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Boost Education News & Insights

Stay in the loop on the latest developments in education and after school tuition.
What the new T levels means for your child
A recent blog discussed the different options that await students after completing their GCSEs. Since then, a new group of courses was announced that is touted to give post-16 year olds a more direct path towards a career. T-levels were developed in collaboration with businesses to give students on-the-job skills. The first of the two-year courses will be introduced in…
The difference between GL and CEM 11+ exams
The 11+ exams are selective secondary school entrance tests that are usually taken at the beginning of Year 6. The two boards that conduct the 11+ exams are known as the Granada Learning (GL) and Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) boards. Which 11+ exam your child will sit is determined by the board your region has adopted.  There are…
Life after GCSE exams. What’s next for your child?
The years following their GCSE exams are arguably the most important for British secondary school students. Learners at this level will either be considering their A-level subjects, mull over attending a new school or college for sixth form or consider attending a vocational school. Some may even decide to put academia behind them altogether. Whatever your child’s decision, it’s important…
Exam revision techniques: Chunking
Chunking is a method of taking large pieces of information and grouping it in a way to make remembering it easier. This way of recalling information occurs often in our daily lives yet probably goes unnoticed for the most part. However, studies have found that chunking also improves our short term memory, which is specifically used to help us put…
The benefits of after school tuition versus school clubs
After school and morning breakfast clubs are a British institution that families across the country find tremendously helpful. These clubs give parents, especially working ones, peace of mind that their children are in good care as they meet their job responsibilities. But how do these more social clubs compare to after school tuition services where children are expected to focus…
Everything You Need to Know About new 9-1 GCSE Grading System
This year marks the second in which student GCSE grades transition from the traditional A to E system to a number-based scoring method. This new type of scoring is touted to better differentiate individual student performances in line with tougher exams and learning content.
How English became the world's most used language
If one word describes the process that culminated in what we know as modern-day English, it would be synergy. Why? Because if it wasn’t for the intermingling of different nations and cultures over many centuries, the English language would not have come to be. Spoken by more than a billion people today, English has been in a state of constant…
Why does the UK's school year start in September of all times?
September marks the beginning of the new school year for students across the UK which also coincides with the arrival of the colder seasons. Interestingly, the beginning of the school year varies largely depending on which side of the equator you live. Countries in the Southern Hemisphere, for example, typically start the new school year with the commencement of a…
How important is Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning?
Back to school in September means test time for students who are completing their 11+ exams. These exams cover two important subjects (Maths and English) and a skillset known as Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The latter cover critical skills students must cultivate as a foundation for continued learning. And while reasoning may not be an official subject in the school…
How to keep your child safe in an online world
The internet is by far one of the most far reaching and transformative inventions in recent times. Not only has the world wide web gifted us with amazing new ways to communicate, but we’re also being entertained, educated and kept abreast of the latest world developments as they happen. Globally, internet users have reached 4 billion with penetration in UK…
Mental health: Are we doing enough to support young minds?
A recent study by the Children’s Commissioner for England is shedding new light on the state of mental health services in Britain. The commissioner’s report states that many children with learning disabilities – that do not relate to mental health – are spending lengthy periods in institutions. These institutions are often located far from homes, with children being admitted for…
UK a leader in world wide education
For all its ebbs and flows, the United Kingdom’s education system is still one of the most admired in the world. The country recently scored first place in the US News and World Report rankings for leadership in quality education. The report included developed countries from across the world that were evaluated on scores involving attendance, development and overall quality…
The effects of bullying on your child
Why do kids bully? What causes a child to subject a classmate, sibling or friend to taunting, and in some cases, physical abuse? And what are the consequences for both? Even the child who bullies is likely to be on the receiving end of some form of nasty treatment.  In fact, it’s common to find that children who bully others…
The value of quality early education in society
In 1997, the British government commissioned a massive research undertaking that became known as the Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) study. The research assessed more than 3 000 British children, of which some had completed pre-school and others not, over a period of years. The findings demonstrated that those with preschool education consistently attained higher marks in key…
Five schools that are taking a different approach to education
Education is changing. From Bali to New York, classrooms are being replaced with open spaces as teacher-student dynamics are evolving to give young minds more avenues of expression. The many different ways schools across the world are bringing education to young children is a testament to human creativity and should be celebrated – and that’s exactly what we’re doing in…
How to support a child who is gifted or talented
A talent or a gifted mind is a terrible thing to waste. Each year, thousands of young children enter our education system with a small minority equipped with special abilities that often go unnoticed. While most parents and teachers would undoubtedly respond to such children more proactively, it is often a lack of awareness around how to identify extraordinary minds…
How to beat exam nerves and be your best come test day
Sitting through tests can be a nerve wracking experience for some, yet nothing more than a proverbial walk in the park for others. For many students, exam stress can ultimately curtail an otherwise stellar performance on test day as pressure to excel mounts. Sweaty palms and a dry mouth, or even total memory loss on the big day are all…
Here we grow again! Announcing the new Slough and Featherstone centres!
