Many students today rely on music to focus, calm their nerves, and make study sessions more enjoyable, this isn’t much different from how some adults study or work. But you might feel conflicted, is it a distraction or a helpful study method?

Both research and experience suggest the answer predominantly depends on three things: how, what, and when they listen.

We explore more about study playlists below!

What’s the science behind music and learning?

Music’s impact on the brain is profound.

Neuroscientists have long known that listening to music activates multiple brain areas, including those linked to memory, attention, and emotion.

Some studies have even found that when music plays, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that promotes motivation and positive feelings. For children and adults alike, this can make studying feel less like a chore and more like an enjoyable activity.

However, not all music is created equal when it comes to learning. The so-called “Mozart Effect,” once believed to boost intelligence, has largely been debunked.

What remains true, though, is that certain kinds of music can improve mood and concentration; two key ingredients for effective studying!

When does music help?

Music can be beneficial for learning under specific conditions.

For many children, background music provides a sense of comfort and helps block out external distractions, particularly in noisy households or busy study environments.

Instrumental or ambient music tends to work best because it offers rhythm without competing for linguistic attention, for example.

Studies have shown that moderate tempo music, often in the range of 60 to 80 beats per minute, can help regulate heart rate and induce a calm but alert state, similar to what psychologists call the “flow” state.

In this mode, a child may feel immersed in the task at hand, better able to retain information and sustain focus over longer periods.

For example, classical music, nature sounds, or even gentle piano tracks often fall within this category. These types of playlists provide consistent auditory stimulation without overwhelming the brain’s language centres.

Can music hinder studying?

On the other hand, not all study playlists are helpful.

Music with lyrics, especially in a language your child understands, can interfere with reading comprehension, writing, and other tasks that rely heavily on verbal processing. When the brain tries to process both lyrics and text simultaneously, it divides attention, which can slow comprehension and reduce memory retention.

Unsurprisingly, the volume of the music matters, too. Loud or overly dynamic music, such as fast pop songs, rap, or rock, can elevate adrenaline and distract from concentration. Similarly, constantly switching tracks or using playlists that vary dramatically in tempo or tone can interrupt the rhythm of studying.

For children with attention difficulties, music might serve as one more source of sensory input rather than a focusing aid.

There is no one-size-fits-all

What’s most important to consider is that every child is different, and the effectiveness of studying with music can be based on several variables, such as;

• Personality type and preference: Some children thrive on silence, while others feel uneasy without background noise. You’ll know your children best.
• Age: Younger children, whose executive functioning skills are still developing, may be more easily distracted by sound. Teenagers, on the other hand, often use music as a form of self-regulation, so music may help them manage stress during long study sessions.
• Playlist type or genre: As mentioned above, certain music, especially that with lyrics and fast tempos, can prove more distracting than, say, a classical piano piece.
• Type of task: The type of task can also dictate whether music helps or hinders. Repetitive or less cognitively demanding tasks, like copying notes, organising materials, or solving simple math problems, may pair well with music. But for deeper learning activities like essay writing or analysing complex concepts, silence or white noise might be more effective.

Building the perfect study playlist

If your child enjoys listening to music while studying, you can guide them in building a playlist that supports, rather than distracts from, learning.

Here are a few tips:

1. Go lyric-free. Instrumental tracks, lo-fi beats, or classical compositions minimise verbal interference. You can find some great pre-curated playlists on platforms like Spotify.
2. Keep it consistent. Choose music that maintains a steady rhythm and volume. Avoid songs with sudden tempo changes or dramatic crescendos.
3. Test different genres. Some children focus better with classical music, while others prefer ambient electronic, jazz, or nature sounds.
4. Use playlists as cues. Playing the same playlist each time your child studies can create a mental “study mode” association, signaling to the brain that it’s time to focus.
5. Mind the volume. Keep the music at a low or moderate level, just enough to fill the background without dominating attention.
6. Encourage reflection. After each study session, check in with your child and ask how the music affected their concentration and mood.

Technology makes it easy

Today’s streaming platforms offer countless ready-made study playlists.

Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube all feature curated collections like “Lo-Fi Beats to Study To” or “Classical Focus.” Some even adjust in real time, analysing the listener’s activity to match tempo and mood, now that’s smart!

For tech-savvy students, exploring these options can make studying feel more personalised and engaging.

Parents can take part, too, helping their child curate playlists or setting up shared “study time” where everyone in the household listens to calming background music.

The bottom line

So, can study playlists help your child learn better? The answer is: potentially yes, if used thoughtfully.

