If you don’t have a great knowledge question, scoring well in the TOK presentation is extremely difficult. Thus, it is vital to choose your question carefully. But where to start?

Little Geniuses has prepared a guide on forming a high-quality knowledge question.

The first step is to read a newspaper such as The Guardian, or The Sydney Morning Herald. Look for relevant articles - articles that involve information or knowledge: it could be a prediction, a misunderstanding, any communication, evidence for a claim, or a debate.

Here are some examples:

This article predicts, as of 11/11/16, whether Donald Trump will be impeached during his presidential termThis article discusses statistics on child abuse in the Catholic church

Build a shortlist a of several articles that include these themes.

Next, think about whether there is engagement with different ways of knowing, particularly intuition, reason, emotion, and imagination. Could you consider the issues raised by the article more broadly, e.g. what is the relationship between emotion and the issues in the article? Or under what circumstances does the issue in the article engage more with reason or emotion? Remember to refer to the issues generally, and not specific factual situations detailed in the article.

Let’s use the same examples

You can also rephrase knowledge questions 2 and 3, presenting the issue as a showdown between two ways of knowing e.g. to what extent does emotion vs reason shape ethical decision making? This narrows the scope of your presentation, allowing you to focus on two ways of knowing only.

Finally, you need to choose one question on your list and go with it. If you don’t have a gut feeling on which is the best question, try to draft arguments in response to it. After this exercise, pick the question that inspires the most promising claims and counterclaims.

Many other approaches exist to forming knowledge questions: some great knowledge questions do not mention ways of knowing at all, but weave this discussion into the claims and counterclaims of the presentation. A different approach might focus on areas of knowledge rather than ways of knowing.

If you need help in TOK, your next step is to contact Little Geniuses. We offer one on one support in TOK, and other IB subjects. We can help you find an appropriate real life situation, form a high-quality knowledge question, and plan your claims and counterclaims.

Welcome to the sixth and final post in our series on IB grade boundaries! Please read the first post for an introduction to IB grade boundaries. This post is on Group 6 subjects: Arts at SL and HL.

Little Geniuses have compiled data from May 2014 to Nov 2016 to analyse trends in grade boundaries for the wide range of group 6 subjects available.

This graph illustrates the average cut-off for a band 7 in a variety of commonly-taken arts subjects: Dance, Film, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Arts subjects tend to have slightly higher cut-off marks than group 3 (humanities) and group 4 (sciences) subjects.

The cut-off is highest for Visual Arts over the two-year period, at 84 for HL and SL. The cut-off is lowest for theatre at 74 for SL and 77 for HL. The average cut-off for group 6 (Arts) subjects is similar to the cut-off for group 1 (English) subjects and lower than that of the group 2 (languages subjects).

The graph above displays the trends in the band 7 cut-off mark over time. As in the previous posts, exam number 1 is May 2014 TZ1, exam 2 is May 2014 TZ2, exam 3 is Nov 2014 TZ0 etc. Note that there are three exams every calendar year - there is only one time zone in November. There don’t appear to any long term trends, however, it is interesting to note which subjects tend to fluctuate and which tend to be stable. For example, Design Technology SL remains at either 75 or 76 for the 3-year period, whereas chemistry HL fluctuates between 77 and 81 and Environmental Systems & Societies SL fluctuates but 68 and 76. So, if you’re wondering which band you would have achieved in any Environmental Systems & Societies past paper, be sure to check out the grade boundaries for that particular session! Physics SL also fluctuates between 65 and 72 over the 3-year period.

Studying an arts subject is not mandatory – instead you can choose an additional subject from groups 2-4, i.e. another second language, another humanities subject or another science. A few factors should go into making that decision: most importantly, your passions and skills. In addition, it can help to consider grade boundaries. Grade boundaries tend to indicate the complexity of the IA’s and syllabus content and the extent to which students compete intensely for top marks. So, a subject with a high cut-off mark suggests there is a limited amount of syllabus content, and that most students have been able to refine their approaches to assessment, driving the IB to increase the threshold for higher bands. A lower cut-off mark suggests that a subject has more content to cover or that most students haven’t mastered the assessment technique. So, when choosing your sixth subject, it’s worth considering the cut-off marks, as this will give you an insight into the nature of the subject’s content and assessment. Here are the IB subject groups, listed in decreasing order of cut-off mark: Languages, Arts, English, Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities. Note of course that there is significant variation between subjects within these groups.

Please contact Little Geniuses if you need help choosing the group 6 subject that is ideal for you.

Welcome to the fifth post in our series on IB grade boundaries! Please read the first post for an introduction to IB grade boundaries. This post is on Group 5 subjects: Mathematics at studies level, SL and HL.

Little Geniuses have compiled data from May 2014 to Nov 2016 to analyse trends in grade boundaries for the three group 5 subjects available. However, it’s not recommended to choose a group 5 subject based on its cut-off: instead base this choice on your mathematical ability, plans for future study and passions.

This graph illustrates the average cut-off for a band 7 in studies, SL and HL mathematics. Mathematics subjects tend to have similar cut-off marks to group 3 (humanities) and group 4 (sciences) subjects.

The cut-off is highest for Mathematics SL over the three-year period, at 82. The cut-off is lowest for HL Mathematics at 75, due to its difficulty, and the volume of content that must be learnt and understood. Note that70 was the average cut-off forphysics HL, over the same period: a much lower cut-off for a similarly difficult subject. The average cut-off for group 5 (mathematics) is similar, at 79.0, compared to the average cut-off for group 1 (English) subjects, at 80.1. However, the cut-off for mathematics tends to be higher than the cut-off for humanities and sciences subjects.

study.

First, consider your own mathematical abilities: HL Mathematics, equivalent to HSC 4+ unit Mathematics, is challenging, and exposes students to a variety of topics and covers them in a lot of depth. SL Mathematics is still rigorous, and students are exposed to key topics: differentiation, integration and vectors but in less depth. SL maths is equivalent to HSC 2 unit mathematics.

Finally, Mathematics Studies does not provide students with a rigorous understanding of calculus, but instead focuses more attention on geometry, statistics and logic. Mathematics studies is equivalent to HSC general mathematics. Students choosing Mathematics Studies may struggle if their future studies involve mathematics of any nature, for example, actuarial studies often require HL mathematics as a prerequisite. In other degrees, such as mathematics, science or engineering, this level of mathematics is not required, however you might be at a disadvantage compared to other students, with a stronger mathematics background.

The graph above displays the trends in the band 7 cut-off mark over time. As in the previous posts, exam number 1 is May 2014 TZ1, exam 2 is May 2014 TZ2, exam 3 is Nov 2014 TZ1 etc. Note that there are three exams every calendar year - there is only one time zone in November. It appears that the cut-off for Mathematics HL and SL is decreasing over time. However, this may just be an anomaly. Other than this, there don’t appear to any long-term trends, however, it is interesting to note the fluctuation in mathematics studies and SL cut-offs, compared to mathematics HL which is relatively stable. Overall, we can observe less variation in the cut-off for a band 7 in group 5 (mathematics) subjects compared to group 3 (humanities) and group 4 (sciences) subjects. If you’re wondering which band you would have achieved in any mathematics past paper, be sure to check out the grade boundaries for that particular session!

