Tutors & Parents Magazine- November 2020

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Improving Student Outcomes Featured Articles

Calling all English Teachers!

Achieving Outstanding Independent Learning Tips for advising your student/child ISSUE.001 NOV 2020

CONTENTS 04 GCSE & A-Level Exams 2020: Delay or Cancel?

06 Calling All English Teachers!

Improving Stud comes and Well-bei

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Improving Students Outcomes and Staff Well-being

10 Home Learning Strategies

The views, comments statements and opinions are not necessarily those of Study & Careers.

Study & Careers will accept no responsibility for any loss incurred by any person or organisation as a result of using any material from this publication. info@studycareershub.com www.studycareershub.com 03333 44 35 44

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dents OutStaff ing

12 Parent/Tutor Tips

18 27

Achieving Outstanding Independent Learning

20 How Not to Motivate Your Teenager

26 Medical School Applications

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GCSE and A-Level 2021 exams: delay o The pressure to delay or even

scrap next year’s exams is growing, following a study proving that most pupils had lost three or more months of learning due to the lockdown and COVID-19 related disruptions, with the majority of students in highly deprived areas losing more than four months in comparison to around 15% for those in less deprived areas.

The Department for Education insists GCSE and A-level exams will go ahead next year but acknowledges a possible several weeks’ extension to the start of the 2021 exam season. According to their spokesperson, the DfE and current government’s policy is that 2021 exams are going ahead and they will work closely with Ofqual, exam boards and school and college stakeholders on an appropriate and fair approach, with a full a realisation that students are experiencing considerable disruption to their education in the current academic year.

Ofqual has also confirmed that they are working with government and exam boards on the basis that “exams should run 4

next summer, albeit with contingency arrangements in place and subject-specific changes to reduce pressure on teaching time, as well as in line with appropriate public health advice”.

There are increasing calls, including most recently from former education secretary, Lord Baker as well as several university vice-chancellors, for 2021 GCSE and A Level exams to be cancelled and be replaced by a robust well-moderated teacher assessment process, but ‘with no algorithm’.

Lord Baker has also recommended that upon scrapping the exams, the government should then issue guidance to schools on “the sort of report that teachers should be keeping for each student now, not only on attendance, but on performance as the weeks and months go by.” “The advantage of internally set exams is that teachers will be able to adjust for student absence/ lost learning in a way that an external examiner will not. I think an early decision from the government is needed so that this guidance can be shared with and implemented by teachers in

plenty of time,” he argued.

The Vice Chancellors of University of Birmingham and Sheffield Hallam University, Sir David Eastwood and Sir Chris Husbands, argue; “The danger is that next summer’s results will be as chaotic as this year’s, with students having had much less time to learn.” They propose that the government: “extend learning throughout this academic year, until July, and not sit exams. Trust teachers; give students time to learn; let schools do everything they can to make good the effects of Covid on young people.”

The Liberal Democrats Education spokesperson has also criticised the government for having a “tunnel vision” by only focussing on going ahead with next summer’s exams instead of also planning for the possibility of “enormous numbers” of students not being able to sit them.

The Labour party’s Kate Green (shadow Education Secretary) has also called for delays to exams next year because of the vast amount of time pupils



or cancel?

  across the country have missed out on vital teaching. “They will have a mountain to climb to prepare for May exams unless the government steps in,” she said.

The National Education Union are recommending considering about four different scenarios that could play out next year and under two of those scenarios, some children or enormous numbers of children will not be able to sit exams. They recommended an open-minded approach which include the possibility of scrapping exams and putting in place some sort of process by which their grades are allocated.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said the government should stop sticking its fingers in its ears, but instead consider the fact that, “as the situation develops, it may become inevitable that what we have to move to is a system of centre-assessed grades”.

We would love to hear your views? Please send your comments to hello@doddlelearn.co.uk

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Calling all English teachers!

Doddle is renewing and expanding its English Language and Literature provision for Key Stage 3 and 4. Having been a teacher of English in secondary schools for over 30 years, I know how intense and time-consuming the preparation, delivery and marking load can be for even the most experienced practitioners. Whilst no on-line platform can ever hope to replace the enthusiastic, inspiring, well-informed teacher, on-line provision can act as an invaluable aid in quickly assessing students’ levels of knowledge and understanding.

However, it’s clear that in order to be beneficial to both the English teacher and student, there are some significant challenges ahead for Doddle if it is to create sufficiently wide-ranging, challenging and relevant material for all aspects of the English syllabuses taught both in the UK and abroad. As the new Senior Executive Consultant for Languages, it is my responsibility to ensure that high-quality material is available to support staff and to help students to make progress.

Taking Doddle’s English Literature provision as an example, it is evident that there is currently support for some of the most popular set texts for AQA. There are lessons, presentations, mini quizzes and

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worksheets for Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein, The Sign of Four and all the poems in the AQA Anthology.

However, whilst these may indeed be the most popular texts studied in most secondary schools, I would like to also focus on enhancing our current provision in texts such as Great Expectations, Pride and Prejudice, The History Boys, Animal Farm, Blood Brothers, DNA and the ‘Telling Tales’ prose anthology.

There is also a need to further develop updated material for those

“It is my responsibility to ensure that high-quality material is available to support staff and to help students to make progress.”

COMING SOON!