Music isn’t a magic learning tool, nor should it be vilified. The key is finding the right balance, music that enhances focus without stealing attention.

Encourage your child to experiment with different types of sound and notice how each affects their concentration. Whether it’s a gentle piano melody, the hum of lo-fi beats, or even the rhythmic patter of rain sounds, the goal is to create an environment where learning feels both effective and enjoyable.

When music becomes a tool for calm, consistency, and motivation, it can transform a duty into an enjoyable but effective study session.

The post Can study playlists help your child learn better? appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

But watching your child spend hours revising only to struggle to remember key facts later can be worrying and frustrating for them. 

Many people assume that poor memory is just part of the learning process, or that more time with the books will fix it. 

But research into how memory actually works tells a different story. 

Effective revision isn’t just about how long a child studies, it’s about how they study. 

By understanding the science of memory, you can guide your children towards more effective study sessions and hopefully happier children!

How does memory work?

Often considered a mysterious concept, memory actually functions in a very specific way. In fact, it can be broken down into a three-step process: encoding, storage, and retrieval.

• Encoding happens when a child first takes in information, listening in class, reading notes, or watching a video.
• Storage refers to how that information is retained over time.
• Retrieval is the ability to recall it later, for example, during an exam or when explaining it to someone else.

Each stage affects the next. But each is equally important in the process of utilising memory to its best ability. 

For example, if your child is tired, distracted, or anxious while learning, their brain won’t encode information properly, which makes storage and recall much harder. 

That’s why helping your child study in a calm, focused environment can dramatically improve the first stage of learning.

Why children forget: The “forgetting curve”

Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that we naturally forget new information quickly unless it’s reviewed. 

His famous forgetting curve shows that within 24 hours, up to half of what we’ve learned can fade from memory, and within a week, as much as 80% may be lost.

This is why spaced repetition is so powerful. Instead of cramming, your child should review material at increasing intervals. Each review strengthens memory and slows forgetting. Parents can help by encouraging short, regular study sessions instead of long, last-minute marathons.

Many digital tools, such as Anki or Quizlet, use algorithms to automate spaced repetition. But even a simple calendar system or flashcard box can help your child plan reviews effectively.

We cover 3 ways to help with memory learning below:

1. Retrieval practice
2. Interleaving 
3. General wellbeing 

1) Try testing, not just reading

A common mistake students make is believing that rereading notes equals learning. 

In fact, retrieval practice, actively testing knowledge, is far more effective. When your child tries to recall an answer from memory, their brain strengthens the neural pathways needed to access that information later.

You can encourage retrieval practice at home by:

• Asking your child to explain a topic in their own words.
• Turning notes into quiz questions or flashcards.
• Using past papers or online quizzes for self-testing.
• Playing short “recall games” where they teach you what they’ve learned.

Even if your child makes mistakes during these exercises, that’s valuable, the brain remembers corrections better than passive review.

2) Mixing it up: The power of interleaving

Children often study one subject for hours before switching to another. However, research shows that interleaving, mixing different topics or question types, leads to better long-term learning. For example, switching between, say, maths problems and science concepts keeps the brain active and prevents it from relying on rote patterns.

How does this look in practice? 

Well, you could help structure revision time so that subjects rotate frequently. For example, 30 minutes of maths followed by 30 minutes of history, then a short break, can be more effective than two solid hours of one subject.

3) Sleep, exercise, and memory

It sounds obvious, but no matter how effective the study method, memory won’t stick if your child is sleep-deprived or inactive. 

During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, turning short-term knowledge into long-term understanding. So, if your child is skipping sleep before exams in favour of extra study, it actually harms performance and recall.

Regular physical activity can also boost brain function. Exercise increases blood flow and releases a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which promotes learning and memory. Encouraging breaks, outdoor time, or a quick walk between study sessions helps the brain recharge.

Turning memory science into confidence

As parents, when you start to understand how memory really works, organising revision and studying becomes less about pressure and more about strategy. 

Your child learns to use their brain efficiently, building knowledge that lasts beyond exams, but equips them for the rest of their life. Instead of endless rereading, they engage with material in a way that truly sticks.

Memory isn’t fixed, it’s a skill that can be developed with the right methods and mindset. With your encouragement and some of these learning methods, your child can move from frustration to confidence, transforming study time into genuine learning that lasts.

The post The science of memory: How to revise more effectively and effectively appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

Imagine your child comes home from school, seemingly doing “fine,” but you notice something unsettling: they’re no longer aiming high. They’ve stopped dreaming about an A*, a top university, or pushing themselves further. What happened?