Please contact Little Geniuses if you need help in achieving a band 7 in your mathematics subject.

Welcome to the fourth post in our series on IB grade boundaries!

Please read the first post for an introduction to IB grade boundaries. This post is on Group 4 subjects: sciences at SL and HL. Note that Sport & Exercise Science and Environmental Systems & Societies are only available at SL.

Little Geniuses have compiled data from May 2014 to Nov 2016 to analyse trends in grade boundaries for the wide range of group 4 subjects available.

This graph illustrates the average cut-off for a band 7 in a variety of commonly-taken sciences subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Sport & Exercise Science and Environmental Systems & Societies. Sciences subjects tend to have lower cut-off marks than group 1 and 2 subjects due to the volume of content set out in the syllabus and the difficulty of scoring highly in science IA’s.

The cut-off is highest for biology over the two-year period, at 80 for HL and SL. The cut-off is lowest for computer science at 70 for SL and 65 for HL. Aside from biology, all cut-offs are below 80. The average cut-off for group 4 (science subjects) is similar, at 73.7, compared to the average cut-off for group 3 (humanities) subjects, at 71.6. Moreover, the average cut-off in these group 3 (sciences) subjects is much lower than the 82.9 average cut-off needed for group 2 (languages) subjects.

Despite the higher cut-offs for biology and chemistry, these remain the most popular science subjects. Studying biology and/or chemistry leaves students with scientific knowledge that is valuable for future studies in medicine, medical science, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, and many others. This is because the IB syllabuses stipulate the teaching of advanced material that HSC students do not learn until their first or second year of university.

With determination and the right support, achieving a band 7 in biology and chemistry is possible! Work on IA’s needs to be commenced early as these assessments are colossal tasks that require many hours of work and several drafts. As for the syllabus content, revision needs to be regular and consistent. During your final exams, you’re assessed on all content learnt in the last 2 years, and so topics 1 and 2 will seem very distant unless you’ve revised them throughout your diploma.

The graph above displays the trends in the band 7 cut-off mark over time. As in the previous posts, exam number 1 is May 2014 TZ1, exam 2 is May 2014 TZ2, exam 3 is Nov 2014 TZ1 etc. Note that there are three exams every calendar year - there is only one time zone in November. There don’t appear to any long-term trends, however, it is interesting to note which subjects tend to fluctuate and which tend to be stable. For example, design technology SL remains at either 75 or 76 for the 3-year period, whereas chemistry HL fluctuates between 77 and 81 and environmental systems and societies SL fluctuates but 68 and 76. So, if you’re wondering which band you would have achieved in any environmental systems and societies past paper, be sure to check out the grade boundaries for that particular session! Physics SL also fluctuates between 65 and 72 over the 3-year period.

Overall, we can observe slightly less variation in the cut-off for a band 7 in group 4 (sciences) subjects compared to group 3 (humanities) subjects, but there is more variation in the sciences subjects than in the group 1 (English) and group 2 (languages subjects).

Please contact Little Geniuses if you need help choosing the group 4 subject that is ideal for you.

As parents, you want your child to have the best possible education. You may spend over half a million dollars sending your children to the “best” private school in Sydney. But is that expensive private school providing your child with the best academic education? Does the private school perform at the top of the state and give your child the chance to compete academically with the students at selective schools?

When choosing the best school for your child, you will inevitably face the choice; should your child sit for the selective test or should you enrol them in a private school?

Selective schools are government high schools offering high-achieving students entry into Year 7 on the basis of academic merit as demonstrated by their performance in the school curriculum and the Selective High School Placement Test. Private schools are independent, and provide more opportunities for co-curricular activities and have access to state-of the-art facilities. But are they still academically rigorous? By sending your child to a private school, will it offer your child the opportunity to achieve the best possible ATAR and gain entry into a top-ranking university course?

The graph below shows the HSC rankings for the most prominent selective and private schools in Sydney between 2010-2016. The top 10 schools are predominately selective, with James Ruse Agricultural High at the number 1 rank for all years in our data set. Sydney Grammar and Abbotsleigh are the top performing private schools, averaging ranks 10 and 13 over the 7 year period.

Meriden, in the inner west has improved from rank 53 in 2010, to within the top 20 rank in 2016, and is considered the top private school for girls in the inner west. Reddam House has moved from a 40 rank school to now a top-10 ranked school in 2016.

Private schools that performed poorly (average rank greater than 60) over the period include; St Joseph’s College, Hills Grammar, Cranbrook, International Grammar School, The Scots College, St Andrew’s Cathedral School and Redlands. Cranbrook, St Joseph’s College and International Grammar School have had a significant decline in ranking recent years. It is clear, that not all private schools are academically elite.

Our analysis is based on HSC results only. Some schools, such as Trinity Grammar, MLC and Newington, specialise in the IB, where the top 60% of students take on this program. The results for these schools are skewed to the downside as they do not consider how the IB score converts into an ATAR as part of the school ranking. These schools look like they have performed poorly over the period and that their rank is declining. This is because more and more of the top students are doing the IB.

Why do selective schools perform better?

Entry into selective schools is based on academic merit and performance in the Selective High School Placement Test. The top performing selective schools have the highest cut offs based on minimum marks in the test. There is a high correlation to the schools with the highest ranking and the highest minimum marks required to achieve entry.

In 2016, James Ruse only took students that achieved a score above 239/300. The test is challenging and requires significant preparation if you want your child to gain an offer at the top selective schools. Here, at Little Geniuses, we specialise in training students for the selective exams.

Private schools entrance tests require coaching too

Gaining entry into private schools is not as simple as paying an enrolment fee. There are stringent selection processes for each of the elite private schools. Sydney Grammar and St Aloysius have entrance exams, different to the selective school tests. Most private schools have interviews. This requires planning and coaching to guarantee a spot for your child at the ideal school. Many of the entrance tests and applications are required at a minimum of 2 years before the entrance start date. Preparation is key and we, at Little Geniuses, specialise in preparing your child for these exams. We tailor our lessons specifically to train your child for these exams.

Which school should you choose?

As always, the decision of which school to send your child to is a question of priorities. We have provided detail on how the different schools perform academically. But there are other factors to consider such as social environment, quality of teachers and opportunities. Private schools place a lot of importance on the co-curricular programs such as music and sport and have a greater focus on producing “well-rounded” individuals.

Little Geniuses is here to help

At Little Geniuses, we specialise in training students to achieve entry into these top private schools and selective schools. We then continue to help throughout their schooling from Yr7-12 to help them achieve the highest ATAR and IB marks.

Welcome to our series of blog posts on IB grade boundaries!

An understanding of IB grade boundaries is critical to maximising your IB Score. Grade boundaries are the range of marks out of 100 you need to achieve in your assessments to gain a 7, or any other grade. For example, in May 2016, TZ1, the grade boundaries for Mathematics Studies were 7: 100-80; 6: 79-68; 5: 67-56; 4: 43-55. This means that you’re graded on a curve; in other words, the IB compares you to other students. Some subjects, like History Route 1 and Physics, are considered more difficult than others, so the IB lowers the grade boundaries to compensate. Further, some papers are more difficult than others and so the grade boundaries are lowered for students completing that paper.

