holiday. 

The guardian family will be required to do the following:

• Provide a bedroom within your home for the child at exeat weekends and half terms. Schools usually have one exeat weekend each side of half term, so during each term, this usually amounts to two weekends and a week during half term. Sometimes an overnight stay is required at the start or end of term, where flight times do not fit with school term dates.
• Acting as the key contact with the Houseparents and tutor, to make sure the child is making good progress at school, discuss and resolve any issues and to confirm arrangements when exeat weekends and half terms are approaching.
• Being there quickly if an emergency situation arises such as accident, illness, suspension or an incident which requires the school to close temporarily.
• Attending school parents’ evenings and reporting back to the parents or The Guardian Family Network staff team on progress.
• Attending school concerts and sports matches to offer support to the child. How much you do this is left to the guardian’s discretion and it depends on the individual talents and extra-curricular involvement of the child.
• Communicating successes and concerns to or The Guardian Family Network staff team or the child’s parents back home.

COMMUNICATION

Communication and being well-organised is a vital element of acting as a guardian family. The experienced staff team at the Guardian Family Network will be on hand to offer you support and guidance should you have any worries or concerns while the child is in your care. We can also assist you if there are any teething problems while the child is settling in, or further down the line if things are not as you expected.

You will also be in regular communication with the Houseparents and tutor at the boarding school, The Guardian Family Network staff team and the child’s parents or their representative, if the parents do not speak English.

An ability to respond promptly to email is vital and having access to Skype is a useful way for the child to keep in touch with home.

GUARDIAN FAMILY EXPENSES

Although this role is voluntary, expenses incurred in the care of the child are reimbursed. These are to cover the costs of food, heating, electricity, fuel and an allowance for both the commitment and responsibility and your time. The table below gives an idea of what you will be entitled to claim.

GUARDIAN EXPENSES
Termly Retainer (responsibility allowance)	£150
Stay per night	£35
Travel for school pickups and entertainment	45p per mile
Per day without overnight stay for example coming home for Sunday lunch	£15
Airport runs	Mileage plus £7.50 per hour
School events/parents’ evenings	Mileage plus £6.50 per hour
Holiday responsibility allowance for taking student away for example to a holiday home or skiing. (In addition to the trip cost)	£15 per day

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does my house have to be large?

No, not at all. Often the children live in small apartments in large city tower blocks so even the most cosy UK home seems large to them! We just ask that the child is able to have their own bedroom, so that they have a space to call their own should they need a bit of quiet time. Boarding school life is so hectic and they often sleep in shared dormitories, so having a bit of private space is welcome at their guardian family.

What will the child expect to do while staying with me?

The children go to stay their guardian family so that they can experience being part of a British family. As such, they should just join in with your usual family activities. Their lives are so busy at school, often they just want to sleep in late, watch TV, eat and relax. Cinema, take-away and shopping trips are popular with teenagers. Younger children often like a bit more of your time and entertainment. The trick is to welcome them as part of your family and for them to just join in with your usual family life.

What do I do about insurance?

Guardian families will be required to inform their home and car insurers that they are taking on this voluntary role. This rarely gives rise to a problem or incurs a charge, but it is important to have it noted on your policy.

Does it if matter if I have pets?

Animals are a part of British family life so in most cases they enhance the experience for the child in your care. Often the children have pets of their own back home. We just ask you to tell us about your pets on the application form, incase we have a child with allergies or a fear of animals, so we can be sensitive about this when placing the child with the right guardian family.

Do I have to do airport pick-ups?

If at all possible it is nice for the child to be welcomed back to the UK by a friendly face at the start of a new term and to be waved off when they leave. If the child is younger, they will travel unaccompanied minor, so the airline requires proof of ID. However, airports are not for everyone and if the guardian family is unable to do the airport runs, we can arrange for a driver to collect them. Often the school will make arrangements for them to travel with friends to the airport at the end of term.

For an informal discussion about becoming a guardian please call 01865 522066. More details can be found on our website

www.guardianfamily.co.uk                                            

Tips for parents when choosing a nursery.

Assessing the quality of care offered by a potential nursery is a similar process to choosing a school. Evaluating the capabilities of both the Manager and the staff team is crucial. Research their qualifications and experience, as well as the values and principals behind their educational philosophy. Ensuring both teaching style and the way learning experiences are presented meets with your opinions is important. Are you looking for a more traditional educational environment or a more relaxed approach, with perhaps greater focus on the outdoor classroom or play?