Often, the issue isn’t about effort or ability. It’s about expectations. Specifically, low expectations from teachers and how subtly and powerfully they can limit your child’s confidence, ambition, and performance.

So, how do you know if this is happening? Here are some clear signs, and what to do about them.

The fine line between realism and low expectations

It’s important to be clear: not every cautious prediction or conservative grade target is evidence of low expectation. Sometimes, teachers are being realistic based on current evidence, and that can be helpful.

For example, if your child is working at a grade 4 level in Maths and mocks are a month away, a teacher suggesting a target of 5 is likely giving a grounded, achievable goal to focus on. Setting targets that are too far above current performance can lead to frustration or disillusionment.

But here’s where you must be vigilant: realism becomes harmful when it hardens into a ceiling, rather than serving as a stepping stone.

So, how can you tell the difference?

Realistic feedback encourages growth. Low expectations limit it.

The best teachers set ambitious yet achievable targets and are open to reassessing those targets as the student progresses. They say, “Let’s aim for a 6 now, but if your effort continues, we’ll push for a 7.”

Low-expectation messaging is closed, static, and rarely backed by a plan to support improvement.

Warning signs: Is this happening to your child?

Here are some real, actionable indicators that your child may be on the receiving end of low expectations:

1. Your child isn’t placed in higher sets despite improvements.
    If their grades are rising, but they remain in a lower set without explanation, it could reflect teacher assumptions rather than academic evidence.
2. They receive vague or dismissive feedback.
    Look out for generic comments like “Good work” or “Try harder” without specific guidance. High-expectation students typically get more detailed, constructive feedback.
3. They express self-doubt that sounds borrowed.
    Statements like “My teacher doesn’t think I can get a 7” or “They said a B is probably my best” often don’t come from nowhere.
4. They feel ignored in class.
    Are they being called on less? Are their questions being brushed off? This emotional withdrawal from teachers can mirror low expectations.
5. You hear unchallenging target grades.
    If school reports consistently set lower targets than your child’s capabilities suggest, question how those targets are set, and why.

Why it matters more than you think

GCSEs and A-levels are high-stakes stages. The sets students are placed in, the goals set for them, and the belief that surrounds them all influence not just what they achieve, but what they believe they can achieve.

A student aiming for UCL, Durham, or Imperial needs to be supported by belief at every level, not quietly steered away from it.

When a child is told “C is good enough,” that becomes the ceiling, even if their potential stretches far beyond.

The Emotional Impact on Students

Students can internalise low expectations quickly. Over time, they begin to believe those assumptions about themselves. This leads to:

• Reduced effort (“Why bother if I’m not expected to do well?”)
• Lower self-esteem (“Maybe I’m not smart enough after all.”)
• Fewer aspirations (“I guess I’m not top-university material.”)

This is how ambition is quietly dismantled, not by failure, but by others setting a lower bar and never raising it.

Is there anything you can do as a parent? 

If you suspect your child is being held back by teacher expectations, don’t wait to act. Here are three important steps you can take:

1. Engage with the School

Speak to the subject teacher or head of year. Ask why your child is placed in a particular set or predicted a certain grade. Request transparency and ask what support is available to help them reach higher targets.

2. Look Beyond the Classroom

Seek tutors, online learning platforms, or enrichment programs. Sometimes, a strong mentor or coach can ignite motivation in a way school hasn’t.

3. Champion a Growth Mindset at Home

Reinforce the idea that ability is not fixed. Remind your child that a poor result or low grade doesn’t define their future. The key is consistent effort and resilience.

Conclusion: Don’t let low expectations become self-fulfilling

A teacher’s expectation can either serve as a springboard or a ceiling. As a parent, you can listen carefully, observe, and question when necessary to make sure your child is getting the support they need. 

If needed, have a conversation with either the school or teacher that you think might be discouraging higher but realistic ambitions, and see if you can work together to support the educational progress of your child. 

If your child has ever said, “They don’t think I can do it,” it’s time to respond: “Well, I do.”

The post Spotting the signs: How to tell if teachers have low expectations of your child appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

Summer Study Strategy: a season of longer days, ice cream breaks, and much-needed rest from the pressures of the classroom. But for many parents, it also raises a familiar question: how do we make sure our child doesn’t fall behind during the holidays, especially if they have upcoming assessments next term?

The answer lies in a smarter summer study strategy, one that uses the quieter months to gently close knowledge gaps, reinforce core skills, and build academic confidence without burning out.

This article explores how parents can support their children with a more strategic, focused and sustainable revision plan, whether your child is preparing for GCSEs, A-levels, or any other academic hurdle.