Little Geniuses have compiled data from May 2014 to Nov 2016 to analyse trends in grade boundaries for a wide range of subjects.

This post is on group 1 subjects: English as Language A1 (Literature) at SL and HL.

The chart below shows the movement of the cut off mark for a band 7. Here, exam number 1 is May 2014 TZ1, exam 2 is MAY 2014 TZ2, exam 3 is Nov 2014 TZ1 etc. Note that there are three exams every calendar year - there is only one time zone in November. The cut-off varies from 79 to 81 between May 2014 TZ1 and November 2016. Generally, the cut-off for HL students is higher than for SL students however, this wasn’t the case in November 2015. The data does note hint at any long term trends – it is likely that the average cut-off will stay at around 80 for the next few years at least.

From this data we can learn that the average cut-off over the last 5 years is very similar for both levels of English: 80.2 for HL and 80.0 for SL. To be on the safe side, aim to score 82 or above, and you’re almost guaranteed to get a seven.

Please contact Little Geniuses if you need help achieving in group 1 subjects.

Welcome to the third post in our series on IB grade boundaries! Please read the first post for an introduction to IB grade boundaries. This post is on Group 3 subjects: humanities at SL and HL.

Little Geniuses have compiled data from May 2014 to Nov 2016 to analyse trends in grade boundaries for the wide range of group 3 subjects available.

This graph illustrates the average cut-off for a band 7 in a variety of commonly-taken humanities subjects: geography, history, business and management, economics, philosophy and psychology. Humanities subjects tend to have lower cut-off marks than group 1 and 2 subjects due to their complexity, and the difficulty in predicting the kind of question that will be asked.

The cut-off is highest for philosophy over the two-year period, at 80 for HL and 78 for SL. The cut-off is lowest for R1 and R2 of history. Aside from HL philosophy, all cut-offs are below 80. Moreover, the average cut-off in these group 3 (humanities) subjects is much lower: 71.6 instead of 82.9, for the group 2 (languages) subjects.

Despite the low cut-off, it is not easy to achieve a band 7 in history R1 and R2. It is hard to do well in these history subjects due to the high volume of material and the difficulty in predicting the essay question, which together make it hard to study efficiently. However, history is a rewarding subject that instils excellent research and writing skills, and so this should not deter dedicated students

The graph above displays the trends in the band 7 cut-off mark over time. There don’t appear to any long term trends, however, it is interesting to note which subjects tend to fluctuate and which tend to be stable. For example, philosophy SL remains at 78 for the 3-year period, whereas economics SL fluctuates between 70 and 78 and economics HL fluctuates but 73 and 81. So, if you’re wondering which band you would have achieved in any economics past paper, be sure to check out the grade boundaries for that particular session! Business and Management SL also fluctuates between 74 and 68 over the 3-year period.

Overall, we can observe a lot more variation in the cut-off for a band 7 in group 3 (humanities) subjects. This becomes particularly apparent when compared to the cut-offs for group 1 (English) and group 2 (Languages) subjects – please see the previous posts in our series.

Please contact Little Geniuses if you need help choosing the group 3 subject that is ideal for you.

Welcome to the second post in our series on IB grade boundaries! Please read the first post for an introduction to IB grade boundaries. This post is on Group 2 subjects:language acquisition at SL and HL (if applicable). Note that language ab initio subjects are only available at SL.

Little Geniuses have compiled data from May 2014 to Nov 2016 to analyse trends in grade boundaries for a wide range of subjects.

This graph illustrates the average cut-off for a band 7 in a variety of commonly-taken language subjects. Ab initio subjects are on the left, then classical languages, then other languages. Ab initio subjects tend to have high average cut-off marks of around 84, so remember that if you choose an ab initio subjects, you will not be able to afford to lose many marks, and still get a band 7.

Classical languages tend to have lower average cut-offs in the high 70s, reflecting the challenging nature of these subjects.

There is more variety in the language B subjects, ranging from 81 in French HL to 87 in Japanese SL. European language B subjects tend to have slightly lower cut-offs than Notably, all language B subjects have average cut-offs above 80.

The chart below shows the movement of the cut off mark for a band 7 over the past 2 years. As in the previous post, exam number 1 is May 2014 TZ1, exam 2 is May 2014 TZ2, exam 3 is Nov 2014 TZ1 etc. Note that there are three exams every calendar year - there is only one time zone in November.

There don’t appear to be any long term trends in the data, however, the cut-offs in Group 2 subjects are more variable than in group 1 subjects, perhaps due to the smaller sample sizes in some languages. The biggest range is in French HL which varies between 78 and 83 and Chinese SL which varies between 82 and 86. Whenever you do a past paper, check the cut-off for that year, as a 78 might be a 6 when year and a 7 the next.

Please contact Little Geniuses if you need help choosing the group 2 subject that is ideal for you.

One of the biggest misconceptions about scholarships is that they are only for gifted children with a genius level of natural ability. But that is simply not true.

Scholarships are offered for a broad range of reasons. Your child might excel academically, in music, in sport, or maybe even all three. Regardless of their area of interest, scholarships are an opportunity not to be missed.

Secondary private school fees for two children will cost half a million dollars

Our detailed analysis of tuition fees for most of the prominent private schools in Sydney is alarming. Our estimate shows that the most expensive private school is SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

From Years 7-12, parents could be paying close to $235,000 just in tuition fees. In our sample of schools, St Aloysius provides the cheapest private secondary education, paying up to $120,000. Our analysis assumes a 5% increase p.a. on 2017 pricing.

Private schools such as do not publicly advertise school fees on their websites.

Notably, these price estimates do not include fees associated with school’s co-curricular activities, excursions, camps, uniforms and textbooks. With many parents having at least two children, wanting secondary private education for your children could cost north of half a million dollars.

There are some schools () that offer discounts for two or more children. Joey’s includes morning tea and after school study until 8pm.

Our analysis above has been focused on Secondary school fees only. However, many parents enrol their children in private schools for primary and even pre-kindy education. On average, primary school fees for the private schools are $20,000-25,000 p.a.

Over 7 years (Kindy-Yr 6), this is another $140,000-$175,000 in private school education for one child, totalling over $400,000 in private education from Kindy-Yr 12 per child.

If you are serious about your child attending a private school, a scholarship will provide significant financial assistance that should not be ignored.

Types of Scholarships

In NSW, scholarships are mainly awarded based on your child’s performance in an entrance exam. However, some schools will often also consider NAPLAN results, school reports and the outcome of an interview.

For the entrance exam, most independent schools use a test set by the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER). The ACER scholarship tests are split into three sections: written expression, humanities and mathematics.

The date of the ACER scholarship test will depend on whether the school you are applying to is in a Cooperative Program or has selected an Alternative Test Date.