English departments which have chosen to study texts offered by the Cambridge iGCSE, Pearson/Edexcel and OCR. How many Cambridge iGCSE students are due to study Nineteen Eighty-Four or Jane Eyre, Othello or Twelfth Night, the short stories from ‘Stories of Ourselves’ volume 2 and the poetry selections from ‘Songs of Ourselves’ volume 1? How many English departments which have chosen to study the Pearson/ Edexcel Literature syllabus would benefit from supportive material on texts such as The Woman in Black, Animal Farm, Boys Don’t Cry, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing or the Pearson/Edexcel Poetry Anthology?

Might not students who are studying the OCR Literature syllabus benefit from revision material on War of the Worlds, Anita and Me, My Mother Said I Never Should

and the OCR poetry anthology ‘Towards a World Unknown’? I will be focussing on providing resources for these texts in the coming months.

In order to assess the quality, variety and relevance of Doddle’s current English provision in Language and in Literature, and to identify the future needs of English departments, I will be contacting our partner schools across the country to seek feedback. This is a significant undertaking, but this input will be invaluable in enabling Doddle to provide English teachers and their students with relevant, engaging and high-quality resources to support learning.

Rob Cavender is the new Doddle Learn Senior Executive Consultant for English & MFL. To get in touch email Rob@studycareers.org 01865 208 440

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Case-study: Imp outco ity of teaching and learning in Science, and the results have proven very positive. Not only is there a small but significant trend between student usage and improved progress in assessments, but we have also seen an increase in learner confidence, engagement and thirst for knowledge.

One of the unexpected side-effects of Doddle was the improvement in staff well-being. The majority of staff using Doddle on a regular basis have agreed that it has reduced their workload, mainBy Mark Lee, Head of Science at Highfields School in Wolverhampton.

Over the past few years, we have tried a number of different online learning platforms to support our learners’ revision and manage teachers’ workload. None have ticked enough of the boxes at Highfields to warrant us continuing to fund the resource until now.

Improving student outcomes Highfields School In January 2018, we started using Doddle. We launched this as part of my own National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership project into the impact of digital technology on the qual8

ly through the use of self-marking quizzes as a tool for formative assessment. Staff are also finding it much easier to support learners that have been absent for a time.

Staff well-being They can set individuals targeted work that will enable them to access the lesson content they have missed and set detailed, relevant cover work when unable to teach their lesson.

proving student omes Following the introduction of Doddle at High-

At the time, the focus in Highfields was support-

fields, we carried out a student voices survey.

ing upper ability learners who appeared to be

The results of that survey were overwhelmingly

underachieving quite considerably throughout

positive. 88% of respondents said that they

Year 8. Following the implementation of Doddle

thought their use of Doddle helped them do

at Highfields, these learners made improvements,

better in their end of KS3 Science examination

with Doddle contributing to as much as one

with 71% of learners feeling more confident in

GCSE grade progress or more. The overall trend

the run up to their assessment as a result of

confirms that increased use of Doddle has a posi-

using Doddle.

tive impact on progress.

Moving forward, we are beginning to use Doddle for retrieval practice. Quizzes that cover previously learnt material are being set by teachers in advance of new topics to test their understanding, revisit previously taught topics and make key links to different areas of the course they need to access.

Doddle has supported our learners in becoming much more independent in their learning. Once they grasp how simple Doddle is to use, they can go on to use it at any time to help improve their knowledge and understanding. This has only been enhanced and simplified further by the introduction of the Doddle App that many of our learners use to access their Homework tasks and additional revision in their own time.

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Home Learnin

A quick guide for Tutors or Parents of sec Tutors and parents are scrambling to find strategies to help students stay engaged, learning, healthy and hap student’s home scho

One of the key messages most tutors and parents have been mentioning is to mainta

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01

Create your own timetable and stick to it

Use your typical school/college structure to pace your day’s learning schedule, as much as possible. Aim Most human beings tend to react well to keep the same variety of subjects to some form of structure. If you are study and extra-curricular activities. going to have lie-ins, try not to overdo Break the sessions into small manit. Try to wake up at reasonable times ageable chunks and it is likely your (especially Monday to Friday) to discipline your body and maintain your daily total learning time might be slightly routines as close as possible to the typi- shorter than at school/college; but cal school/college day. Aim to treat this that is perfectly understandable. period not as a holiday but a normal school/college going period. And if possible, get out of your pyjamas to create a more serious mentality.

Establish routines

Consistency is key Its going to be a rocky start, you are most unlikely expected to have perfected routines from day one. Learn to plan and prioritise each day until you have created some real momentum.

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Have regular breaks Especially breakfast and lunch breaks and use those to catch up on your social media, virtual playtime, gaming and other extra-curriculars. Reserve time for some form of physical exercise. Factor in the unconventional but now trending ‘social distancing’ concept in everything you do during this coronavirus pandemic season.

Monitor your progress If you are doing some online progress tests or working on your school/college’s virtual learning environment, aim to beat your previous score. Ask for feedback from your teachers if possible. Use a family member to help you test what you have learned.

Reflect on your learning Be flexible and be prepared to tweak your strategy if it’s not perfectly working for you. Like all new routines, the first few days are always about finding your feet. Give yourself time to adjust. Presumably there are no tests anytime soon, so don’t be too harsh on yourself – take it nice and steady, giving yourself enough grace and space to adjust to this new ‘COVID-19 triggered’ lifestyle.

ng Strategies

condary school and college students: ppy during such unforeseen and unprecedented times. Here’s some emergency tips to help you start your ooling adventure.

ain normality and a ‘close-to-normal’ routine. Highlight the following tips to them:

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07

Allocate yourself specific learning workspaces within your home

Identify several quiet study points to work from throughout the day. You could rotate your kitchen/dining table, lounge and bedroom to establish some form of variety. Some would rather have one specific learning space they would call their ‘new classroom’. Whatever you decide to go for, let it be a learning space that’s free from distractions. If possible, put your mobile phone and any electronic devices you are not using on silent.