Why summer matters (but cramming doesn’t)

It’s tempting to treat summer as a complete academic break, or, on the other hand, to use it to ‘catch up’ intensively. But research suggests the best approach is somewhere in between.

Children can experience a “summer slide” in learning, particularly in subjects like maths and science, if they disengage completely for six weeks or more. But overloading them with revision schedules can backfire, leading to stress, resentment, and loss of motivation before term even begins.

The goal, then, is to:

• Keep brains lightly engaged in core subjects
• Reinforce key concepts or tackle known weak areas
• Use the flexibility of summer to learn differently, and more effectively
• Allow space for rest and creativity

Step 1: Identify learning gaps before the autumn rush

Summer is a great opportunity to reflect, without the pressure of weekly assessments or looming exams. Many students already know where they struggle, but they haven’t had time to address it.

As a parent, you can help them:

• Review end-of-term reports: Look at teacher comments and grades to spot subject areas that need support.
• Do a mini self-review: Ask your child to score their confidence (1–5) in each topic from last year’s syllabus.
• Use academic tools: Websites like BBC Bitesize, Seneca Learning, or Isaac Physics allow students to take quick quizzes by topic to pinpoint weaknesses.

This process doesn’t have to be formal. A relaxed chat in the garden about what “didn’t click” last year is a great start.

Step 2: Create a gentle summer study rhythm

The summer holidays should still feel like holidays. But just a little structure can prevent last-minute panic in September.

Consider:

• Short sessions, spaced out: Two or three 25–30 minute revision sessions a day, 2–3 days per week, is plenty.
• Time of day matters: Mid-morning is often best—after a good sleep, but before the distractions of the day build up.
• Pair with privileges: Linking study time to something positive (like “revision first, then screen time or swimming”) builds routine.

Step 3: Use smart revision techniques

Summer learning should be light, but also smart. That means using the most effective strategies that help material stick.

Top Techniques:

• Active recall: Flashcards, mini quizzes, or self-made questions.
• Spaced repetition: Return to the same topics over time (not all at once).
• Interleaving: Mix up subjects or topics in one session to boost understanding.
• Dual coding: Combine visuals (e.g., mind maps, diagrams) with written notes.

Digital tools like Anki, Quizlet, and Seneca support these techniques, and many students enjoy the interactive, gamified format.

Step 4: Make it real-world and relatable

One of the best things about summer? Time to connect classroom learning to the real world.

Try:

• Discussing news articles: Relate them to subjects like politics, geography, or ethics.
• Applying maths to money: Let your child plan a budget for a day out.
• Science in nature: Explore plant biology in the garden or physics through bike rides.
• Creative writing prompts: Use holiday experiences to inspire a story or description.

This builds confidence and curiosity, two things that standard revision can sometimes squeeze out.

Step 5: Balance work with rest

The smartest summer strategy is one that preserves mental health. Burnout doesn’t just happen during exam season. If your child is already feeling anxious or exhausted after the school year, pushing hard all summer could do more harm than good.

Signs of fatigue:

• Constant irritability or withdrawal
• Avoiding any talk of school
• Sleep disruption
• Perfectionism or defeatist language

What to do:

• Encourage downtime: Days off, screen time in moderation, socialising, and rest are essential, not optional.
• Normalise effort over perfection: Talk about progress rather than pressure.
• Model balance: Let your child see you relaxing too, reading, walking, or simply enjoying the break.

Step 6: Plan ahead, but keep it flexible

As summer winds down, help your child feel prepared, not panicked.

Before September:

• Organise study materials: Clear out old books, gather what’s needed for the year ahead.
• Set goals: A short list of 2–3 academic aims can give direction (e.g., “Improve confidence in physics”, “Complete all English texts before December”)
• Ease back in: In the final week, increase study sessions slightly and review any material from the start of the new syllabus.

But don’t over-plan. Life happens, trips, illness, family events, so build in breathing space.

Final Thoughts: Making the most of summer

You don’t need to be an expert in trigonometry or Shakespeare to support your child’s summer learning. Your job is to provide structure, encouragement, and perspective.

Smart revision during summer isn’t about giving up fun, it’s about protecting the school year ahead. With a few well-placed hours each week, your child can go back to school sharper, more confident, and less overwhelmed.

Because when the summer days are bright and the revision is smart, everybody wins.

The post Bright days, smarter revision: A summer study strategy: Complete Guide appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

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I’m using the word “tribe” here as I struggle to come up with a better word, despite the risk of this word being open to all sorts of interpretations.