COOPERATIVE PROGRAM SCHOOLS

ALTERNATIVE DATE SCHOOLS

INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP EXAMS

Inner West

Meriden School: Saturday 18th February, 2017Trinity Grammar School: Saturday 11th February, 2017

Newington: Monday 13 February 2017

Eastern Suburbs

Cranbrook: Saturday 4 March 2017Ascham School: Saturday 11th February, 2017

Kambala: Saturday 11 March 2017

North Shore

The King’s School: 19 February 2017

Wenona: Saturday 11 March, 2017

Queenwood: March 18 2017

Central Sydney

Sydney Grammar: Sunday 12th February, 2017

When to apply

ACER scholarship applications open in mid-September, two years before your child will start the school year. So, for entry in 2018, applications opened in mid-September 2016. Applications for 2018 will close at 11:59pm AEDT Monday 6 February 2017.

While year 7, 9 and 11 entries are the most common grade scholarships, some independent schools offer scholarships for all grade levels. It is a good idea to check the school’s website for what scholarships are on offer.

Refer to the information below to find out what test to register your child in;

Level 1

Year 7 or 8

Level 2

Year 9 or 10

Level 3

Year 11 or 12

Primary Scholarship Test

Year 4, 5, or 6

Other Notable Scholarships Offered

Scholarships are not just awarded for academic merit, but also for other notable achievements such as skill in music, leadership and sports. If your child is gifted in one or all of these areas, then it is a good idea to apply for one of theses scholarships.

A few notable examples are listed below.

Meriden

Year 5/6: Junior School (Orchestral) Instrumental, Piano and Vocal Music Scholarships

Year 9: The Betty Stephen Memorial Sport Scholarship

Trinity

Year 7: Music Scholarships

Year 7: Trinitarian Scholarships

PLC Sydney

Year 4: Goodlet Legacy Junior School music scholarship

Year 7, 8, & 9: Principal's Scholarship Of Excellence

Planning Ahead

Academic scholarship exams are highly difficult and the topics tested are well above student’s academic level. Preparing your child for a scholarship test is all about Education Planning. At Little Geniuses, we are renowned for ensuring students are 1-2 years ahead of their grade, to give them the best chance of being offered places in the most prestigious private schools each year.

Attaining scholarships will save parents an astounding amount of money, well over $200,000. It’s as good as winning the lottery!

Little Geniuses have a full database of exam style questions from all different types of scholarship tests – from ACER to private schools such as Meriden and St Aloysius College. This is important, as each test is different. Children need to prepare for the tests in different ways.

For example, the ACER scholarship tests are split into three sections: written expression, humanities and mathematics. Alternatively, the St Aloysius exam is broken down into five sections: English Reasoning, Maths/Spatial Reasoning, Mathematics Reading and Comprehension and Written Expression.

What is your next step?

If you want your child to succeed and gain a scholarships place in an elite private school, then your next step is to contact for an assessment. We can give you a detailed assessment report which outlines where your child is at compared to their peers and what steps you need to take to ensure they are prepared for the scholarship exam.

Scholarship tests are often sat two years before your child will start the school, so early planning is essential. If you are looking for a particular scholarship test, refer to the key academic dates on our website.

Congratulations to all our IB and HSC students who scored top results in 2016!

Our top achieving student studied at MLC and scored a perfect score of 45/45 in the IB - an ATAR of 99.95!

“I’ve always wanted a 45 but I never really thought I would get it. When I got my result, I was shocked and I remembered screaming and crying. It was definitely a good surprise!” she said.

Many of our students from Trinity Grammar School also appeared on the school’s Outstanding Individual Performance list, which includes students who scored 40+ IB points (equivalent to a 98.30+ ATAR).

Little Geniuses played a key role in all our student’s success, providing them with guidance in all/most of their subjects.

But it is not just about rushing to a coaching centre a few months before the final exams - the IB is a two-year course, and starting early and constant revision is the key to success!

Take it from our top IB student, who achieved a perfect score of 45/45.

“For English, the constant practices of Paper One and Paper Two forced me to not be lazy. Paper One is all about getting used to writing everything you know about the extract within the time limit and understanding something completely new in a short amount of time, so practices are crucial and Little Geniuses allowed me to keep that going for two years,” she said.

“Starting everything early at Little Geniuses gave me enough time to fully prepare myself for things like the Independent Oral Presentation (IOP) and Independent Oral Commentary (IOC). I remember starting to practice IOC months before the test and being relatively confident in all the poems that could be tested when it was closer to the exam.”

Little Geniuses are also experts in the most demanding aspects of the IB - Internal Assessments (IA), 4000 word Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) components.

These areas in the IB course are the most difficult for students as they require in-depth independent research and critical thinking. Disappointingly, they are commonly the areas where schools don’t provide sufficient guidance. It is hard see how any student can succeed in these demanding components without extra assistance!

At Little Geniuses, we fill in these gaps - providing all our IB students with one-on-one discussion, guidance and tips for all these difficult components.

said our top achieving MLC student.

But it is not just IB where Little Geniuses’ students excelled - our top HSC student scored an impressive ATAR of 99.85.

With Little Geniuses education planning and guidance in English Advanced and Extension English, the student from Reddam House achieved a score she didn’t think was possible!

“Constant communication between myself and Little Geniuses even while I wasn’t at class not only showed that Little Geniuses absolutely cared about their students but also ensured that my work was completed in advance for refinement. Without their contributions, my HSC would surely not be such a success!”

Congratulations again to all our 2016 students and we wish you luck in your future careers!

At the end of year 10, many students are faced with the dilemma – should I do the HSC or IB?

Hours of research can leave you and your child flooded with pages of information - and no clear answers! We have done the hard work for you and have complied an easy to understand comparison between the IB and HSC based on our own expert experience.

What is the IB Diploma?

The IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma is offered as an alternative to the NSW HSC in certain schools throughout Australia. Created in Switzerland in 1968, the IB is known for setting high standards and emphasising critical thinking and creativity.

Internationally Recognised

The IB is an internationally recognised certificate – a feature that is no doubt enticing to both parents and students. With the IB, your child can have a global education experience – the IB is recognised by prestigious international universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Princeton!

University Preparation

If your child chooses to do the IB, they will develop skills that will prepare them for university. Students learn to:

Develop their intellectual curiosityImprove reasoning abilitiesThink criticallyConsider philosophical ideas

Academic Diversity

The structure of the IB promotes academic diversity among students, rather than the preferred specialisation in the HSC. Your child can get a taste of a wide variety of subjects, thereby opening more pathways for them in the future.

In total, students must study six subjects and must undertake three of these at Higher Level (HL), which are like first year university subjects.

Students of the IB must study one subject of each of the following categories:

The diversity of the program is either a blessing or a curse, depending on your personal taste. On the one hand, it ensures that your child remains an academic all-rounder in all the major fields, and the advantage of learning a second language can make your child a more alluring candidate in global job markets.

However, this also means that your child will not be able to tailor their studies towards preferred streams of study, such as humanities or mathematics.

Furthermore, the IB does not offer vocational courses, unlike the HSC. As part of the HSC course, students can undertake subjects which can count towards traineeships or apprenticeships.

Key differences

While the HSC and IB are similar many ways, there are some very important differences. These are highlighted in the tables below.