Stay positive and motivate yourself Whilst being flexible and openminded. Use this time to nurture maturity within yourself and self-develop a genuine love for learning. Remember it’s all about quality not quantity, and there are times when less is more. Eat healthy, with plenty of water and a balanced diet.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help Discuss with your parent/tutor (if possible) about any challenges you might be facing. Initiate a conversation about any difficulties you are encountering whether academic, technological related, stress/depression or anything else. As a digital native, you probably are aware of other websites or YouTube you can use for reinforcement, if necessary.

Find out if your teachers/tutors have learning packets/classes/ homework or some online resources for you to look at. probably are aware of other websites or YouTube you can use for reinforcement, if necessary.

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Constantly check the school/college website/virtual learning environment/emails

Set yourself realistic target Try not to set some over-ambitious goals such as ‘to conquer the entire syllabus for every one of your subjects’. Remember you can only do your best, and during this challenging and uncertain period, your best is more than enough.

Just be realistic, and neither too optimistic nor too pessimistic.

Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound)

Develop a highachiever mentality Your success in the coming year and in your career is highly dependent on the effort you are going to put in now. If you dream of being on top of your game professionally or drive that Lamborghini or whatever your dream-car is; this is the time to make it happen. In most cases, high achievers aren’t born, they’re a product of hard-work and a successdriven mentality.

C A T E G O R Y

G O E S

B R A N D

M A G A Z I N E

P A G E _ 0 4

P A G E

PARENTS/TUTORS’ ADVICE TO STUDENTS

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H E R E

Tips for supporting your student/child in making educational & careers choices As a parent / tutor, you have a lot of influence when it comes to education and careers decisions for your student/child. Unfortunately, the choices open to them today, may be very different from the time when you were in their shoes. Everything has changed; the exam and educational systems, options available, working patterns and the type of jobs now on offer are now very different as technology evolves. It is therefore crucial to ensure that your approach and strategy for supporting them is well-informed and as up-to-date possible.

&

C A R E E R S

H U B

P A G E _ 0 5

S T U D Y

M A G A Z I N E

Discussing their educational and careers shows your interest and investment in them and this could stimulate more interest and helping them have a more positive attitude. Your student/ child sees you as a source of inspiration, positive support, encouragement and reassurance.

B R A N D

There are numerous benefits that come with parent/tutor’s involvement in your student/ child’s education and career decision. Various researches have highlighted that the more the parent/tutor involvement, the more the student feel loved and supported, which boosts their motivation, self-esteem and higher educational and career aspirations and achievements.

Key Highlights “Try not to be biased towards traditionally preferred choices or your own preferences.

Careers evolve with each generation and some of the careers they will be doing are still in their infancy or have not been invented yet.“

“Foster engagement and enthusiasm in your student/child by positively supporting their free choices and unbiasedly guiding them towards making crucial decisions. “

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STUDY & CAREERS MAGAZINE

PARENT/TUTOR TIPS

FOR SUPPORTING YOUR STUDENT/CHILD IN IN MAKING EDUCATIONAL & CAREER CHOICES

Here are a few tips to help you get started: 1. Establish & nurture a closer partnership with the school/career’s service. Contact them or visit their website to see what you can do to support your child and what resources are available. Ask them questions on any areas you are not sure about. Ask your student/child to bring relevant literature as part of the relationship building process.

2. Motivate and support them to build employability skills through hobbies and extra-curricular activities. It is essential for you to support your student/child in understanding the crucial relationships between the transferrable skills they pick up and the world of work.

Strongly encourage your son/daughter to build a healthy mix of future-proof core skills that are linked to longer term employability.

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3. Foster engagement and en

thusiasm in your student/child by positively supporting their free choices and unbiasedly guiding them towards making crucial decisions. Career choices derived from a real passion usually produce super-excelling and highly successful professionals.

Ask questions that encourage them to freely open up on their choices, such as: • What do you enjoy or are you passionate about?

• What do you enjoy doing during your spare time?

• How would you describe yourself? What sort of person are you?

• What are your strengths, core skills and abilities?

• What’s the best thing/ achievement you have ever had in your life?

• What would you like to try?

• What could you picture yourself doing in the future?

Avoid being shocked if you get unexpected answers. Hobbies such as watching movies/TV s scriptwriters or editorial roles.

If they spend more time online and gaming, their potentially could pursue careers such as multimedia design, coding or digital marketing.

Loving sport and outdoors may often point towards professions such as physiotherapy, sports psychology or coaching/sports management, which are generally very rewarding career options.

4. Try not to be biased towards traditionally preferred choices or your own preferences. Careers evolve with each generation and some of the careers they will be doing are still in their infancy or have not been invented yet. Look out for future jobs. When you were growing, professions such as App developers and gaming coders never existed. Make use of the range of systematic approaches to explore choices, such as: • The Morrisby Test • National Careers Service Skills Health Check Our Careers & Employability Handbook has loads of other online tools and websites you can use to help them explore their choices.

5. As your student/child builds a general direction or a set of potential career options, it is fundamental for you to work closely with a careers professional to enable them to get a hands-on insight into the potential roles they could be doing through work placements, insight days and employer visits.

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Key takeaways

on supporting your stude P A R E N T A L / T U T O R S ’

T I P S

F O R

S U P P O R T I N G

Y O U R

S T U D E N T / C H I L D

I N

“Reassure them that you’re always available to support.”

