Scholarship Preparation

I have been preparing boys for 13+/CE scholarship examinations such as the Eton King’s Scholarship and Westminster Challenge for over ten years. These are very competitive sets of exams. They push towards A-level standard at times in terms of quality of questioning.

In terms of tuition support, I act as a motivator, a mentor, a teacher and a guide through the process, to improve boys’ study skills and organisation, increase their stamina for writing essays and to express themselves appropriately. A large part of the tuition is getting them to appreciate the world around them, through reading more challenging material and familiarity with world events. This gives them the skills to be as ready as they can possibly be.

Throughout the years, five boys I have tutored have been awarded the King’s Scholarship; fourteen are awarded each year. Boys I have tutored have also been awarded scholarships to Westminster, St Paul’s and Winchester.

Alongside tuition, here is a list of book, activity and media recommendations for children to prepare for scholarship papers:

Books:

• The Undercover Economist

• Freakonomics

• Prisoners of Geography

• Sapiens

• Fermat’s Last Theorem

• A History of the World in 100 Objects

• Alex’s Adventures in Numberland

• The Little Book of Thunks

• Do You Think You're Clever? The Oxford and Cambridge Questions

Websites and YouTube:

• TED Talks

• TED-Ed

• The Week magazine – theweek.co.uk

• 'The Inquiry' podcast

• The Propaganda Game (on Netflix)

• The Day – theday.co.uk

• 21st century mythologies – BBC Radio 4 (BBC Radio player)