In my three or so decades as a teacher in the English secondary education system, for half of which my role also includes being a parent, I’ve never met a single parent who does not care about their child. Every parent cares about their child, it just we do things in different ways to show how much we care. This is a week in which, globally, so many children have been and are still being killed senselessly. No killing is good but killing of children in particular is difficult to justify under any circumstances.  I’ll leave politics to those who are good at it, as I am not one of those. One thing we must do, however, in this part of the world, is not to take for granted  how fortunate we are to live in a relatively safer part of the planet.

Back to the word tribe, I am using this word to describe those of us, who as parents, place great value on the education of our children, as if it is everything.  It isn’t, of course, but it comes close. After health and food, education comes a close third, and I’m not just speaking about academic qualifications alone. In my categorisation, I put safety and shelter under health.  I will shed more light on certain news items with regard  to education in the next part of this blogpost, and, hopefully, that will help you, as a reader, to try and see how I define this tribe of parents.

As is always the case, there has been so much in the news about education recently. Despite the fact that the adverse effect and legacies of things like COVID and the teachers’ strike linger on, they are not so pronounced at present.

The main items of education news in the media at present are about RAAC, post-sixteen qualifications and school attendance. RAAC affects a tiny number of students and school attendance is not much of an issue for this tribe. This is because they are the type who will make sure their children do not miss school unnecessarily; unless they are in intensive care or something close (an exaggeration!) or unavoidable. The post-sixteen issue is something the tribe keeps a close eye on, and whilst good leadership and direction by politicians are helpful, they’re not absolute, these parents will do their own research and choose the option they consider best for their offspring.

I must say there is not necessarily an ethnic connection to this tribe, as I see people from a diverse ethnic groups subscribing to the values that I am speaking about. The people I put loosely in this so-called tribe are represented disproportionally by those of certain ethnic minorities. In my observation, it is in the order of, first,  East Asians – mainly Chinese people, but others as well, followed by South Asians, Africans, Eastern Europeans, Scottish, Irish and English; however, this is a generalisation and not completely accurate.  This should not be too surprising, as non-native (another colloquial phrase!) or foreigners, tend to be over ambitious in any country in the world you go.

Some of the issues that I think are more immediate to people in this tribe, in terms of motivating their teenagers, is getting them to do what I list below.

1. Put sufficient number of hours into their schoolwork – including homework assignments and revision for exams
2. Be better organised
3. Spending less time on their electronic devices – mobile phone; game machines like X-Box, etc.
4. Better sleep – like going to bed earlier…
5. Learning for the joy gaining knowledge, and not just for passing exams
6. Wanting to work, mainly for the purpose of buying more gadgets!
7. Eating healthier

I must stress that I am not speaking here as an expert, as I am not; and I do not have the solution. In my own household, it is an ongoing thing, as we struggle as parents with these matters. We just try to do our best all the time.

I must say that there are other serious matters that are perhaps more important than what I’ve listed above. Things like mental health and other health issues, abuse of drugs or of others or by others and so on. These areas are where I have zero expertise, so I must not try to address them, as this is better left to other people.

Before I conclude this, I’ll quickly mention one main issue which is beyond the control of the teenagers, and, in fact, well beyond the control of we parents. It is that thing which society has not yet decided to address. But, if dealt with, it will not only save money and time, but will make learning and teaching more fun.

I am speaking about the issue of class disruption. The set of behaviours that are acceptable in the classroom vary from school to school. However, in my view the barrier is set pitifully too low. I recently went to cover a sixty-minute lesson at a grammar school, but my reputation in teaching as a disciplinarian teacher did not prepare me for what I experienced in that lesson.

I was utterly appalled and shocked about the behaviour of the teenagers. If this is happening in a grammar school, God, help us. Of course, it is the teacher’s fault that children are badly behaved, as he or she is lacking in classroom behaviour management skills! At least, this is what the people in the profession often say. We like to blame the government on not spending enough and tinkering around the edges on certain issues. Yes, there is some truth in that but until we recognise the adverse effect of classroom disruption, and its impact on better behaved young people, and we are prepared to deal with it, it will only get worse and ruin more lives. This is too big an issue to address here, but I will be doing so in the future.

In the next few blogpost in this series, I will make an  attempt to address each of the seven or so points that I’ve listed above. This is because these are things that we as parents have a chance of perhaps trying to do something about. As I mentioned earlier, I’m not at all an expert and I have no solution to offer as such, I’d just like to highlight and perhaps share some experiences and ideas.