“Keep encouraging them and foster positivity.”

Encourage them to speak to teachers and careers advisers for more detailed information and guidance.

“Celebrate any successful milestones in the process.”

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• Be curious and also make them curious • Have an open mind • Encourage them to be realistic about location, • salaries and ambitions • Discuss Labour market information facts and figures • Discuss jobs that are likely to grow in the future • Encourage self-understanding and self-reflection • Share your own or other people’s experiences • Offer to collaborate in the research process • Find clever ways of driving out wild unrealistic dreams and naivety

• Help them to consider other avenues such as self-employment, virtual working, flexible working, freelancing or online roles • Introduce them to your personal / professional networks • Always be conscious your role as a helper not dictator • Know your limits and where you fit on in • Remember ultimately, his/her life, not yours • Let them make their own decisions.

• If they make ‘wrong’ decisions, highlight your views and offer to support if things don’t work out • Encourage them to speak to teachers and careers advisers for more detailed information and guidance.

TO P TIPS

ent / child: M A K I N G

E D U C A T I O N A L

&

“Support them but avoid writing their CV or applying for them.”

• Reassure them that you’re always available to support.

• Avoid being a helicopter parent who micromanage every aspect of their life – maintain appropriate boundaries.

• Do not impose on them a particular job or profession • Support them but avoid writing their CV or applying for them • Help them build their own network of • connections • Keep encouraging them and foster positivity • Celebrate any successful milestones in the process

C A R E E R

C H O I C E S

Find clever ways of driving out wild unrealistic dreams and naivety.

“Help them build their own network of connections.”

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By Helen Wesson, Science Faculty Leader at Baxter College

Case Study

Achieving Outstanding Independent Learning

“I enjoy the quizzes as they help me to test my understanding and correct my mistakes.”

Winner

T

he past few years have seen Baxter College set its sights on improving attainment by promoting independent learning.

The results have been remarkable and they have observed a real growth in proactive, motivated learners as a result.

Outstanding independent learning at Baxter College Helen Wesson, Science Faculty Leader at Baxter College, wanted to encourage independent learning with her Year 10 cohort to ensure they got into the habit of studying from home in preparation for Year 11. Providing personalised guidance to make sure this work was direct-

ed to target weak skills for each student was an important hurdle to overcome.

On top of this, Helen wanted to make sure that her efforts to better resource home learning weren’t reliant on an increase in staff workload. This is why she chose to use Doddle.

“Doddle helps us to track our students’ knowledge and helps them to understand what they need to do to improve. The resources on Doddle provide an excellent opportunity for students to work independently on their weaknesses, check their understanding, review and consolidate their learning.”

Science markbook By using self-marking quizzes for regular

“The resources, particularly the presentations, have helped me learn the key terms.

As English is my second language, Doddle is very clear so I am able to understand and make progress.”

Runner up low-stakes testing, teachers at Baxter College get an insight into the weak skills which are holding their students back and can easily assign meaningful intervention. With over 20,000 resources across 25 subjects at KS3, KS4 and KS5 at their fingertips, Doddle provides them with quality resources to engage students and promote meaningful independent learning.

Helen planned an ac-

tion research project to measure the impact of a competition on the level of independent learning and revision completed by Year 10. Over just two weeks, in the run-up to the Easter holidays when it can sometimes be difficult to motivate students, teachers noticed impressive improvements in students’ independent learning, with marked increases in the time spent working from home through Doddle!

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Inspirational Q Tutors & inspir next gen

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Quotes to help Parents re the neration

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The Year 13 Destination Options How Tutors/Parents can help advice Year 13 students on their future options

Higher apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships and school-leaver programmes are a real gamechanger and a disruptor to the traditional higher education and young people’s early-days career progression.

T

he

options provide

student debt, whilst earning

such as Big-4 accounting

an excellent and

a salary, on-the-job experi-

firms, bulge bracket/top-tier

competitive alter-

ence and equivalent higher

investment banks, top law

native to main-

education qualifications.

firms and industry leading gi-

stream university

The popularity of the pro-

ants all join the rush. Here are

education, allow-

grammes is phenomenal, even

the key facts about each route:

ing school-leavers to avoid 24

with high profile employers.

University Predominantly campusbased full-time learning.

Limited opportunities for work-based placements Generally, earns no salary, except during placement year Students pay £9k+ tuition fees + living expenses (overall debt - £40k+).

Level 6 / 7 Qualification (Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree) Academic Oriented Assessment mainly examinations and assignments Apply through UCAS or direct, most courses starting in September (A few in January and other months) Application process includes UCAS Application & Personal Statement, at times with interviews/tests A Level/Scottish Higher/ NVQ/HND/IB Wide choice of degree programmes

Can be competitive, particularly top Universities Entry mainly based on academic grades More relaxed with a focus on learning Most last 3 or 4 years Broad choice of career options upon qualification Follows traditional learning structure Ease of employment on completion: tough & competitive

Higher Apprenticeships

Full-time employment with work-based learning plus off-the-job further/higher education/professional qualification Earns a salary; £3.90 or above No Tuition Fees/Student Debt. Earns a salary.

Level 4 – 7 Qualification (HND/NVQ, Foundation Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Professional Qualification) Practical/Technical Oriented Assessments more competency based Apply directly to employers or through partner providers or gov.uk/applyapprenticeship. Deadlines vary with employers.

Application process includes Online Application, Aptitude Tests, Assessment Centres, Interviews A Level/Scottish Higher/ NVQ/HND/IB/Advanced Apprenticeship Wide range of large and small employers & sectors.