Getting a feel for the general atmosphere is a key part of establishing if you will feel comfortable to leave your child in their care. For this reason, visit on a normal working day and make appointments with more than one nursery, so you can make comparisons. Ask if they have references available from current parents.

As well as asking staff questions, observe, getting a feel for the type of relationship the staff have with the children and how do the children interact with one another?

Ask about staff to child ratios and what processes they use to monitor children’s learning and development, as well as how and how often they keep parents informed. How do they support children with their natural development of literacy and numeracy skills and are there opportunities to develop creativity and the imagination?

What is the routine for a typical day and how does this vary by age group? What is the procedure if your child becomes ill during the day and what type of food is provided?  Is there a quiet, comfortable space for rest during the day?

Do the facilities appear safe, well-supervised and appropriate for a range of activities?  Is equipment reasonably new and well-organised and does the space appear clean, bright and welcoming? 

To read more free advice for parents about making the right school choices please visit our website.

www.independenteducaationconsultants.co.uk

Are posts to social media affecting teenage future job prospects?

Social media is a huge part of many teen’s lives, however recent events in the news have proved comments shared do come back and bite you, affecting chances of securing or keeping a valued job.

For this reason, it is important to discuss the implications inappropriate use of social media could have on your teenager’s future. As early teens, they will be using these platforms for the first time and it is important to give guidance on suitable comments. They need to understand that sexy, drinking photos or controversial opinions about sensitive subjects all have potential to cause harm.

Employers have been known to view Facebook pages during the shortlisting process. With competition tight for university courses, what better way to form a view as to the most reliable, conscientious students than to review their social media presence?

Remind your teen that once they post something, it is out of their hands. It is there in black and white forever. Suggest they do not post in the heat of the moment, without first giving thought as to the impact it may have on others. Could what they are writing be misunderstood at a later date?

Considering whether they might be happy for their school Headteacher, a potential or future employer or university director of admissions to read what they have posted, might be a good way of setting benchmarks.

Asking your teen to help you to set up your own social media is a good way to engage with them, but choose your battles. You will see the good, the bad, and the truly unfathomable. If you don’t want your teen to dis-engage with you, don’t query every transgression. Keep it general.

The Independent Education Consultants advises parents on all aspects of choosing the right school, applying to university or career planning. For more information, please visit our website.

www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

New key stage 2 test will assess key skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Next term sees the introduction of a re-vamped English writing test for year 6 children as part of the key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests. The new test will assess children’s skills in spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary and has been introduced with the intention of encouraging primary schools to give more focus to the teaching of these key skills.

The aim is for more children to make the transition from primary to secondary school with the competence to communicate effectively through writing and hence succeed across the breadth of subjects within the secondary curriculum.

From 2013, a new marking structure for GCSE exams will give credit for correct punctuation, spelling and grammar in key subjects. Mastering these skills in primary school should stand the child in good stead for future performance in public exams and into employment beyond.

The new test will comprise two papers, a spelling task and a short answer paper, assessing pupils on correct use of punctuation, appropriate grammar usage including knowledge of nouns, verbs, adverbs, prepositions and the correct use of tenses and pronouns. The spelling task will test ability to spell commonly misspelt words.

Supporting your child with preparation and practice might be challenging for some parents, particularly for those educated in the 70’s and 80’s when grammar was not the focus of English teaching methodology. Tenses, abstract nouns, past participle and subordinate clauses may seem like double Dutch!

For parents who wish to see what the new test will entail, sample papers can be downloaded from the DfE website via the link http://bit.ly/Umf1ZD

For more information about our education consultants and our advisory services, please visit our websites.

www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

www.futureschoolsfair.com

www.guardianfamily.co.uk

Tips for surviving a teenager who is revising for GCSE or A Levels this Easter

Helping your youngster with proper planning and preparation is the key to successful revision at home. Here are a few tips for parents which will assist you in making sure that your teenager is making the most of the time available while studying for approaching examinations at home.

Create a revision programme
Plan the time you have available carefully by creating a timetable. Make sure you are giving equal time to subjects which you enjoy and dislike, perhaps intermingling the two by rewarding time spent on revising a subject you find difficult, with some follow-on time spent on a subject you enjoy. Remember it is human nature to focus on the things we can do well and enjoy, putting aside the things that we find to be a challenge. However, it is only by practice and time allocated to the things we find challenging, that we will improve and get to grips with things we find more difficult.

Allow time for breaks. Your brain needs food and drink to function, so stop for regular snacks and have some water to sip while you are at your desk. 