STRUCTURE

ASSESSMENT

UNIVERSITY ENTRY

Is IB better than the HSC?

This is a question that emerges time and time again. As an increasing number of senior students are opting for the International Baccalaureate (IB) over the HSC, we must ask - what is it about the IB that makes it so appealing to both students and parents alike, and could it be right for your child?

Why we love the IB

Statistically, the IB seems almost too good to be true, especially given that a perfect mark of 45/45 equates to the top ATAR result of 99.95, where 1 in 30 students will achieve this result, as opposed to the 1 in 1000 students reaching 99.95 in the HSC.

In 2016, Little Geniuses’ top achieving student achieved this perfect score. Studying at MLC, she was coached at Little Geniuses in most of her IB subjects.

“I’ve always wanted a 45 but I never really thought I would get it. When I got my result, I was shocked and I remembered screaming and crying. It was definitely a good surprise!”, she said.

Many students from Trinity Grammar School, who were tutored at Little Geniuses, also appeared on the school’s Outstanding Individual Performance list, which includes students who scored 40+ IB points

(Equivalent to a 98.30+ ATAR).

However, the IB is also highly demanding. Even without the competition fostered in HSC schools, the IB is still a two-year course that requires students to continually build and extend on their knowledge. It is designed for students who are willing to commit to the demands of the curriculum, and for their efforts, they are certainly rewarded.

At Little Geniuses, we target this aspect by focusing on early preparation and revision through the two-year period.

said our top performing student from MLC.

In the IB Diploma, subjects are not scaled. Instead, the IB gives a fantastic ATAR conversion regardless of the chosen subjects.

In 2016, the IB state average among Australian students was 34.56. This is equivalent to an ATAR of 92.9!

For more information, have a look at this ATAR/IB conversion table.

Another bonus for students taking the IB, is that the IB Diploma exams are not until November, which gives IB students an entire extra month of study compared to October exams for HSC students.

This final month can make a huge difference for your child, as they will have much more time to study and to finalise their knowledge. While one month may not seem like a lot, extra study time will unquestionably improve the chance of having a better final mark.

A bit more about the HSC

The HSC also has its challenges. Students must carefully select high-scaling subjects, such as Extension 2 Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. While these subjects can significantly improve a student’s ATAR result, they are intensive and very difficult.

Additional educational services such as Little Geniuses can ensure that your child achieves the best result possible.

“Unlike other classes where the pace of the lesson may be incompatible to you, the Little Geniuses’ tutors always prioritise what you need. Their consistent consideration of your testing timetables, class load and most importantly, your emotional place and how confident you are for your tests, creates a familiar environment where you can solely focus on improving your academics,” said our 2016 top scoring HSC, Reddam House student.

“It is undeniable that all the tutors understand clearly what is necessary to create great marks and amazing students. While I was there, their relentless demand for quality work ensured that I stayed time-efficient and was spreading out my workload rather than cramming,” she said.

Of course, additional educational services are always available to students of both the HSC and the IB Diploma. However, Little Geniuses provide experienced education specialists who will go one step further to create specific resources targeted at what you are learning at school. External help, particularly in demanding assessments such as Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay (EE), will give your child the confidence and help they need to achieve high-range results throughout their study.

said our top achieving IB student.

If this is right for my child, where do I start?

Finding the right school for your child can already be a daunting process. Factor in finding a school with a successful IB program, and it seems nearly impossible.

The IB is offered as an alternative to the HSC in approximately 15 private schools in NSW.

Inner West

Eastern Suburbs

North Shore

Central Sydney

The Top Achieving Schools in 2016 were:

If you are still interested in your child participating in the IB Diploma, but are unsure of how they will cope, consider external assistance, such as Little Geniuses, for your child.

Take it from one of our students.

“At Little Geniuses, you build a genuine relationship with your tutor that makes it easy to communicate both your success and troubles. Such communication was essential in establishing what was required of me, whether it be timed practice essays or speech rehearsals.”

“To be able to have your work marked prior to handing final essays into school was also important for me as it created an opportunity for me to understand what needed refining to attain that perfect mark.”

So now that you know all about the International Baccalaureate, what will you choose?

Some children are born leaders; prime ministers or CEOs in the making. Other children are naturally quieter and more reserved. But all children have the skills of leadership within them, waiting to become our future politicians, captains of industry and community leaders.

What does leadership look like in an educational setting? Think of the leaders in your daily lives, and the qualities we expect them to display: leading by example, encouraging cooperation, and strategically planning for the future. These are the qualities we expect from students and their educators.

Research consistently shows that anyone can be a leader. It’s not about occupying the highest position, but about having the best qualities and values for a project. It’s not just about telling people what to do, but also listening to them. And it’s something that is open to everyone.[1]

What are some of the steps to making your child into one of the shining stars of tomorrow? It’s all about planning for their future through educational goals and nurturing their skills so that they can realise their full potential. This is what Little Geniuses is all about.

Learning

Someone who leads is someone who reads! Learning is at the heart of becoming a leader. As a leader, you will need to have as much information as possible to make well-informed choices. Further, having an open mind is essential to deal with different situations, as well as learning from your mistakes.

To assist your child, encourage them to watch the half-hour news program every night; read at least two news articles each day; listen to educational podcasts on the way to school; or find interests outside of school, like coding. And, of course, make sure that you’re planning for educational milestones – as we do at Little Geniuses – to keep your child’s learning progress on track.

Ethical Responsibilities

The best leaders are those who behave ethically. This means knowing and doing what is right, and thinking about the needs of others. An ethical leader has a strong moral code that guides them to make the right decision, even if a less ethical option seems easier or more enticing. By being ethical, these leaders leave a positive difference in the world and inspire those around them.

To become ethical leaders, children need to be able to deal with the many ethical issues they will face in their lives. The best way to teach your child ethics is through kind behaviours. Encourage your child to assist people in need, lend a hand, or give up their seat to an elderly person. When watching a movie or reading a story, discuss the behaviours of the characters with your child so that they understand what it’s like to act ethically.

Our A Fun Phonics Seriesis all about teaching kids morals, Your child will learn a new lesson through each book. In Book E – Ella Cares the for the Earth, children learn the importance of keeping our earth beautiful and clean.

Academics/Being Accountable

Being accountable for one’s academic progress develops the key skills we associate with leaders: commitment and pride in one’s work; performing tasks to deadlines; and planning one’s time effectively. We don’t expect our leaders to forget about their assignments or make excuses for incomplete homework – and we don’t expect our students to either.

To help your child become a responsible leader, it is important to teach them that they – and not their parents or teachers – are accountable for their actions. So give them the op- portunity to take charge of their academic success. Help your child design an academic plan – setting out goals and a strategy for what they hope to achieve during a term – and have them sign it. Each week, ask your child to grade their commitment to their schoolwork on a scale from 1-5. Soon your child will begin to see that they are the only person accountable for their academic success.

Decision-Making Abilities

Effective decision-making is an essential leadership skill. Leaders make dozens of decisions – from simple to complex – on a daily basis. They must often make these decisions quickly, be able to weigh up all the options before them, and be confident in their final choice. It is these decisions that define a leader’s success.