Not available in certain areas such as Medicine Highly competitive Entry based on academic grades + employability skills More demanding and hectic, steep learning curve, juggling work and study Most last between 2 – 6 years Options mainly limited to area of speciality Follows national framework Ease of employment on completion: easier, many tend to secure employment within the same organisation

Degree Apprenticeships

Predominantly work-based learning plus off-the-job University-led degree qualification.

Earns a salary, usually well above national minimum wage No Tuition Fees/Student Debt.

Level 6 – 7 Qualification (Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Professional Qualification) Practical/Technical Oriented Assessment mixed: competence-based and examinations/assignments Apply directly to employers or through partner providers or gov.uk/applyapprenticeship. Deadlines vary with employers.

A Level/Scottish Higher/ NVQ/HND/IB/Advanced Apprenticeship Limited to participating (mainly large) employers & sectors. Not available in certain areas such as Medicine Highly competitive Entry based on academic grades + employability skills More demanding and hectic, steep learning curve, juggling work and study Most last 3 or 4 years Options mainly limited to area of speciality Does not follow national framework; structure unique to company Ease of employment on completion: easier, many tend to secure employment within the same organisation

School-Leaver Programmes

Full-time employment with work-based learning plus off-the-job further/higher education/professional qualification Earns a salary, usually well above national minimum wage No Tuition Fees/Student Debt. Earns a salary.

Level 4 – 7 Qualification (HND/NVQ, Foundation Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Professional Qualification) Practical/Technical Oriented Assessments more competency based Apply directly to employers or through partner providers or gov.uk/applyapprenticeship. Deadlines vary with employers.

Application process includes Online Application, Aptitude Tests, Assessment Centres, Interviews A Level/Scottish Higher/ NVQ/HND/IB/Advanced Apprenticeship Limited to participating (mainly large) employers & sectors. Not available in certain areas such as Medicine Highly competitive Entry based on academic grades + employability skills More demanding and hectic, steep learning curve, juggling work and study Most last between 2 – 6 years Options mainly limited to area of speciality Does not follow national framework; structure unique to company Ease of employment on completion: easier, many 25 tend to secure employment within the same organisation

Medicine, Dentistry & Veterinary Medicine School

Medical school applications TUTORS & PARENTS’ TIPS FOR ADVISING students

A

pplications o get into Medical School much earlier than other university courses.

Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine are amongst the most competitive degree programmes to get into. It is therefore crucial that your child/ student is thoroughly prepared to ensure their application stands out from the crowd.

Most medical school admission tutors look out for several things, some of which are listed below. But before we go into detail, we encourage people to fully consider some of the unique features of the profession.

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Make sure Medical School is really for them?

Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine are not for everyone – they need to have a genuine passion for the profession in order for them to thrive and fully enjoy it. They should not dare go into it for the wrong reasons, the journey is quite long and not easy at all. It could be for them if they can answer ‘Yes’ to most of the following questions: •

•

Do you like working in busy and challenging environments, where you have to make bold lifeimpacting decisions, and having responsibility for people’s lives?

Would you associate yourself with any of the following: ‘Empathy’; ‘Making a difference to people’s lives’; ‘Passion for pa-

• • • • •

•

•

tients’ Are you hard-working?

Are you clever?

Are you good at remembering lots of information?

Are you not bothered with working long hours?

Can you live with working strange shift patterns, including night shifts?

Would you cope with earning loads of money, especially if you progress to Consultant level?

Can you put up with studying for long hours?

Preparation and practice websites include: • Cambridge Admissions Testing Service (https://www.admissionstesting.org/) • Kaplan Test Prep (https://www.kaptest.co.uk/) • MedEntry (https://www.medentry.co.uk/) • The Medic Portal (https://www.themedicportal.com/) • UniAdmissions (https://www.uniadmissions.co.uk/) • 6Med (https://6med.co.uk/) • BMA (https://www.bma.org.uk/) • GMC (https://www.gmc-uk.org/) • NICE

Help them get the right grades Most medical schools require three top grades: • A-level: AAA including chemistry and one other science, such as maths, physics, biology or psychology.

• International Baccalaureate: 37 points including chemistry and another science subject.

• Scottish Highers:

S5: AAAAA/ AAAABB or S6 ABB. Most medical schools expect A Level / Scottish Higher / IBAC Chemistry plus another Science subject / Maths. Some require both Biology and Chemistry and others may even require three Sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Maths).

Those struggling to meet these entry requirements, may want

to consider doing the six-year course ‘Medicine with a Foundation Year or Pre-clinical Year’. You may want to consider enrolling them on a related course such Biomedical Sciences or Biochemistry then transfer to Medicine after the first year if they achieve high grades. Alternatively, they could first finish the degree then enter through the Graduate Entry route.

Admissions Test Preparation Make sure they are thoroughly prepared and have done extensive practice/mock tests on a computer for the Admissions tests which are required by the majority of the medical schools in the UK. The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is a computerised exam that test key skills such as communication, spatial awareness, quantitative reasoning and numeracy. It usually covers five key areas; verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning, quantitative reasoning, decision making and situational judgement. The exam is usually sat between July and October. The majority of medical schools use UKCAT. You get your results straight after the test, so can use the test results to tailor your personal statement and to see which medical schools are more likely to accept you.

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is common with some top medical schools such as Oxford, CamYOUR P OIN T bridge, UCL andRIGH Imperial The test covers 3 main sections; problem-solving, scientific knowledge T H ERCollege.

E and essay writing. Registration opens in July and the exam is usually sat between September and October.