Move around if you have been sitting to improve your circulation and give your brain a rest by having some fun. Taking light exercise and getting some fresh air will also be of benefit and will relieve some of the stress and tension as the exams draw closer.

Take account of the order in which you will sit the examinations when organising the revision timetable. Allow time for both revision and reviewing the topic at least once before the examination arrives.

Concentration
Concentration has been defined as "the ability to direct one's thinking in whatever direction one would intend".
Our ability to concentrate depends on:

• Commitment. We need to make a personal commitment to put in the effort needed to do the task in the way which we realistically plan to do it. If we just play at it in a half-hearted manner then it is much more difficult to take the task and ourselves seriously.
• Enthusiasm for the task. If we are interested in the task and enjoy doing it, then we find it easy to motivate ourselves to start. Once started, our feelings of involvement in the activity keep us going - we want to do it.
• Skill at doing the task. Knowing how to do something gives confidence that our efforts will be successful, so we don't have to deal with anxiety about will this work or not. Anxiety tends to impair concentration.
• Our emotional and physical state. When we are in good physical condition - i.e. feeling rested, relaxed and comfortable - and our emotions are calm and benevolent, then we tend to be positive about things. This in turn raises self-esteem, which makes us more able to concentrate, if only because we don't have to worry about how awful we are or life is.
• Our psychological state. For example, if we are in an obsessional or distracted state our thoughts are pre-occupied, leaving little mental space to think about anything else.
• Our environment. It is much more difficult to concentrate if our surroundings keep intruding on our awareness, perhaps because it is noisy, too hot or too cold, the furniture is uncomfortable or the people around us are stressing out.

We can all concentrate for varied lengths of time, usually dependent on how much we enjoy doing something. However as a general rule, slots of 45 minutes to an hour, with 10-15 minute breaks in-between will mean that you get far more done during a whole day session. 
Get plenty of sleep and take some time to relax, as this will facilitate better concentration during your timetabled study periods.

Learn to notice when your mind is starting to wander and STOP, take a break, returning with renewed focus on the task.

Save your texting, Facebook, instant messaging for during these breaks and turn off or hide your phone in-between.

Know the syllabus
Make sure that you have asked your teacher for a copy of the syllabus or curriculum content on which you will be examined. This will mean that you can order your timetabled study periods to make sure that you are focussing on the areas which will be tested and not wasting time with those which will not.

Know your Learning Style
Everyone has their own distinct learning style. Some learn by reading and then asking themselves questions, others learn by making condensed notes and memorising them, others learn by the associations they make to the material, and yet others retain a pictorial image of the material. Once you know your learning style, organise your revision material to suit it: if you don't, learning will be more of a struggle than it need be and your concentration will suffer. 

Having your own learning style involves having your own internal 'language': briefly, this means the words you use to translate and understand the material so that it has meaning for you. If you don't know how you learn best, try to analyse your experience either with someone who knows how you work, or with someone with expertise in this area. 

Review what you already know
Research suggests that reviewing what you have already revised goes a long way to reinforcing your knowledge of the information. The more often that you can do this, the more likely it is that the information will be retained.

Test your knowledge
Past papers are an excellent way not only to test your knowledge, but also to identify trends in types of question that arise on a regular basis. Public examinations in particular will follow trends in the format of questions to test each part of the syllabus, so learning to identify types of question and how to answer them from past papers will assist you to select the types of questions that suit your personal preference and hence optimise your performance in the examination. Passing examinations is a skill in itself and it is very important to be able to identify and answer the ‘right’ questions for you.

Time keeping is an important examination skill so make sure that you only allow yourself the same time as you will have in the exam to complete the test paper questions. It is no good patting yourself on the back for a perfect question answer if you took one hour to answer a question which is only allocated 20 minutes.

Make sure that you ask your teachers to mark your past paper questions, so that you start to get to grips with what will be required in terms of the marking scheme for different types of question. If it is during the holidays, allocate your own marking scheme. Understanding how the examiners will award marks for each question will help you to optimise your grade potential. Learn to plan your answers carefully so you know where the marks will be allocated. If a question has 3 marks for example, there is no point wasting time giving a 10 point answer. Ask yourself what are the 3 key points they are looking for?

Study environment
Just because they spend hours on end in their bedroom with the door shut, surfacing occasionally for food and drink, does not necessarily mean that they are using their time effectively or remaining focussed on their studies! Finding ‘an excuse’ to pop in occasionally will give you an opportunity to evaluate if they are using their time wisely and to offer advice as to how they might focus better if this is a concern.

