Useful Links

Useful links

Here is a selection of useful educational links, including special offers, schools, tuition agencies, exam boards and reading lists and other resources for subjects such as English, French and Maths.

Special Offers

Atom Learning

Get ahead for the holidays with Atom Learning, an online learning platform designed for seven- to 11-year-olds. It’s 11+ preparation and Key Stage 2 learning made easy with interactive lessons, videos and tuition. Try it free for five days!

Atom Learning is a KS2 online adaptive learning platform, covering English, Maths, Verbal and Non-verbal reasoning and Science. It combines high-quality, teacher-made content with sophisticated technology to keep students on their individual, optimal learning paths.

Atom Learning is designed to consolidate KS2 knowledge and help those preparing for senior school entrance assessments such as the 11+, the ISEB Common Pre-Tests and the London Consortium tests.

You can find the latest Atom Learning marketing video here.

Atom Learning prices

There have also been some exciting new releases happening on the platform that you might appreciate.

Science

Here’s what’s available in the latest Atom Learning Science module (see video):

  • Complete curriculum coverage mapped to both the KS2 National Curriculum for Science and the ISEB 11+ Science syllabus
  • Some curriculum coverage of early KS3 National Curriculum for Science and 13+ Science syllabus
  • Content for four main topics: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Working Scientifically
  • ~8,000 science questions
  • ~100 science videos
  • ~100 science helpsheets
  • Science mock tests based on either specific exams or a general year group progress test
  • Weekly live science lessons
  • Two Science lessons a day over May half-term
  • Differentiated materials for every topic in KS2: every topic has content from Y3 to Y6+. in schools, a child might only be taught a science topic once or twice in a four year period. On Atom, every science topic is revisited in every year group campaign. We have designed the product this way to maximise long-term learning – we want children to remember what we teach them! We also want to give Atom students the best possible chance to get ahead for KS3! We know how important this is to Atom parents.

Upgraded Videos and Helpsheets for Years 5 & 6

They’ve upgraded all of their videos and helpsheets and added thousands of new questions covering every topic in the syllabus.

Brand New Videos and Helpsheets for Years 3 & 4

To accompany their Years 3 and 4 content, brand new videos and helpsheets have gone live focusing on the building blocks for KS2 success!

Launched in Spring 2021…

The highly anticipated Tutor dashboard! This is designed specifically for tutors to tailor their students’ learning journey.

One More Thing…

Atom Nucleus (the Home Platform) has launched an entirely new learning campaign. Children are now able to work through new highly interactive and fully adaptive ‘worlds’ where they can move from island to island mastering topics. Take a look here at this video to see what we’ve been working on!

The Exam Coach

If you’re looking for help with exam technique, try The 7 Day Exam Plan from The Exam Coach.

  • Cover the essentials of exam success in just 7 days by listening to a 10-15 minute audio message each day delivered on WhatsApp.

  • Receive messages every weekday (Mon – Fri) throughout the rest of the school year to help you stay on track and do the right things at the right time.

  • Have The Exam Coach in your corner throughout crucial times such as holiday revision and exam season.

If you’d like to transform the way you study for your exams, sign up for The 7 Day Exam Plan for just £79. You can even message The Exam Coach on WhatsApp for 30 days free!

Exam Papers Plus

You can get £5 off all orders over £40 at Exam Papers Plus when you enter the code nickdale at checkout.

Kings Tutors

Mention ‘KingsNickDale’ when you book a lesson with Kings Tutors to get 5% off the normal hourly rate.

Bespoke Tuition

Bespoke Tuition has kindly offered a FREE half-hour online tutorial if you quote ‘Nick Dale’. To book, just send an email to emma@bespoketuition.com or call the office on +44 20 7385 6795.

Employability Accelerator Programme (18-26 years old)

Bespoke Tuition is pleased to offer a £200 discount on the Employability Accelerator Programme, designed to offer real, practical support for young adults during this extraordinarily turbulent time – for whatever their next step may be. By creating a programme of invaluable career mentoring from FTSE 500 recognised executive coaches, intensive and focused work experience, and with an award-winning learning platform, Employability Accelerator aims to ensure that participants stand out and accelerate their prospects, whether ensuring their place at university, internship, graduate job or first step on the career ladder. The programme is currently delivered online and is carefully tailored to suit each individual’s goals, aspirations and abilities.