The Situational Judgement Test for Admission to Clinical Education (SJTace) is mainly used for entry to the Scottish Graduate Entry Medical Programme (ScotGEM), in particular; the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews.

The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is primarily used for the Graduate Entry Medicine courses and for a few selected Standard Entry Medicine courses where the applicant is a graduate. As with the UKCAT, an applicant must register for and sit the GAMSAT before making the UCAS application. Registration is in August while the test is sat in September.

University of Aberdeen Anglia Ruskin University Aston University University of Birmingham University of Bristol Cardiff University University of Dundee University of East Anglia Edge Hill University University of Edinburgh

UCAT UNIVERSITIES University of Exeter University of Glasgow Hull York Medical School Keele University Kent and Medway Medical School King's College London University of Leicester University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Newcastle

BMAT UNIVERSITIES University of Nottingham University of Cambridge Plymouth University University of Oxford Queen Mary University of London University of Leeds Queen's University Belfast University College London University of Sheffield Lancaster University University of Southampton Imperial College London University of St Andrews Brighton and Sussex Medical School St George's, University of London University of Sunderland University of Warwick 27

Medical school applications Make sure they ace their UCAS Personal Statement

Encourage them to familiarise with other key ethical medical topics such as euthanasia, abortion, patients’ rights, privatisation, informed consent, gender issues, and conflict of interest

It is crucial that they first visit your chosen medical school’s admissions website to make sure they know precisely what they recommend to be include in the UCAS application personal statement. Help them to keep it as relevant as possible, showcasing their medical mentality, care for the patient and reference to their work experience.

Key things they should demonstrate in their personal statement: • •

•

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Motives and inspiration for choosing medicine.

Explorations, volunteering, work experience and extracurricular activities that have been undertaken.

Reflection on experiences to demonstrate transferrable skills, capabilities and attributes that make them a suitable candidate.

Extracurricular activities Medical school admission tutors highly rate participation in extracurricular activities mainly because: • They come with invaluable transferrable skills which complement with the profession • They give them a picture of the kind of person you are.

• They demonstrate your ability to cope with the high pressures that come with studying and working in medicine and dentistry.

In their application make sure they link possible transferrable skills from any extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, societies, orchestra, voluntary/ charitable activities). Highlight skills such as leadership, teamworking, interpersonal communication, collaboration and innovation that come with their participation in the activities.

Encourage them to demonstrate extensive study and wider reading

Keeping up-to-date with medical current affairs, the medical profession and NHS news Extensively reading the General Medical Council’s ‘Good medical practice’ (https://www.gmc-uk. org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/good-medical-practice) Regularly reading The Doctor Magazine and BMJ (British Medical Journal) news (https://www. bma.org.uk/news/the-doctor and https://www. gmc-uk.org/) of focusing on the patient. To get a real good feel of what it’s like working in the medical field, they should shadow doctor, nurse or any other relevant medical professional. The broader their work experience the more attractive their application.

Prepare for the interview

They must have a sound understanding of confidentiality and the four pillars of medical ethics: Autonomy: respecting patient’s choice Beneficence: doing what is in the best interests of the patient Non-maleficence: doing no harm Justice: doing what’s best for society as a whole They should also familiarise with other key ethical medical topics such as euthanasia, abortion, patients’ rights, privatisation, informed consent, gender issues, and conflict of interest Knowledge of high profile diseases (such as COVID-19, AIDS, MMR, SARS, MRSA, H5N1, cancer).

Other signs of passion for medicine include watching medical tele-

vision programmes, knowing the different specialities in medicine as well as reading books and periodicals on health-related subjects.

Medical placement or work experience

Prior to submitting their application, they should try and get some form of medical placement or work experience. This could be at your local hospital, GP practice, medical centre, medical laboratory, Ambulance service unit, medical research centre, primary health centre or nursing care home.

In their application, they should try and reflect on and give examples of their personal experiences, learning outcomes and key skills expected from a medical doctor, such as empathy, communication skills, patient interactions and the importance

Use the Medical School’s website to find out more about the style of the interview. Whether it is a panel interview or a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), do a lot of research on what to expect for that particular interview and the types of questions.

Encourage them to prepare some good quality and original responses to help them on the day.

They should prepare some solid answers to justify why they chose that medical school and degree programme. They should try and showcase their knowledge of the profession by having a clear understanding of the different progressions up to Consultant level and what particular pathway they are looking to take. Research about the medical school’s attached hospital and its speciality.

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FEATURED PROFESSION

DOES YOUR CHILD/STUDENT FANCY A CAREER IN:

BANKING & FINANCE? The indisputable three stages of a fulfilling life are; Learn, Earn and Serve. Most successful politicians and business leaders who are serving on FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 boards have all been through these three stages. Investment banking is a unique profession that allows you to use what you have learnt to earn so well in the early part of your life, giving you a chance to serve and give back to society in the latter stages of your career without have to worry about bills.

Mark Carney (Former Bank of England Governor) is a typical example of someone whose ‘Learn’ phase included an Economics Bachelor’s degree at Harvard and Master’s and Doctorate degrees at Oxford. His ‘Earn’ phase saw him rewarded with seven-figure earnings during an illustrious 13-year career at Goldman Sachs. His ‘Serve’ phase includes leading the Banks of Canada before taking the helm at the Bank of England.

Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, the current and former Chancellors of the Exchequer are also notable examples who left senior level positions at banks such as Chase Manhattan and Deutsche Bank, taking a 98% paycut to serve as a politician.