We introduce decisions slowly but surely into our children’s lives. To help encourage confident and considerate decision-making try using games. Problem-solving exercises like Sudoku or chess are a great way to allow children to deploy strategies in a low-risk context. Letting them decide in hypothetical scenarios what they would eat, or wear, is also ideal for introducing decisions at a young age.

And then there’s the key decision that most young people will encounter in their lives: how their education will unfold. Making choices about schools, subjects and study plans helps students to rise to the top of their class. Having a firm guiding hand – by educators and tu- tors with years’ experience – is important.

At Little Geniuses, we guide your child through subject selection and how best to maximise their marks for the HSC and beyond.

Empowerment

Being optimistic is essential for success. A leader understands there will be many people throughout their life who will tell them why they can’t do something. A leader is empowered to maintain a positive attitude no matter what the people around them say or do. A leader stands up to peer pressure to make choices for themselves. Teach your child to say “Yes I can!” even when they are not sure.

We all need positive reinforcement in our lives to balance our negative experiences, and to drown out our inner-critics. And this applies to others just as much as to ourselves. Focus on your child’s strengths to boost their self-esteem and confidence, and encourage them to take pride in their individuality. One way of doing this is to have a weekly ‘compliment chat’; encourage your family members to identify a strength or success that they achieved during the week.

Role Model/Mentor

Becoming a great leader doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, it can take years of experience, personal growth and difficult challenges to become successful. On this journey, leaders can benefit greatly from having a role-model or mentor. Mentors can give advice, strategies and new perspectives, as they have often had similar experiences in the past.

A mentor can be invaluable for children. A trusted friend or family member – OR TUTOR(!) – can be a great mentor, giving children something to aim for. We can never underestimate the ways that role models shape our thoughts, feelings and attitudes in subtle ways every day. Another option is to get your child to write a list of people they look up to. Discuss what paths these people took, or what challenges they overcame, to become successful.

Our education professionals at Little Geniuses are academic experts as well as counsellors and mentors to your child. They are trained to pinpoint issues – poor time planning, dif- ficulties with subject selection and problems with assessments – and negotiate solutions with students. What better way is there for children to see the mentoring experience first- hand – and to become mentors themselves for the next generation?

Setting Goals

The best way to set goals is to visualise them: to put pen to paper, or mouse to screen, or paint to canvas, and put together a vision board or mind-map. Goals at a young age can be as simple as knowing what instrument someone wants to master, or what sport they want to play. These small goals are part of a broader picture, though: they’re all asking the big question, ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’

At Little Geniuses, we believe that no one is born a genius. We know that the most successful students are those who are organised, dedicated and hard working. Whether it is dealing with weekly homework, an upcoming assignment or final exams, we ensure that our students set regular and achievable goals to be successful.

Helping Others

The best leaders lead to serve others, not to just further their own agendas. Leaders are generous with their time and their energy. Further, the best leaders do not get to their po- sition by defeating their opponents or holding others back. They encourage people to succeed, knowing that this will have benefits for everyone.

Encourage your child to help those around them. Make donations of clothes and toys to charities or sign up for a community activity. Encourage your child to perform chores to elderly relatives or neighbours. Help your child recognise when their own friends may require help; such as making them soup when they are ill or helping them pack when they move house.

In our soon to be released A Fun Phonics Series Book H Henry Lends a Helping Hand, the book teaches kids to lend their friends a helping hand through fun and interesting farm animals.

Interactions

There is no way to be a leader without having excellent communication skills with people from all walks of life. The key is knowing where one fits in a certain context – whether you’re in a classroom, a playground, an assembly, or a principal’s office – and knowing the correct behaviour.

Children learn their interpersonal and social skills from experience. Allow your children to interact with a range of people. Let them order their own meal at a restaurant; encourage them to ask for assistance in a store; and when visiting friends or family, include your child in the conversation. Further, ensure you identify and demonstrate the importance of non-verbal communication: eye-contact, gestures and body posture.

Perseverance

Mistakes and failure are an integral part of life. Leaders learn to do their best and are not beaten down by their mistakes. They pick themselves up and dust themselves off. Leaders learn to ask themselves how they can do better.

Teaching children perseverance can be a difficult task. Often they will want to give up when things get too hard! Importantly, you must applaud your child’s effort, not just their success. Set up a system that rewards your child when they achieve small milestones. For example, practicing the piano for an hour each day or finishing a difficult book. Further, if a child is struggling with a goal, help them envision the benefits of perseverance. Ask them, “what do you think it will feel like to do better in the next test?”

In our soon to be released A Fun Phonics Series Book I Izzy’s Incredible Invention, kids learn that it is important to keep trying, even when we don’t succeed at first.

Leadership within an educational setting is a journey for children as they learn to become the best and brightest version of themselves. But, of course, it’s a two-way process for us at Little Geniuses because we need to be leaders as well. By learn- ing, helping, making decisions, setting goals and persevering, we can be the best we can be in order to make a big difference in children’s lives.

If you are interested in knowing how Little Geniuses can help your child, visit www.littlegeniuses.com.au

To see how Little Geniuses' A Fun Phonics Series can teach your child these leadership

qualities, visit www.geniuspublishing.com.au

[1] Adapted from: Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L. (2007). Effective leadership in the early years sector: The ELEYS study. London: Institute of Education, University of London.

Starting school is a big step. It is the beginning of your child’s educational journey. In New South Wales, children are able to start kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 31 July in that year.

But does this mean they are ready?

School readiness is about much more than age. It is about whether your child is emotionally and physically ready to face the challenges that come with starting school for the first time.

A difficult decision many parents face is whether to send their child to school or to hold them back, especially if their birthday falls towards the end of the year.

School Readiness Indicators

It is not always obvious whether your child is ready to start school. However, there are common indicators that can help determine your child’s school readiness. Research consistently determines the most important factors to be:

Physical Health and Wellbeing

Physical health and wellbeing is not about whether your child can run 100m or kick a soccer ball! Rather, this category is concerned with whether your child can complete basic tasks independently. These include:

SittingListeningGripping a pencilTurning pages in a bookFeeding themselvesGoing to the toiletWashing their handsBlowing their nose

Social Competence

The most important aspect of social competence is ensuring that your child is able to positively interact with other children. Social competence not only helps your child make new friends in their class, but will allow your child to cope with the stress of new situations and learning tasks.

Emotional Maturity

As every parent knows, children are emotional beings: they can go from crying to laughing in an instant! Having emotional maturity means that your child has some ability to self-manage their emotions. Indicators of emotional maturity include an ability to:

Independently manage their emotionsInteract with adultsInteract in large groupsDevelop friendshipsBe separated from parents

Language and Cognitive Skills

These include:

Recognising numbersBasic countingFollowing basic instructionsBasic thinking skills

It is important to realise that school readiness is not about being able to read or write. These skills will be taught at school so are not a priority for school readiness. Instead, parents should concentrate on familiarising their child with language. Educational books, such as Little Geniuses’ Fun Phonic Series, are a great way to introduce your child to words and phonics. This storybook series will stimulate your child’s love of reading, while developing the literacy skills that will prepare them for school.