Why now?
  1. Get Prepared. The pandemic has made career development more difficult. The programme is specifically designed to work in a virtual environment. How students use this summer can significantly change future employability – don’t waste it.
  2. Experience Work. Exposure to real work as early as possible is integral to success. Over a third of recruiters who took part in a Highfliers survey of the graduate market* warned that ‘irrespective of their academic achievements, graduates who have had no previous work experience…have little or no chance of receiving a job offer.’
  3. Motivate. We are passionate about students realising their potential, no matter what. In a time where a Prospects survey** showed ‘66% final year students feel negative about their future careers’ and ‘83% are lacking in motivation,’ the programme is designed to elevate enthusiasm and motivation to achieve the best future for the next generation, even in the face of challenging circumstances. Watch video.
The Programme
  • 2-weeks of work experience and tailored personal development sessions
  • Ongoing one-to-one feedback from professional Coaches to ensure you master core business skills and personal development
  • Recommendations, application support and improved confidence to optimise your employability chances
Duration and Hours

The programme lasts for 2 weeks and aims to replicate the structure of a working week, running from 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday. There is social activity too with your managers, coaches and peer group.

Age

Students must typically be a minimum of 18 years of age and currently students or recent graduates. For the work experience project, students will be organised into groups of around 5 peers.

Dates and Pricing

The Programmes run throughout the summer and over Christmas 2020. Please click below to be taken to more information about current programme availability and price.
More info.

£200 Discount

If you quote ‘Bespoke’ on application, you’ll receive a special £200 discount. Apply now.

Boss Box Gives Kids the Gift of Entrepreneurship this Xmas – now with 10% off

2020 has certainly been a strange year, but that doesn’t mean that Christmas is cancelled. If you’re struggling to find the perfect present for your children why not help foster their creative juices with a Boss Box Business Creation Kit.

A perfect way to entertain the whole family over the Christmas holiday, Boss Box Creation Kits come in three different formats and allow kids to ‘make, package and sell’ either Cake Pops, Dog Treats or Bath Bombs.  Playing to children’s love for baking each kit contains an easy step by step instruction manual to guide them every step of the way so they can bake and sell their product in just a few hours.

From detailed instructions on how to make and package their product, naming their company and how to fill in their marketing flyers, each kit contains all the key ingredients to launch a mini business, enabling children to learn the basic skills of entrepreneurship.

By teaching children essential ‘off syllabus’ life lessons through play it provides the creativity, empathy, and passion to improve their ability to become business starters and possible future leaders.

Boss Box Business Creation Kits are available from £34.95 with a 20% discount for Black Friday purchases from the Boss Box website www.bossbox.co. You can get an additional 10% discount by quoting ‘TUTOR10‘ when you check out.

For more information please contact hello@bossbox.co or call the team on 07765 002430.

Schools

Types of school

The terminology for schools in the UK can be quite confusing, so here’s a quick guide.

  • Private schools charge fees and are not run by the Government, although they have to follow certain rules. They are also known as independent schools, and the most famous ones such as Eton and Harrow are- confusingly – known as public schools
  • Grammar schools are state schools and don’t charge fees, but they are academically selective and have a very good reputation. There are only 164 of them left.
  • Comprehensive schools make up the vast majority of free state schools and generally have the worst reputation, but there are exceptions.
  • Faith schools have to follow the national curriculum, but they can choose what they teach in religious studies and may have different admissions criteria and staffing policies to other state schools, although anyone can apply for a place.
  • Free schools are Government-funded but aren’t run by the local council, which means they have more control over staffing and curriculum. However, they’re ‘all-ability’ schools, so they can’t use academic selection processes like grammar schools.
  • Academies are state schools that are funded by the Government but run by an academy trust, a charity that controls how funds are spent and how the school is managed.
  • City technology colleges are independent schools in urban areas that are free for pupils to attend. They’re owned and funded by businesses as well as the Government and specialise in practical and technical skills.
  • Special schools are schools for children aged 11 and over with special educational needs. They can specialise in one of four areas: communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social, emotional and mental health, or sensory and physical needs. Within each area, they can go further, for instance by catering specifically for children with autism or visual impairments.