Parents need to take an interest at the end of each study day by asking how the day has gone and what they feel they have achieved. Ask if they are managing to stick to the timetable.
Study space should be quiet, well-organised and not infront of the TV. Loud music and conversation can be distracting, but soft music in moderation can work for some. Working at a desk or a table is better, as it is important to define work and relaxation space.
Make sure, before you start, that you are well-organised and have all your books and revision materials to hand. 

Motivation
Incentives are a good way to keep motivation. Allow yourself small rewards for reaching goals that you have set. There will be times when it gets hard to motivate yourself. Learn to recognise when you are feeling tense and allow yourself a break to take some exercise or have some fun.
When you start to find revision tedious, working with a friend to test your knowledge can alleviate some of this. Discussing answers to questions can make revision more interesting. 

For information about our services giving advice on choosing a school, applying to university and careers advice, visit our website.
www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

Which secondary school is for me and why invest in private school?

Early March saw state school offer letters falling on the doormats of Bucks homes. As a result, many parents are weighing up independent and state school options for September. Bucks parents have access to some of the best state secondary schools in the country, as well as some exciting new Free Schools set to open this Autumn, so parents are more than ever asking themselves the question, which school is the right one and do I need to pay private school fees?

There is no one answer fits all. Considering your child’s personality, interests, strengths and weaknesses is key to this decision.

Parents usually opt for independent schools if they feel additional support for a particular talent such as maths, sport, music or art is required, or if they need smaller class sizes and access to specialist one-to-one support for dyslexia or other learning difficulty. If both parents work full-time, more common-place in the current financial climate, they may struggle to cope with a shorter teaching day and fewer after school extra-curricular opportunities. Some parents feel their local state school offers the wrong type of environment for their child to have the confidence to make friends and thrive, perhaps due to size, culture, or competition for opportunities to shine.

Whatever school parents choose, it should be the one which will nurture and challenge their child’s areas of strength, support and build confidence in weaker areas, present opportunities to build life and employability skills and provides an environment and culture where they will feel comfortable as part of the community and hence attain their true academic potential.

For more information on our services to help you with choosing a school, please visit our websites

www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

www.futureschoolsfair.com

www.guardianfamily.co.uk

Should children be away on holiday during school term time?

While lucky enough to be sitting on a sun lounger in the Caribbean enjoying a bit of sun, to cheat the end of the British winter, it seems sadly the teacher in me just won't switch off. I find my self wondering why the children currently playing in the pool infront of me are not at school? British, German, French, American, Canadian - whatever their nationality, surely the school holidays have yet to arrive?

Is it, as often quoted, the fault of the holiday companies who inflate prices in the school holidays? Seems doubtful in this case when they are in St Lucia in peak season and the UK school summer holidays are indeed a cheaper time to visit.

Seems more likely that there is a culture of parents seeing school term dates as flexible, according to individual work and family comitments, with litle thought for the extra work created for teachers in supporting the child with 'catching up' upon their return. Un-authorised absence creates a black mark for the school and in times of league tables and inspection reports, such factors are important. What sort of message are we giving our children - that it is ok to take time off when you please without consideration for work comitments?

Would parents have the same view if they were all paying for their children's education? In my experience of working in independent schools, probably no, since these parents, on the whole, tend to take term dates seriously.

What I find even more irritating is that I don't see any of the children reading a book or doing anything that could remotely be deemed as school work to compensate. I do believe that education stretches beyond the classroom and parents have a responsibility to supplement the curriculum studied at school with additional experiences to boost confidence, knowledge and life-skills. Family holidays of course have benefit through spending quality time together. However, if parents must do this in the term-time, how about expecting children to do some work while they are away?

Set them a 'holiday project' to research the country they are visiting and learn about its culture, history and geography, adding pictures of places visited. They could write a blog about their holiday or make a presentation to family when they return. Set a holiday reading target and encourage them to write book reviews or discuss the story with you over dinner. Use foreign currencies to practice maths and encourage them to use other than their native language to communicate with hotel staff or in restaurants etc.

Whatever creative ideas you can come up with, encourage them to understand that though on holiday, they also need to spend time learning new skills and strengthening their curriculum knowledge, not just listening to their iPod or playing computer games.

Seeing it more as a sabbatical from work, rather than a holiday makes it mildly more justifiable. Though in my opinion, parents should think twice before doing it at all!

www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk
www.futureschoolsfair.com
www.guardianfamily.co.uk