The real achievement behind GCSE and A-Level results
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
Would it surprise you to know that I don’t just look at GCSE and A-Level grades as being a reflection of academic ability? To me, they’re not just a measure of how ‘clever’ someone is. Instead, GCSE and A-Level grades tell a story, boiled down into a letter or a number, of two years of […]
Continue reading
What I’ve done to help my anxiety in 2021
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
Many of my clients tell me how calm and soothing I am, so it might surprise you to know that I’ve been struggling with anxiety since spring 2018. I’ve done various things over the last three years to tackle the anxiety, but I’ve made bigger strides in 2021 than previously. After a member of The […]
Continue reading
What should you do in the summer holidays 2021?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
With the summer holidays fast approaching, parents have been asking me what their young people should be doing in the summer holidays. In this post, I’ll be sharing the things students in years 7-13 should be doing in the summer holidays to give you some clarity and reassurance. What should you do in the summer […]
Continue reading
The right mindset for Oxbridge applications
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
What’s the right mindset when you’re applying to Oxbridge? With only about 20% of Cambridge applicants and 16% of Oxford applicants getting a place, it’s important that you go into the process with a healthy attitude so that you can get the most out of the experience, whatever the outcome. In this article you’ll discover: […]
Continue reading
What’s the difference between personal statements for vocational courses and academic subjects?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
If your child is applying for a vocational university course, it’s important that they understand what they need to do differently in their UCAS personal statement compared to students applying for academic subjects. In this article you’ll learn: What the difference is between vocational and academic university courses What’s different about applications for vocational university […]
Continue reading
3 Personal Statement Mistakes to Avoid to Get University Offers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
Year after year I see university applicants making the same 3 personal statement mistakes. These mistakes cost them lots of time, and would deprive them of offers at universities if they weren’t put right. Read on to find out what they are – so that you can avoid making them. 3 Personal Statement Mistakes to […]
Continue reading
“What’s the point of learning Pythagoras?” A parent’s guide to motivating teens to learn things they ‘don’t need to know’
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
“What’s the point of learning Pythagoras’ Theorem? I’m never going to use it in real life.” That’s what one of the members of The Extraordinaries Club was moaning to his mum. If you’re the parent of a teen studying for exams, you may well have heard the same complaint about any number of things they […]
Continue reading
How to Succeed in A-Level Physics
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
Is your child studying A-Level Physics? It can be an intimidating subject for some because of its heavy mathematical elements, but in practice, the subject encourages a whole range of other skills. These skills, alongside the mathematical modules, make it a great qualification to lead into university. Here I share some tips on how to […]
Continue reading
3 Hard Truths About What It Takes to Succeed at GCSE and A-Level
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
It’s not easy to succeed at GCSE and A-Level. I think we all know this intellectually, but many people seem to resist the reality of what it really takes. In this article, I’m going to share three hard truths about what it really takes to succeed at GCSE and A-Level. It’s up to you whether […]
Continue reading
Choose your hard
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS
GCSEs are hard. A-Levels are hard. But what’s the alternative? The alternative is even harder. That’s what we’re thinking about today. Choose your hard The other day, my head coach, Helen, sent me a meme that said: Marriage is hard, Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard, Being fit is hard. Choose your […]
Continue reading