The Independent Schools Council has a searchable database of private schools here, but I’ve listed the major ones in the Greater London area and elsewhere.

Greater London

Abercorn School
Alleyn’s School
Bancroft’s School
Channing School
Charterhouse Square School
City of London Freemen’s School
City of London School
City of London School for Girls
Dulwich College
Eltham College
Emanuel School
Eton College
Francis Holland School
Garden House School
Godolphin & Latymer School
Guildford High School
Hampton School
The Harrodian School
Harrow School
Highgate School
Ibstock Place School
James Allen’s Girls’ School
King’s College School
Kingston Grammar School
Knightsbridge School
Lady Eleanor Holles School
Latymer Upper School
Marymount International School London
Mill Hill School
North Bridge House School
North London Collegiate School
Notting Hill and Ealing High School
Palmers Green High School
Putney High School
Queen’s College, London
Royal Grammar School
South Hampstead High School
St Benedict’s School
St Dunstan’s College
St James Independent Schools
St Paul’s Girls’ School
St Paul’s Juniors
St Paul’s School
Surbiton High School
Sylvia Young Theatre School
The Harrodian School
The Latymer School
Tiffin School
University College School
Westminster School
Westminster Under School
Wetherby School
Whitgift School
Wimbledon High School
Wycombe Abbey

Outside London

Ampleforth College
Badminton
Bedales
Benenden School
Blundell’s School
Bryanston
Charterhouse
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham Ladies’ College
Fettes College
Gordonstoun
The King’s School Canterbury
The Manchester Grammar School
Marlborough College
Millfield School
Oundle School
The Perse School
Roedean School
Rugby School
Sherborne Girls
Sherborne School
St Edward’s Oxford
Stowe School
Tonbridge School
Uppingham
Wellington College
Winchester College

School Open Days

John Catt’s School Search – Calendar of Open Days at Independent Schools

Tuition Agencies

Accolade Tuition
Adrian Beckett Tutors
AEC Tutors
Athena Tuition
Bespoke Tuition (just quote ‘Nick Dale’ for a free 45-minute online tutorial)
Bigfoot Tutors
Bloomsbury Law Tutors
Bloomsbury Tutors
BOFA 11 Plus
Bonas MacFarlane
Brainy Tutors
Bright Heart Education
Bright Young Things Tuition
British Home Tutors
Carfax Private Tutors
Chelsea and Fulham Tutors
Childcare
Cornerstone Tutors
Dulwich Tutors
Elite IB Tutors
Elite London Tutors
Elite Tuition
Elite Tutoring
Elite Tutors
Enjoy Education
Excel Tutors
Expert Tuition
Explore Learning
Fine Tutors
First Class Tutors
First Tutors
Fleet Tutors
Gabbitas
The Golden Circle
Hampstead and Frognal Tutors
Hampstead Village Tutors
Happy Languages
Harrison Allen
Headway Tutors
Holland Park Education
Holland Park Tuition
Home School Tutoring
Home Tutors Directory
Institut Français
Islington Piano Teachers
Ivy Education
Japan Foundation London
JK Educate
Just Russian
KC Tutors
Kensington & Chelsea Tutors
Kesha Tutorials
Keystone Tutors
Kings Tutors (mention ‘KingsNickDale’ when you book a lesson to get a 5% discount on the hourly rate)
Knightsbridge Tutors
Kip McGrath Education Centres
Laidlaw Education
Learn Happy London
LearnSmart Academy Guildford
Libra Education
London Abacus Academy
London Art Classes
London Governess
London Languages
London Law Tutor
London Music Tutors
Manhattan Review
Mathematics and Science Tuition (MST)
Maths Made Easy (MME)
Minerva Tutors
My Private Tutor
My Tutor
Native French Teachers (NFT)
Newman Tuition
North Finchley Tutors
Notebook Tutors
NurseriesAndSchools.org
Osborne Cawkwell
Oxford Tutors
Owl Tutors
Pegasus Tutors
Peppo Tutors
Perfect Household Staff (PHS)
Personal Tutors
Physics Tutor London
Preply
Prime Tuition
Principal Tutors
ProTeacher
Regency Tuition
Royal Tutors
S6 Tutoring Academy
Scoodle
Search Tutors
Select My Tutor
SENsational Tutors
Silentnight Private Staff
Simply Learning Tuition
Simply Learning Tuition – International Tutors
Success Tutors
Superior Learning
Superprof
Sylvan Learning
Tailored Tutors
Tavistock Tutors
Teachers to your Home
Telios Tutors
The English Accent Tutor
The Profs
The Student Tutors Group
The Tutor Website (TTW)
Threshold Education
Titanium Tutors
The Commons
The Tutor Trust
The Tutors Directory
The Vocal Coach London
Top Marks Tuition Centre
Top Tutors
Tutopia
Tutor Choice
Tutor Class
Tutor Doctor
Tutor House
Tutor Hub
Tutor Hunt
TutorBright
Tutorfair
Tutorful
Tutors Green
Tutors International
Tutors London
Tutors Valley
Tutorspot
Uber Tutors
UK Study Centre
UK Tutors
UES Education
Union Tuition London
University Tutor
Varsity Tutors
Wentworth Education
Westminster Tutors
William Clarence
WISE Tutors