For more exciting stories, visit www.geniuspublishing.com.au.

Communication Skills and General Knowledge

Verbal communication is the primary method of teaching in kindergarten. When starting school, your child will learn communication skills through exposure to conversations, books, and stories. Having a preliminary grasp of communication skills can make starting school easier for your child. These communication skills include:

Ability to have a conversationMannersTaking turnsCommunicating basic needsAwareness of the wider world

How can parents help their child prepare for school?

Ensuring that your child is ready for school may seem like a daunting task! Fortunately, the NSW Government has released Getting Ready for School, an information kit for parents that contains some easy strategies for preparing your child for school.

Social and Emotional Competence

Ensure your child has regular contact with other children before starting school. This helps them learn how to make friends.Introduce games that involve taking turns, such as playing on a swing or jumping on a trampoline. Encourage your child to come up with a fair solution if conflict arises. Sit down with them and help them sort through the conflict.Make them aware of rules and the reasons for having them. For example, when holding your child’s hand to cross at pedestrian lights, talk about why you cross only when the ‘green person’ flashes.Recognise your child when they do something well. Behaviour is more likely to change with praise, rather than punishment.

Language

Read to your child. When choosing a book to read, why not try Anna’s Amazing Adventure, Ben’s Basketball Battle and Caitlin Cleans her Closet, three books from Little Geniuses’ Fun Phonic Series. These books are not only exciting and interesting, but are specifically designed to prepare your child’s mind for language!Talk to your child: ask them questions and listen to what they have to say.Help your child learn to follow simple instructions. Ask them to do things that will help you as well, such as getting food out of the fridge. Make sure you thank them so that they feel appreciated.

Physical and Motor Development

Make sure your child is well rested and has a balanced diet.Play games together, such as kicking a ball, obstacle courses, skipping and hopping games.Involve your child in a sport they enjoy, for example a kinder gym, little athletics club, soccer or a ballet class.

General Knowledge and Skills

Teach your child to dress themselves, tie shoe laces, use velcro or buckles.Make sure they can go to the toilet by themselves.Teach them to write their name.Visit museums, galleries and the park, go for walks and see friends.

At Little Geniuses Publishing, we know that there is more to your child’s development than just reading. That’s why we have developed a list of our favourite things to help with your child’s educational growth outside the classroom! Each of our picks addresses a unique aspect of The Australian Early Development Census’ (AEDC) five important areas of child development.

To view our pick’s visit: www.geniuspublishing.com.au/our-picks/

For more information regarding the NSW Government information kit, visit:

www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/survival_kit/starting_school.pdf

As your child starts school for the first time, they will face a number of new opportunities and challenges.

One key skill that they will develop is their reading ability. But learning to read for the first time can be a daunting task for both children and their parents. This is where “phonics” can help.

Many parents of new readers will have heard about the connection between “phonics” and reading. But what are phonics? And why are they so important?

What is phonics?

Phonics can appear to be a complex concept. But, in fact, it is very simple! Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds in language. When your child learns that the letter D has the sound “Duh” or that the letter B has the sound “Buh” they are learning phonics.

This relationship may seem obvious or common sense for fluent readers. However, for new readers, an understanding of this relationship is vital, as it provides them with the tools for discovering new words!

Without an understanding of phonics, reading is not possible!

Why is phonics important?

Phonics is one of the primary building blocks of reading. As children learn the alphabet and the sounds associated with these letters, they become familiar with the sound-letter rules and relationships that are inherent in the English language. And not every sound-letter relationship is straightforward! For example, it is only through phonics that children can learn that “tion” sounds like /shun/ and “ph” sounds like /f/.

Initially, it can be difficult to teach these relationships to children. However, the benefit in the long run far outweighs the alternative of learning every word by sight. Some children do begin to read by memorising all words by sight. While this approach initially yields great results, as the child reaches about Year Two, the volume of words at this level rapidly increases and may become overwhelming. As a result, the reading process is stalled because the child has not learnt a strategy to approach unknown words. This often causes confused parents to ask why their child could read last year but cannot this year. An understanding of phonics is vital for independent reading! [1]

Who recommends phonics?

It is not just educators and teachers who are passionate about phonics! New South Wales Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli has put his full support behind phonics education. In 2014, he announced that providers of teacher education courses in NSW will risk losing their accreditation if they do not provide comprehensive instruction in phonics.

“Phonics is a key skill in the teaching of reading. We want to ensure it is treated as a ‘must do’ in teacher education courses,” Mr Piccoli said. “The clear verdict of international and national research supports the teaching of phonics. I have been unapologetic in saying that we need high standards in education — and we have moved to lift those standards through our Great Teaching, Inspired Learning reforms.”

How you can help your child learn phonics?

1. Listen to your child read every day

It is important to read with your child on a daily basis. When children read aloud, parents should encourage them to sound out difficult words. More importantly, a parent can encourage their child if they become disheartened or discouraged. One reading tactic is to take turns reading paragraphs until they become confident!

2. Read books over and over again

Often children have a favourite book that they want to read over and over again! Some parents may be concerned that these early books are too ‘easy’. However, in actual fact reading easy books can help children built familiarity with the words and develop reading fluency.

3. Make reading exciting

Reading is always more fun when you are reading interesting and exciting books! As parents, you should try to choose thrilling books on topics that your child may already be interested in.

Educational Phonics Books such asAnna’s Amazing Adventure, Ben’s Basketball Battle and Caitlin Cleans her Closet are great choices to read to your child. They will fall in love with the engaging characters and brilliant illustrations, while learning phonics and a key lesson each time! For more exciting stories, visit www.geniuspublishing.com.au

4. Talk to their teacher

It is important to regularly be in contact with your child’s teacher about how you can help them improve their phonics learning and reading at home.

5. Ask questions while reading

Want to take your child’s reading ability to the next level? Try asking them questions about what happens in the book! Questions such as “what do you think happens next?” and “how to you think they are feeling” not only checks for understanding, but improves your child’s overall comprehension ability.

[1] Deslea Konza, ‘Phonics’ (2012) Research into practice: Understanding the reading process 1, 1 <http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/literacy/files/links/1_3_Phonics_June_2012.pdf>

There is a lot of data that surrounds the academic level of schools around Sydney and the state. It is essential to make sense of these mountains of information if you are to make the best choice for your child.

The natural place to start is by looking at results: put simply, who performs best?

HSC Rankings for 2011-2014

Each year the results of the HSC (http://bettereducation.com.au/results/hsc.aspx) are made publicly available, and are usually ranked based on the proportion of students who achieve a Band 6 in each subject.