Please do make a comment, as we are trying to share ideas because every parent has something to say about the points I’ve listed above.

The post The Intentional Parent: How to Advocate for Your Child’s Education appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

Following up from my last blogpost…. The notion of fingers not being equal should not be interpreted as some people being inherently better than others as human beings, as that is not only dangerous but untrue. Yes, some of us can do certain things much better than others; each individual has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. The eagle is happier soaring high in the sky whilst looking for its prey. If you want to sit in your lovely garden, around your big pond, and take great pleasure in feeding eagles and watching them waddling about and quacking – like a neighbour of mine used to do with his ducks when I was a child, you will be very frustrated. On the other hand, if you want to get your duck to fly and soar high in the sky so you can watch it in its magnificence like the eagle, you will be extremely disappointed. All the duck wants to do is to quack and waddle, and, in fact, if you push the duck too hard, it may poo on your head!

I do not know if one could apply the analogy of eagle and duck to university students. My recent experience of interviewing and working with young people from Imperial College reminds me of the pleasure I get when I teach Physics to bright seventeen and eighteen year olds, most of whom are much brighter than me. I will restrict myself and not go too much into this, as I may end up overindulging myself. Before I conclude, though, I’d like to explain the second point I made above: nurture and nature, as this leads nicely into it.

Nurture vs Nature

I specifically targeted Imperial College students when I advertised for scholars to do some tutoring over the summer. Not because these are the only bright university students around, as I could have widened the net and targeted students at other institutions. There are young people at less reputable universities who are brighter than many students at Imperial College, but I’m not going to go deeper into this.

What I discovered in my several interactions with Imperial College students is the amount of work they have to do to keep up with their degree course. Despite the fact that I studied a similar degree course to many of these your people, I was wrong in my assumption that although getting to Imperial is hard, but your life become a little easier once you become an undergraduate there.

Almost all the Imperial scholars I spoke to told me that it is harder work to keep up with the rigour and demand at the university than when they were studying for A-levels. I can see that all these young people are bright, of course, as they’ve got at least two A*s at A-level, with a handful of them having gained five A-level grades that include four A*s and one A. Despite this rather impressive academic achievement, the interaction that I had with them, and my experience of teaching A-level Physics to high achieving teenagers since the early 1990s,  tells me that nurture has a greater role to play in achieving academic excellence than nature. Yes, in most cases, bright students get top grades, and there is nothing necessarily too extraordinary about that. At the same time, I’ve seen young people of just above average academic ability getting the very top grades at GCSE and A-level. Sadly, I’ve also seen very bright teenagers drifting about, doing very little study and ending up with low exam grades, and in some cases failing their exams.

I’d just like to clarify one key point, which is that the norm for Excel in terms of the teachers we’ve been working with in the last 19 years is professional teachers. Those who are either teaching full time in secondary schools and working for us part time on weekends or those who are semi-retired, with a vast knowledge and experience in teaching. At the same time, I’ve employed a handful of undergraduates and graduates who are not professionally qualified teachers, but who are exceptional teachers and who have helped the students they taught to achieve highly.

In concluding, I think every human being has something unique to offer; and in most cases it is something that is useful to the marketplace, i.e. something that other people value highly and are  willing to invest heavily in. That thing that each of us has can be brought out in all sorts of ways. For young people, it can be by the parent’s guidance and direction, the inspiration of a good teacher or by the child themselves being very determined and focused.  Last month, my niece got 12 Grade 9s in her GCSE and she is not even aware of how exceptional this achievement is. She is not aware that, in 2022, only 13 students obtained 12 or more Grade 9s at GCSE in the whole country.

In concluding, one has to commend the young people who are doing well and shining in any field of endeavour, be it academic, sport, music dance, or other areas. There are so many distractions these days and those who do well do so by being better at avoiding distractions and focusing on what they need to do to achieve the results they get.

Yes, there is a lot of optimism in the air; and no, fingers are not equal, but everyone has something great to offer. It is hard work for us parents to convince our teenagers of the potential they have, and it is even harder to motivate them to do what they need to do to achieve their best. Thank you for reading this, and please don’t forget to make a comment. I value what you have to say, and you do not even have to agree with me.

The post Leveling the Playing Field: Personalized Learning Strategies for Teenagers appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

Many parents actually enjoy the relative peace and tranquillity now that the children are back at school, particularly when they are working at home.

It’s not only those who work in a school or college who will understand what I mean by optimism in the air at the beginning of a new academic year, parents do too. As a parent, I usually make the point of going with my son and daughter to school on the first day of the autumn term. I often find an excuse to drive them into school on the first day instead of getting them to take the bus!