Exam Boards

AQA
Edexcel
ISEB
OCR

English

11 Plus Exams Guide – Children’s Classic Book Reading List
11plus.co.uk – 11+ Reading List
123 Help Me – Much Ado About Nothing
15 Best Children’s Books of All Time
20 English Idioms with their Meanings and Origins
Amazon Children’s Books Store
Apostrophes Quiz
AQA Year 11 Guide to GCSE Writing Section
Barrington Stoke Books
BBC Bitesize – Writing to persuade, argue and advise
BBC Culture – The 11 Greatest Children’s Books
BookTrust – Best Books for Children Aged 9-11
Bright Light Education – 11+ Reading List
Brightly – The 50 Best Books for 9- and 10-Year-Olds
Colney Heath School – Recommended Book List for Year 5 and 6
Common spelling mistakes
Common Sense Media – 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They’re 12
Creative Writing tips at 11
Cursive Handwriting
Descriptosaurus, by Alison Wilcox
DFE English Curriculum
Dictionary.com – Word Dynamo
Eleven Plus Exams – 11+ Reading List
English Linx
English Media Centre – 60 Great Books for Reluctant Readers at KS3
English Revision Aid 1
English Revision Aid 2
English Revision Aid 3
English Revision Aid 4
English Revision Aid 5
English Revision Aid 6
English Revision Aid 7
English Revision Aid 8
English Revision Aid 9
English Revision Aid 10
Exam Papers Plus – 11+ Reading List
ExamSolver
Explore Learning – Reading Lists for Children Aged 7-11
Grammar Quizzes
Hampstead & Frognal Tutors – 11+ Reading List | Recommended Reading for Ages 8 to 12
Hampton School Bookworms – What to Read Next?
Independent – The 50 books every child should read
ISEB Common Pre-Tests – Information for Parents
Key Stage 1 sentence starters
LoveReading4Schools.co.uk – 11+ Reading List
Mr Heath’s Class – Super Sentence Openers
My English Pages
Neuro Balance Centre
Online Literature – WB Yeats
Owl Tutors – 11+ Reading List
Parapal
Penguin – 24 must-read books for 9-12-year-olds
Phrasal verbs (Off2Class)
RFP Evaluation Centers – Flesch Reading Ease Readability Score
Scholastic – Popular Series for 11-13 Year Olds
Scholastic Blog – Top 100 Children’s Books for Teachers – Ages 9-11
Smart Words
Spark Notes – A View from the Bridge
Spark Notes – Doctor Faustus
Spark Notes – Dracula
Spark Notes – Emily Dickinson
Spark Notes – Jane Eyre
Spark Notes – Lord of the Flies
Spark Notes – Of Mice & Men
Spark Notes – Othello
Spark Notes – The Canterbury Tales
Spark Notes – WB Yeats
Standards Schmandards – Readability Index Calculator
Tes – Suggested Reading Books List for Year 6 Pupils
The Latymer School – Year 7 Reading List by Genre
The School Reading List – 11+ Reading List
The Tutors Network – Free resources for tutors (LinkedIn)
TheSchoolRun.com – Best Classic Books for KS2 Children
TimeOut – The 100 Best Children’s Books
Trent CE Primary School – 11+ Reading List
Tutorfair – 11+ Reading List
University of Bristol – Punctuation exercises
University of Ottawa – The Parts of Speech
University of Ottawa – Conjunctions
University of Ottawa – The Structure of a Sentence
Website Planet – 15 Best Free Books for Early Reading
Wikipedia – Jane Eyre
Wikipedia – The Pardoner’s Tale
Word list for Years 5 and 6
Words to learn – Years 1 and 2
Words to learn – Years 3 and 4
Words to learn – Years 5 and 6
Wordtips

