A few tips on preparing for interviews

We seem to have been supporting an array of interview candidates recently. Young children seeking places at senior schools, sixth form candidates, those applying for university courses, or graduates seeking to secure their first job. Consequently, I thought a few interview tips might be timely.

First impressions count. Clean, smart appearance, positive but not bone crunching handshake, make eye contact and smile. Don’t forget hair and shoes. If seated think about posture and open body language.

Research the institution or company you wish to join. Appearing well-informed about what it offers and why that appeals to you will give a positive impression. Give some thought to what skills and capabilities you are able to offer within the environment of each individual institution or company. Have some examples at the ready which demonstrate contributions you have made in these areas in the past, to back up your claims.

If you are notified in advance who will be conducting the interview, research their role and what their specific areas of interest might be. It is easier to engage with a person if you have identified some common ground. Be truthful. You could get into a sticky area if you make a claim that you can’t back-up during discussion via in-depth knowledge or examples.

Back up every answer with a why, how or because. Just answering the question without stating why you have that opinion or giving examples of how you have previously used a skill or attribute within a relevant situation, is only half an answer.

If you need time to think, ask the interviewer to repeat the question or perhaps ask a question of your own to clarify. This will buy a bit of time, putting the ball back into their court, giving you time to consider your answer. Good Luck!

Do you need help with preparing for an interview? Contact our friendly team of education consultants on 01865 522066 or consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

Why do 21st Century parents choose boarding?

Boarding stimulates emotion in all parents. Some vigorously defend the reasoning behind sending their child away to school, while others strongly proclaim they would never do this, as they want their family at home. In my view opinions mostly come from personal experience or lack of information, instead of perhaps asking the rational question - what is 21^st Century boarding all about?

In the current financial climate many parents find they both need to work, juggling job commitments with school runs, after school clubs, sports practices and fixtures, homework, cooking and bedtime. Add the parent taxi service and this all leads to the question, where is the quality family time anyway? It must surely be worth considering boarding, where focus for the whole family is work in the week, with quality family time at leave-out weekends and holidays.

The open-door policy of modern boarding, coupled with excellent communication between school and home means parents are continuously in touch with progress and can regularly pop in to school for matches, concerts and plays. Children have evening access to the library, computers, art and design studios as well as help with homework from peers and teachers, reducing conflict at home. Early morning starts for choir rehearsal or sports practice become a thing of the past. Rather than spending time on the school bus, your child can immerse themselves in a wealth of opportunities.

21^st Century boarding is about attaining academic excellence, building confidence, leadership skills and independence, as well as learning a sense of community and cultural understanding. Far from sending their child away, parents choose a boarding school as they believe in making a self-less decision to allow their child to realise their true potential.

For help with choosing the right boarding school, contact our team of experienced consultants by email consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk or by phone +44 (0)1865 522066 

Tips for preparing an eye catching Curriculum Vitae

This week, I thought I would share with you these tips for writing an eye catching CV. They could come in handy for applying for work experience, internships or for graduates seeking their first job.

Chances are the person reading your CV has limited time and a large pile to sift. Make sure yours is clear and stands out, even when skim reading. Use an easy to read type face, put your name and contact details clearly at the top, keep it to one page of A4 and check spelling carefully. If posting a hard copy, smart cream paper will stand out if all the others are white.

Be concise. You will be sending a supporting letter of application outlining why you are right for this particular opportunity. Keep your CV to factual evidence to support this. Three areas should be covered, education and qualifications, employment experience and additional information.

Make sure all years are covered sequentially. Gaps will lead to questions or doubt, which may put you on the no pile.

Avoid listing one word interests such as reading, travel and hockey. Expand to demonstrate commitment, skills and achievement. Part of a team which fixed the roof on an orphanage in Africa, regularly play hockey for Phoenix Club first team, chair the pupil school council which meets termly then I give feedback to the Headteacher, write a column for the school magazine published termly and enjoy reading autobiographies of leading sportsmen.

Read through your draft and identify your three stand-out factors that will make the employer want to meet you. It could be exceptional qualifications from a well-respected institution, relevant work experience where you made a proven contribution within a well-known company and an intriguing third element such as a hobby, volunteer work, proven leadership, presentation, team-working or organisational skills and commitment.

Do you need some advice with applying to university thorugh UCAS, preparing a CV or coaching for interview? Give our team of friendly, professional consultants a call on 01865 522066 or email consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

Why choose a co-ed school?

Men may be from Mars and women from Venus, but we all have to live and work together on Earth. Hence, when talking about co-education, it is challenging not to just state the blindingly obvious, that we live in a co-ed world and youngsters must learn to thrive amongst colleagues and friends of both sexes. Education is not just about academic success. As importantly, it is about leaving school with the social skills and emotional intelligence to thrive in any environment.

Working in mixed groups can be of great benefit. A combination of the competitive nature of boys to perform as well as those around them and the girls’ often more conscientious attitude to work should be a winning formula for success, in both the classroom and independent study. Class discussion brings diversity of opinion and encourages all to develop a rounded view.

Co-ed schools are all about breaking the mould and inspiring girls to aim for careers as engineers, politicians or to study the Sciences and boys to perhaps consider Music, PR or design.