I do not always admit to it in the staff room, but I’m one of those teachers who actually look forward to the beginning of the new academic year in September. When you see the young people at the start of Term 1, you realise that half of the Y10 students – particularly the boys – are now taller than the average male teacher, as they’ve grown over the summer. This is the result of the refrigerator constantly getting emptied and the croissant you as the parent left on the kitchen worktop disappearing in nanoseconds. But they not only grow physically, they grow psychologically and emotionally too.

The thing that I like most about the autumn term is the optimism in the air. Parents and teachers begin the process of looking into what can be done to help the young person do better than they did in the previous year.  In many cases, they are usually successful in getting the teenager to buy into the plans they have for him or her, at least at the start of the year anyway. For us parents, it is a struggle to get teenagers to adopt a routine and do their schoolwork in the way we recommend. I do not know of any perfect situation where the teenager is completely on board with what the parents think is the best way. In fact, it would be worrying to have a teenager who is completely obedient, as this is not usually a healthy position. The reality is that some teenagers are more compliant than others. They must be allowed to do some thinking of their own, disagree with us on occasions, and even to make mistakes. All these are a necessary part of the growing up process, and within reason it has to be that way.

If you would permit me to share my own experience in the last couple of months with you. In August/early September, I organised what is called summer enhancement for GCSE and A-level, and the sessions were taught by young people I call Scholars. They are university students from Imperial College in London. These sessions were free, so parents did not have to pay, but the undergraduate tutors that taught them were paid at least the going rate for tuition by professional teachers, even though they aren’t. The whole experience taught me so many things that I cannot begin to list, as they are vast. Two, however, are:

a. Fingers are not equal, and we will be deceiving ourselves to even try to pretend they are

b. Nurture plays a bigger part in success than nature.

It is vital that I explain each of these points. The first point in particular needs explaining, otherwise one may sound too elitist, out of touch and perhaps abhorrent…

I will do this in the second part of this blogpost, which will be in a couple of days. Watch this space!

The post The September Spark: How to Improve Academic Performance Through Nurture appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

I don’t know if the summer holiday in your household is any similar to mine?  I’m beginning to get that familiar feeling, that “the anticipation of the summer is sometimes better than the reality of the actual summer”. This is not about the weather in the UK at present, so I’ll do my best not to dwell too much on that. Considering June was all very sunny, we should know better not to expect our good fortune to carry onto July and August.  I am an optimist, and one of those people who try to pretend that the weather doesn’t matter. Of course it does, as the weather alters your mood, even when you try to ignore it. Anyway, it’s a green and pleasant land after all, and the rain certainly helps to keep it that way!

Back to the small matter of teenagers at home in the summer. On the one hand you can’t help thinking that the teenagers haven’t got too long now to leave the nest and fly away into the world, so you want to spend some so-called quality time with them – if there is such a thing. On the other hand, the idea of finding the fridge empty and so much mess in the kitchen all the time can be rather irritating and sometimes exhausting. One solution is to try and get them to do the at least some of the food shopping and   even the cooking. My advice on that is “don’t try this at home” and, if you have to, give them a list and do not give them your card.

I’m beginning to regret slightly my opposition to my 17-year-old getting a job. My wife is more sensible, as she had perhaps foreseen that the fact that the teenager is not working does not necessarily mean they will be spending their time in a productive way. Yes, relaxation is important and it’s good for the teenager to relax a bit, as that is the way to refresh and re-energise. I’m struggling to get both my son and daughter to buy into the idea of spending some of their summer on self-development and a little bit of revision in preparation for the next academic year.

My idea of productive use of time by youngsters is not all about doing schoolwork, as there is more to life. But one would have thought that if the teenager is not working or volunteering over the summer, at least he or she could be spending time learning a new skill or sport or getting involved in some sort of adventure. I don’t think we parents will ever win the battle against our teenagers spending too much time on their devices, but with my son and daughter, one slight compromise is see them cycling to the gym despite the weather, as opposed to asking for a lift all the time.

The other is to see my daughter being more creative in cooking basic food or just preparing food for herself, and what she makes usually looks rather sensible. That’s never been an issue with my son. In fact, it’s the other extreme, as he spends endless time cooking, and I can’t begin to comprehend how much time he spends making pizza.

One thing that I am learning fast is that bringing up teenagers is more of an art than science. It is putting my creativity and negotiation skills to test, but I’m someone who relishes a challenge and I’ll keep trying and we’ll see how it all pans out.