So, what does it take to break into investment banking? Here is what we recommend you to advice your child/student:

Start your preparation early

For most city/wall street investment banking roles, early preparation helps you to build an ideal profile. Once you have made up your mind early in your career, you will need to choose the ideal subjects and push for the right grades at College and Uni. Subjects like finance, economics, accounting, mathematics, and engineering tend to be natural fits for city jobs, but most investment banks are now open-minded and accept candidates from practically any academic background.

Allow enough time for the typically lengthy

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Study & Careers Magazine

recruitment process. The entire process can be tedious and very time-consuming.

Start networking

Expand your network by connecting with recruiters at campus recruitment fairs and investment banking clubs.

Connect online with investment banking seniors, recent graduates and alumni who have just joined city / wall street firms. As insiders, they would know where the hidden ‘unadvertised’ opportunities are, the key contact in the firms, the rules of the game and the buzzwords that will impress interviewers.

Use your network to ask questions to help prep yourself on potential questions asked in interviews and what the key things are to make you outshine your peers.

Cast your net wide

Apply to as many top investment banks as well as middle-market firms and smaller brand boutique investment banks. This will increase your chances of getting more interviews, and in the process, this can also help fine-tune your interview skills. Don’t forget some smaller elite firms may have

Differentiate yourself from fellow competitors by doing a Finance Degree or qualifications such as the ACT, CFA, CFI or CISI.

more attractive unique opportunities and can act as a stepping-stone before joining bulge-bracket global banks.

What can make your application shine Apart from your top grades or your mathematical, economics or finance acumen, there are other things which can help set you apart. Even if you are not coming from Oxbridge, a Russell Group Uni, an elite school or typical investment banking feeder school/college, you can still enhance your CV unique by: Join college/university clubs and extra-curricular activities that can highlight your analytical prowess.

If you participated in any clubs or sports, especially at an elite or professional level, put on emphasis on this.

Highlight any achievements or leadership roles at school or university as they demonstrate your assertiveness and confidence track-record.

Prepare a top-notch CV and cover letter Most City/Wall Street investment banks look out for the following on your CV and cover letter when evaluating candidates: Top grades in the ideal subjects and degrees Knowledge of the organisation, their core values and unique features. If you have met or are connected with any key insiders, try to mention them in your cover letter A high level of enthusiasm both for the profession as well as for the bank itself Any outstanding extra-curricular performance including athletic achievements or club leadership Attendance to a feeder school, college or university can enhance your chances of success Placement or internship experience in an investment banking or related environment

Make the most of your placement/ internship

Internships and summer placements are a crucial sweetener that can significantly give you a competitive edge. Most recruiters believe that candidates with junior role experience in the profession have a competitive edge over their peers.

PREPARATION IS KEY

Expect a thorough scrutiny of your placement/internship experience in the interview. You could be quizzed on anything including; types of clients, transactions values involved, key achievements, how you fitted within your team and challenges encountered. Remember to emphasise on your strengths but still being honest.

Knowledge of the industry and the bank is key It is crucial that you build extensive knowledge of the industry. Get to know: Who the key players are Industry insights and latest developments.

What the bank you are applying to specialises in What their current market position is Be prepared for a strict recruitment process:

PREPARE A TOP NOTCH CV

Include any outstanding extra-curricular performance including athletic achievements or club leadership.

Prepare to explain why you are applying

Every interviewee must find a way of clearly highlighting that the bank they are applying for is their first choice. Make sure you don’t appear as too confident or too humble – find a way of striking a balance – showing a keen interest but not being overly zealous. Prepare for questions like: Why do you think you are the right person for this role?

How do you see yourself adding value to the business?

START NETWORKING

Expand your network by connecting with recruiters at campus recruitment fairs and investment banking clubs.

Prepare for some Investment Banking Technical Skills questions

Be prepared to answer technical Investment Banking questions to prove familiarity or proficiency in areas such as: Financial modelling and advanced Excel Valuations Financial Statement Analysis Mergers and Acquisitions Financial sales and corporate communication

Lastly

Be prepared for a strict recruitment process: Prepare yourself for long working hours (sometimes 50+ hours per week)

CAST YOUR NET WIDE

Apply to as many top investment banks as well as middle-market firms and smaller brand boutique investment banks.

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We would like to share some exciting news with you. We have just acquired Boardworks Ltd the company that operates Doddle Learn-the popular e-learning platform from GL Education Group this week.

What does this mean for your schools, tutors and parents?

Huge investment is now underway to help schools/tutors meet government requirements to integrate remote education into their entire curriculum.

Existing subject content is being renewed and refreshed in line with the 2020/21 curriculum, and additional subjects (up to a total of 25) are being added to provide schools with a whole school resource. We’re also getting rid of flash technology which will be replaced with more modern HTML presentations.

We are now offering Tutor/ Parent Packages from just £25 per month or £200 per annum.

If you would like to discuss more or arrange to start your subscription, get in touch with us: hello@doddlelearn.co.uk 01865 208 440 https://www.doddlelearn.co.uk/doddle-for-tutors/ 35

Doddle Learn ups its game

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“It means schools can have a joined-up approach to e-learning across the entire curriculum, supporting pupil learning and helping teachers manage their workload in a consistent and coherent way.”

DODDLE FOR TUTORS & PARENTS

£25 PER MONTH OR

£200 PER YEAR

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opular online learning platform Doddle Learn (previously known as Doddle) will be offering an expanded range of 25 GCSE and A level subjects as its parent company Boardworks Ltd comes under new ownership. The increased subject portfolio will feature new courses including Psychology, Sociology, Computing, Economics, English Literature and CEIG (Careers, Employment Information and Guidance) as well as having more in-depth Science resources.