Co-curricular programmes offer diversity of choice with girls having equal access to activities which may once have been the preserve of boys such as CCF, cricket, shooting or practical skills such as carpentry, car maintenance or metalwork. Although fun to see boys dressed in drag in the school play, a co-ed environment allows less comical representation.

Lastly, school should be about forming solid, supportive friendships for life. I can’t help wondering if it is a more relevant preparation for 21^st century life, for these to be with both boys and girls, giving a balanced perspective. Maybe girls bring focus, drive and determination for academic success and boys bring more of an easy-going, calm perspective. 

Particularly with an only child or where parents are separated, mixed friendships or role models are less likely at home, so perhaps more important to experience at school.

For advice on choosing the right school for your child, please call us on 01865 522066 or email consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

Why choose an all boys or all girls school?

Are you considering senior school choices for 11+ or 13+? Here are a few thoughts on why you might choose a single sex school.

Few would dispute boys and girls are wired differently. They develop physically and emotionally at different speeds, learn in different ways and diverse motivating factors will inspire them. By studying in a tailor-made educational environment which recognises these differences, it is easy to comprehend why children in single sex schools thrive.

Teaching styles, subject choices, sporting opportunity and a full extra-curricular programme are entirely focussed on either boys or girls.

Boys express themselves differently. They tend to need more coaxing to be forthcoming in class than girls. In a single sex environment they are less likely to be intimidated or embarrassed by peer pressure, especially if they lack confidence.

In a similar way girls may find the presence of boys within the classroom intimidating, especially when they reach the teenage years and their hormones are running wild. At this crucial stage in their education, for both boys and girls, a mixed environment can be distracting and hence a barrier to learning.

With the dawn of social media, children appear to grow up so quickly, often feeling pressure from peers. In my opinion, a single sex school environment seems to allow children to be themselves for longer, without pressure to ‘perform’ allowing for their sole focus to be on learning and building supportive friendships, which often last a lifetime. To gossip, laugh and play, without the pressure to grow up too soon.

Of course learning to thrive in a mixed community is an important part of growing up. This can however be attained just as effectively through social interaction outside the classroom. In my experience, all single sex schools deliver a comprehensive programme of mixed social and extra-curricular activities, often through building close relationships with another single sex school locally.

.........Next week some thoughts on the advantages of co-education.

Do you need some advice to help you to choose the right school for your child? 

Give us a call on +44 (0)1865 522066 

or email consultants@independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

or visit our website www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk

Tips on applying for a Bucks secondary school place.

The 11+ tests are over for another year. Whilst awaiting results due on 11^th October, parents’ thoughts turn towards secondary school preferences via the Common Application Form (CAF). For the first time, parents will know their child’s 11+ test result, prior to submitting the CAF, knowing in advance if grammar is an option. The deadline for online submission of this form is 31^st October. Here are a few tips to bear in mind when considering how to list school preferences.

Visit school open evenings in the coming weeks, meeting the Head and key staff to ensure you make an informed decision about your top choices in order of preference. By researching how likely you are to gain a place according to admissions criteria, for example proximity to the school gates or religious conditions, list at least one realistic, acceptable fall-back school, where a place is guaranteed.

Due to the equal preference system the schools will not know in what order you placed them on the form, so stick to your true order of preference. Your application to each school will be treated individually and given full consideration, according to their admissions code.

Fill in all the spaces on the form if you feel necessary, especially if there is a school you certainly don’t want. Leaving gaps on the form may mean you will be allocated a school of the admissions authority’s choosing, if you don’t secure a place in any of the schools you listed.

Don’t forget to consider Sir Thomas Fremantle, the new Free School which opened its doors in Sept 2013. Application for 2014 is via the CAF so be sure to list it as one of your preferences if you feel its ethos for education meets yours. www.sirthomasfremantle.org

Are you raising children in an ‘equal opportunities’ household?

We hear a great deal about the importance of raising 21st Century girls to believe that they can have it all - aspire to become a successful career woman, a model wife and a great mother. However I came across an interesting perspective this week on whether we are also raising boys to become supportive husbands of the future, capable of sharing the tasks needed to run the home, so their wives will indeed be able to have it all.

Many teenage boys I know appear to believe their home has a washing and ironing or cooking fairy. Cleaning and emptying the dishwasher seem to happen by magic, while they are encouraged to focus their attentions on making their parents proud through academic and sporting attainment, to start them off on that successful high flying career.

Despite also going out to work, mum often takes care of the lion’s share of the domestic chores as well as school runs and helping with homework. Are we therefore raising boys with an expectation that women are multi-taskers and will do everything for them?

Why not do a huge favour for someone else’s daughter in the future and introduce your son to a few household chores like washing up and stacking the dishwasher after dinner, doing their own washing, planning and cooking the occasional family meal while mum is busy working towards an office project deadline? Fathers too can play their part, presenting a role model where they help with homework, share the school runs or do the odd bit of hoovering.

Observing Mum running around after Dad doing all of the domestic chores and working full-time is not a good role model for sons or daughters. Sharing parenting and domestic tasks wherever possible should nurture a more balanced view.

Need help with choosing the right school? 

Give us a call on 01865 522066 or visit our website www.independenteducationconsultants.co.uk