Great news! Boost Education is proud to announce the addition of two new centres in Slough and Southall respectively. The new centre in Slough is our first for the area with Southall receiving it’s second installment since opening its first in 2017. We’ve worked tirelessly to secure and prepare the venues and are happy to inform students and parents that…
Is taking my child for an initial assessment at a tuition centre a good idea?
Education has had its fair share of disruption over the past two decades. Phenomena like the internet, smart devices, and ever smarter software applications, are exposing people to new ways of consuming information. These new channels are almost too many to mention as on-demand video, online colleges and even augmented reality push the boundaries of how we learn. However, in…
Dates and preparation guide for the 2019 KS1 & KS2 SATs
Year 2 (KS1) and Year 6 (KS2) students will be thinking about preparing for the 2019 SATs exams coming up in the next few months. The SATs exams are usually held during the first two weeks of May each year and serve to test students’ grasp of English, Maths and Science for the respective key stages. Here are important exam…
How to Support Your Child's Learning at Home
As an educational institution, Boost Education urges every parent to invest in their children’s future by playing an active role in their educational development. While schools and institutions such as ours are tasked with providing children with the education they need, parents will always be best positioned to ensure their kids reach their full potential. Support from a parent is…
Arithmetic: Learning to Solve Equations in the Classroom and Beyond
Mathematics is arguably the most important subject students should master at an early age. The reason for this is its pervading nature as elements of the discipline can be found in our everyday lives. From accountants, to masons, to computer programmers, architects and even agricultural workers, we all rely on some form of mathematical literacy to do our jobs or…
Information on Key Stage 1 SATS Exams for Learners and Parents
Compulsory testing of students between the ages of six to seven has come under scrutiny in recent years. Parents and teachers have expressed concern that children in their first two years of schooling are placed under undue pressure associated with examinations at an early age. Continued pressure has resulted in the government revisiting the merits of the SATS exams for…
The Importance of Reading as a Foundation for Learning Excellence
The quality of reading and literacy in the country has been on the the up and up in recent years. England came in at 8th amongst fifty countries in an international literacy assessment conducted by the Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS) every five years. Countries from around the world participate in the assessments that uses the tests to assess…
The Boost Mock Exams for Learners
Each month, Boost Education centres host mock examinations to track our student’s progress as they advance through the different stages of learning. While the intake of information is a crucial aspect to education, the true test lies in assessing students’ knowledge and comprehension. To this end, Boost Education places a large emphasis on testing the progress of all learners and…
What Every Parent Needs to Know About the Y6 Sats Exams
2018 marks the second year of the new SATs exams for Key Stage 1 and 2 students across the UK. Introduced in 2016, the exams, based on the new National Curriculum, focus on the following subjects: English Grammar and Reading, Mathematics and Science for selected schools. The exams are designed to provide rigorous and comprehensive testing of students’ understanding of…
Boost Education is proud to announce the opening of our Ealing and Southall centres
The opening of our latest centres at Ealing and Southall is another milestone in the Boost Education journey. We are are very pleased to be sharing the news with parents and learners as we’ve earmarked Ealing and Southall as ideal areas for expanding our offering. Thanks to the continued feedback and support we receive from parents and learners, the Ealing…
Everything you need to know about the 11+ exams
EveThe 11+ exam is a test for children in year 6 who are hoping to go on to one of the country’s grammar schools. Catering to learners from year 7 onwards, these selective schools use the exam results to determine whether or not a learner is suitable for the course.The 11+ exams are only taken in certain parts of England…
Teaching Mathematics On A Problem-Solving Basis
A new approach to Mathematics in UK schools has been a point of discussion for more than a decade now. Britain’s standing in the world amongst other leading education systems has been somewhat disappointing with regard to the subject. Compared to countries such as China, Singapore and Finland, it is fairly clear that old approaches are no longer sustainable and…
What The GCSE Changes Mean For Students And Parents
The UK’s schooling system has been in preparation for sweeping changes to its grading, examination and course methodologies. To keep in line with international standards, a more “rigorous” approach to education is being adopted by the Department for Education. The traditional *A-G grading system has been undergoing a staged replacement process with the new 9-1 system that was approved by…
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