The improvements come as schools increasingly turn to online learning providers to support them with catch up provision, and a blend of home and school learning resources as they face the challenges of further pupil absences due to Covid-19.

The company has embarked on an accelerated programme of investment and improvement after acquiring Doddle from GL Education. Developments for the newly branded Doddle Learn include new practice papers, enhanced homework resources and quizzes right across the secondary and sixth form curricula to ensure it stimulates pupil learning and helps teachers manage lessons and homework easily.

Doddle Learn is designed around making content, supplementary classwork and homework easy and productive for students, teachers and parents.

Uniquely, students and parents can access all their subjects on one platform making Doddle Learn an essential and convenient component of secondary and sixth form learning infrastructure.

The new ownership secures the jobs of 25 experienced employees and a doubling of staff numbers as part of the improvement programme. Study Careers is already recruiting highly qualified and experienced teachers to

Careers is already recruiting highly qualified and experienced teachers to develop content on the platform.

A new low-price subject bundle offer is being introduced for existing and new customers, representing excellent value for money at a time when Covid-19 is putting additional pressure on already stretched school budgets.

The complete 25-subject suite is available for only £4,000, which equates to £160 per subject. With the huge investment in

their child’s homework assessments and progress.”

As Doddle Learn’s Marketing Director, Julie Kenyon highlighted, “It is already a great online learning and homework asset for schools, pupils and parents but there is always scope for improvement.

Our experienced team is committed to continually develop content to keep pace with curriculum changes and the evergrowing role digital plays in supporting pupil learning and helping teachers manage their workload.”

Rob Cavender, Director of Learning at a top college in West Yorkshire welcomes the news: “Doddle Learn is already a great resource for schools and tutors and I’m pleased to hear that further investment is going into expanding their offering to include many more subjects and updated content. It means schools can have a joined-up approach to e-learning across the entire curriculum, supporting pupil learning and helping teachers manage their workload in a consistent and coherent way.”

WE NOW OFFER DODDLE PACKAGES FOR TUTORS AND PARENTS FROM £25 PER MONTH OR £200 PER YEAR For more information, contact Doddle Learn’s customer services team on 01865 208 440 or visit https://www. doddlelearn.co.uk/doddle-for-tutors/

improving the content, this will make it one of the most cost-effective secondary school/sixthform resource hubs.

Keith Bero Chief Executive Officer of Study Careers says, “Doddle Learn is a unique digital learning platform because it provides pupils and schools with an extensive range of GCSE and A level subject content and homework support all via just one login. It also helps teachers manage lessons and set homework and allows parents to view 37

DODDLE LEARN (BOARDWORKS) IS NOW AVAILABLE TO TUTORS AND PARENTS!

THE PLATFORM YOU KNOW AND LOVE IS NOW AVAILABLE FROM ONLY

£25 PER MONTH OR £200 PER YEAR 38

We know that this process hasn’t progressed as quickly as we had originally hoped and we apologise for the inconvenience this has cause you, your colleagues and your students. As you now know, Doddle has recently come under new

ER N VE

GE RN IN LE A OT E EM DR AN ITA L IG NG D KI MA

Over the next few months, we will be replacing the most popular of these presentations with more up to date, Flash-free, mobile friendly versions. We plan to finalise and share the details for each subject and topic with you as in the next couple of months.

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We are removing all the Flash content and saying goodbye to the outdated and less used presentations that no longer meet our high standards. In addition to removing Flash and ensuring these resources are still accessible after December, we are working hard to modernize both the content and functionality of the presentations.

EV

Full support will be available on release, but you can expect to see this new and improved platform going live ahead of Christmas this year!

HA

Modernising your resources When it comes to Flash you may have a lot of questions. We want to reassure you that this is our top priority as we make plans for new investments and revitalize Doddle.

RT

So, what changes are coming?

Making digital and remote learning even easier than ever The platform you know and love is also going to be getting a new look and feel. We have been working closely with our users to update Doddle’s interface, making it even easier to find and assign the resources you need. Alongside these changes we are also updating the markbook, so it’s even easier to understand how your students are engaging with their learning.

SIE

It is in this spirit that 2020 will mark an exciting new chapter for Doddle that we are delighted to be able to share with you now.

ownership, and it was while this transition took place that we were required to pause the work. It is however our priority now and efforts have begun again to make progress as quickly as possible.

We believe most Flash-based resources will be replaced by year-end, in line with our commitment to providing world-class resources and focusing our attention on making sure the content we do provide is valuable and core to your teaching needs.

EA

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his year has shown us just how important digital platforms can be for the future of education and we are taking strides to meet the evolving needs of schools in the digital age, whilst ensuring we maintain a high standard of resourcing that truly meets your pedagogical needs.

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To all tutors, parents, school/c

We would like to express our heartfelt and sinc responded to the extra-ordinary challenges COVI scap

We are so proud of how you have all risen to the system fun

Once again,

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ation fully supports the statutory requirement that e must receive good careers 20. The handbook fully comatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks.

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and parents” ondering what educational/careers options your students can take for their next step?

Wondering how you can help your students with their UCAS, & University Applications, Apprenticeship and Job Applications?

Need to know which jobs pay more and are available in your area (Labour Market Information)?

What qualifications are needed for each role i.e Degree/Diploma/Certificate?

How do your students apply for Medical School/Law School/Accounting Firms/Investment Banking Firms etc..?

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Do you understand about how each of these work: T Levels, Traineeships, Assessment Centres, School-Leaver Programmes, Work Placements?

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