Over the years, I’ve written quite a bit on all sorts of things that teenagers could be doing over the summer to keep themselves productively engaged.  Please see below for links to some of my previous blogs on the issue of teenagers and their summer holidays.

The post Beyond the Screen: How to Spend Quality Time with Teenagers appeared first on Excel in Key Subjects.

For me, yesterday was one of those days when events turned out differently than I had planned. I won’t say it is a wasted day necessarily, but I had to invest my time differently from the way I had anticipated, as I decided to go to a university open day with my seventeen-year old son. I had discussed the open day with him the previous evening and he assured me that it was all fine, that he could go with his friends from school. I accepted that decision, as I do not want to be too pushy about asking if I should come with him. In the end, my last minute decision to go with him was something that he appreciated.

I suppose one of the prices we have to pay as a parent is the vulnerability to getting our plans disrupted. I’m not just talking about the teenager eating the last chocolate éclair that I was looking forward to demolishing in my late evening raid!

One of the popular phrases these days when speaking about young people is “follow your passion” and this is often applied to subject choices at GCSE, A-level and all the way to university degree courses. I must say that I agree with that phrase to some extent, but largely, when I hear it, it makes me a little nervous and I’ll explain. Before I explain my scepticism about the notion of following your passion, I must say that I do not think anyone can call themselves successful if they are doing something they hate passionately or have near interest or zero enthusiasm for. No matter how much money or fame they may have doing that thing, doing anything just for the money or just to please other people is the ultimate definition of failure, as life is so short.

Now, let me explain why I think following your passion can sometimes be dangerous and may lead to profound unhappiness later down the line. If you follow your passion and you are not successful in what you do. As for the word success, each person has their own definition of what success means for them. But earning a lot of money or being in the very top bracket of people in your field of work or whatever you do should not be the only thing that constitutes success.

In the week or two leading to the visit to the university open day we attended yesterday, my son had been wrestling with the issue of which degree course he should apply for at university. He has always been leaning on the side of studying something relating to physical sciences and that largely reflects    his subject choice of Physics, Maths and Further Maths. His fourth subject has changed twice since he started A-level last September. He started with History, changed to Economics and he’s now back to History. Three days ago, he was seriously considering going to university to study Economics and he came to me late in the evening to tell me about his decision. Now, while I personally like Economics very much and consider it to be one of the more useful of degree courses, and, depending on the young person’s talent and position and other factors, it may be a good idea to study Economics as a first degree, I am likely to discourage some students from  doing so. Let’s put professional courses such as Law, Medicine and Engineering aside for a moment. I would recommend Maths, Physics, Chemistry and History before Economics as a first degree. After studying any of these seven subjects courses I just listed here, as being above Economics, and even others that I have not mentioned here. One can still go on to do a postgraduate degree in Economics or Business or Management. Yes, even without having studied Economics or business at any level ever before. I must also quickly point out that I also would not usually recommend Law as a first degree, as I am of the view that one is better off studying something else before Law, as it is the university where one obtains the first degree that matters more than the actual degree course, for most courses anyway.

Getting back to where I started, after the open day at Imperial College yesterday, my son is now less sceptical about a Physics degree than he was before going. He was relieved to learn that most people do not go straight from a university degree to get a job in what they have studied. The conversation for the last six or so months has revolved around him not knowing what he wants to do in life, for which I constantly reassure him that it is perfectly normal at this age. The key thing is to develop your talent well and try to study something that gives you more options, especially when you do not know what you want to do. The good thing is that he has a list of about three or four professions that we all know that he is decidedly unsuited to – Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science and Accountancy. The problem is that he likes Economics, Physics and History – in that order – at the moment! The reason why that is a problems is that if you are applying to a competitive university, Physics is on one side, and Economics/History on the other. These are at two opposite ends, and writing a good personal statement that will persuade the admission officer of a good university will be tricky.

Just to conclude on the notion of following your passion, what I say to young people is that it’s good to follow your passion as you are extremely unlikely to succeed in doing something you utterly dislike. However, before you go for your passion, also try to think about   where you want to be in say 10 years’  time. Not only in terms of the job you want to be doing but where you want to be living and perhaps what money you’d like to be earning. No, money is not everything; however, it is more dignifying to earn a decent wage and have more options in life. The other point, which I believe applies to most people, is that not many are so passionate about one particular thing for a long time. For my son, his passion has fluctuated between Maths, History, Politics, Physics and Economics in the last few years. We all go through phases, and what we are passionate about today may not be what we are passionate about tomorrow or in a few years’ time.

Links to related blog posts are below :

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