Maths

Brilliant.org
Calculator Online
Hampton School – Maths Wizard Challenge
ISEB 11+ and 13+ Maths Syllabus
James Billot – Speed Distance Time Test
Math Warehouse – Angles of a Polygon
Mathematics Association
Maths Frame
Maths Revision – GCSE
Maths Revision Aid 1
Maths Revision Aid 2
Maths Revision Aid 3
Maths Revision Aid 4
Maths Revision Aid 5
Maths Revision Aid 6
Maths Revision Aid 7
Maths Revision Aid 8
Maths Revision Aid 9
Maths Revision Aid 10
Maths Revision Aid 11
Maths Revision Aid 12
My Maths
SOHCAHTOA Calculator
Times tables questions
Tryal.AI
Unit Juggler
United Kingdom Mathematics Trust – Junior Mathematical Challenge Paper
Wiki Answers – Diagonals of a Polygon
Wikipedia – Trigonometry

French

About.com – Imperfect Subjunctive
About.com – Subjunctive
Duolingo
French Tutorial
This Is Language – French videos and transcripts
Wiktionary – French frequency lists, words 1-2000

Sailing

Aztec Sailing – Admiralty Charts
Aztec Sailing – Theory Class
British Offshore Sailing School – RYA Day Skipper Syllabus – Tidal
RYA – Day Skipper
RYA – Shore-based Instructors
Sail Train
Visit My Harbour – Cowes Harbour

Dyslexia

Dystalk
Special Direct.com – SEN Supplies
Wikipedia – Synthetic Phonics

Other

Age/Grade/Year Equivalents Table
Age, Year and Curriculum Stage for UK, US & IB
Assessment Day
Atom Learning
BBC Bitesize
Children’s Internet Safety Test
Cottar’s Colouring Book Pictures by Aimee Cass
Dance Mat Typing
Department for Education (QTS)
Department for Education (writing assessment)
Falcons Interview Guide
Grammar School Insider
Homework Helpline Hub
Intelligent.com
Create a Study Plan
Study Smart Before Exams
Take Effective Notes
Manage Your Stress
Use Test-taking Strategies on Exam Day
Internet 4 Classrooms – MS Word Keyboard Shortcuts
Jobsora – Tutoring Jobs
Jooble
Kano
K5 Learning
Khan Academy
LNAT Practice Tests
Minerva Tutors TV
Outschool
Pass the QTS Skills Tests
Primary Resources
Seneca
School Entrance Tests
Steve’s Learning
Teachers Pay Teachers
Teaching Success
TES – Teaching Resources
TES – Classroom Toolkit
TES – The secret world of the über tutor
Trainline
Twinkl
Type by Touch
Wheel of Names
Wikipedia – Keyboard Shortcuts