Overall Results

Over the past four years (2011-2014), the Top 30 performing schools in the HSC have been:

1.James Ruse Agricultural High School (S)

2.North Sydney Boys High School (S)

3.North Sydney Girls High School (S)

4.Sydney Girls High School (S)

5.Baulkham Hills High School (S)

6.Sydney Boys High School (S)

7.Hornsby Girls High School (S)

8.Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Selective Campus (S)

9.Conservatorium High School (S)

10.Abbotsleigh (P)

11.Sydney Grammar School (P)

12.Reddam House (P)

13.Fort Street High School (S)

14.Ascham (P)

15.Girraween (S)

16.Loreto Normanhurt (P)

17.Moriah College (P)

18.Emanuel School (P)

19.St George Girls High School (S)

20.SCEGGS Darlinghurst (P)

21.Masada College (P)

22.Normanhurst Boys High School (S)

23.Loreto Kirribilli (P)

24.Hurlstone Agricultural High School (S)

25.Queenwood School for Girls (P)

26.Pymble Ladies’ College (P)

27.SHORE – Sydney Church of England Grammar School (P)

28.St Aloysius College (P)

29.Presbyterian Ladies’ College (P)

30.Roseville College (P)

Note: (S) marks a selective school, and (P) marks private.

There are many other schools that don’t achieve in the Top 30 in the state, but are often chosen by parents for their extra-curricular activities or school environment. Here are some noteworthy schools and their rankings for the HSC for the past four years (2011-2014):

Meriden School (32)Knox Grammar (42)MLC School (48)International Grammar School (56)The King’s School (57)Santa Sabina College (62)Newington College (73)St Patrick’s College, Strathfield (79)Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College (83)Trinity Grammar School (89)

Selective Schools

Top 10 Overall

1.James Ruse Agricultural High School

2.North Sydney Boys High School

3.North Sydney Girls High School

4.Sydney Girls High School

5.Baulkham Hills High School

6.Sydney Boys High School

7.Hornsby Girls High School

8.Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Selective Campus

9.Conservatorium High School

10.Fort Street High School

Top 10 Co-educational Selective High Schools

1.James Ruse Agricultural High School

2.Baulkham Gills High School

3.Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Selective Campus

4.The Conservatorium High School

5.Fort Street High School

6.Girraween High School

7.Hurlstone Agricultural High School

8.Penrith High School

9.Caringbah High School

10.Gosford High School

Top Selective Girls’ Schools

1.North Sydney Girls High School

2.Sydney Girls High School

3.Hornsby Girls High School

4.St George Girls High School

Top Selective Boys’ Schools

1.North Sydney Boys High School

2.Sydney Boys High School

3.Normanhurst Boys High School

4.Sydney Technical High School

Private Schools

Top 10 Overall

1`.Abbotsleigh

2.Sydney Grammar School

3.Reddam House

4.Ascham School

5.Moriah College

6.Emanuel School

7.SCEGGS Darlinghurst

8.Masada College

9.Queenswood School for Girls

10.Pymble Ladies’ College

Top Co-educational Private Schools

1.Reddam House (Bondi Campus)

2.Moriah College

3.Emanuel School

4.Masada College

5.St Luke’s Grammar

Top Private Girls’ Schools

1.Abbotsleigh

2.Ascham

3.SCEGGS Darlinghurst

4.Queenswood School for Girls

5.Pymble Ladies’ College

6.Presbyterian Ladies’ College

7.Roseville College

8.Meriden School

9.Wenona School

10.Kambala

Top Private Boys’ Schools

1.Sydney Grammar School

2.SHORE – Sydney Church of England Grammar School

3.Cranbrook School

4.Knox Grammar School

5.Barker College

6.The Scots College

7.The King’s School

8.Newington College

9.St Patrick’s College

10.Trinity Grammar School

General Trends and Patterns

There is a fairly even distribution between each type of school in the Top 30, with 16 private and 14 selective schools represented.While the highest ranked selective schools make up 9 of the Top 10 schools overall for the HSC, the best private schools make up the majority of remainder. This means that the best selective schools achieve at the highest level, while private schools achieve more consistent results.Girls’ schools are particularly strong for both selective and private schools, and are ranked much higher than their male counterparts in both sectors.The top co-educational selective schools are scattered across Sydney, although two of the highest schools (James Ruse and Baulkham Hills) are located in the North West.The best single-sex selective schools – which achieve at a very high level – are North Sydney Girls and Boys, Hornsby Girls, and Sydney Girls and Boys.The best private girls’ schools are mostly in the Eastern suburbs and the north of Sydney.The best private boys’ schools are located in the Eastern suburbs, Northern suburbs and inner west.

In recent years, many parents have sought to reap the benefits of a private education, as it provides a high level of academic engagement and extracurricular activities. However, since this is not an affordable option for all families, another highly effective method has emerged – making the most of outside tutoring to gain a place in the selective system.

Wherever you choose to send your child, it’s important to give them the critical edge over their peers within the school and the state.

The final stage of primary school is an important time for many students, as they develop their learning interests and capabilities. This is why Opportunity Classes (OC) are so popular, because they are a key chance for students to ‘get their foot in the door’ of the selective system.

Research backs this view up with many studies showing that students who have not gained entry to these gifted and talented classes in primary schools have a low chance of winning a spot in a selective high school. For example, at James Ruse in 2010, 105 out of a total 120 students had come from OC schools.

Many claim that the accelerated learning of OC classes are the best way to ensure your child stays one step ahead. But how do they compare to private schools in terms of recent NAPLAN results?

Top 20 Primary Schools

This list is based on the 2010 and 2011 overall results for years 3 and 5 in the areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and numeracy.

1. Sydney Grammar School, Edgecliff Preparatory School (Private)

2. Sydney Grammar School, St Ives Preparatory School (Private)

3. Artarmon Public School (Public)

4. Abbotsleigh (Private)

5. Woollahra Public School (Public)

6. St Aloysius’ College (Private.)

7. Mosman Church of England Preparatory School (Private)

8. Carlingford West Public School (Public)

9. St Mary’s Preparatory School, North Sydney (Private)

10. SCEGGS Darlinghurst (Private)

11. John Colet School, Belrose (Private)

12. Neutral Bay Public School (Public)

13. Beaumont Road Public School (Public)

14. Matthew Pearce Public School (Public)

15. Balmain Public School (Public)

16. Summer Hill Public School (Public)

17. Beecroft Public School (Public)

18. St Ives North Public School (Public)

19. Pymble Ladies’ College (Private)

20. Epping West Public School (Public)

Note that the public primary schools with OC classes have been highlighted in bold. They account for 7 out of the 11 public schools on the list.

What does this list tell us about OC vs private primary schools?

* Given there are 73 OC schools in the state and 7 of them are in the Top 20 overall, this indicates the high calibre of education and competition in these classes

* While OC schools compare well to the rest of the state, they are not essential to success, with over half of this Top 20 list being private schools. Many of these schools also appear in the Top 20 achievers at the HSC level.

* Schools with OC classes out-perform non-selective public schools, but not all of the public schools on this list have them. 4 out of 11 schools are non-selective, showing that OC classes are not essential for academic success at primary level. This may be for a number of reasons, for example the different levels of mental development.

What else do we know about OC schools?

Some basic facts:

* There are 73 NSW primary schools that offer OC classes

* More than 3 400 students attend these classes

* Most of these students go on to selective schools, with most of them being part of the 15 000 students that sit the selective entrance exam.

Top 10 OC Schools in the State

This list is based on the 2010 and 2011 overall NAPLAN results for year 5 in the areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and numeracy.

1. Artarmon Public School

2. Woollahra Public School

3. Neutral Bay Public School

4. Matthew Pearce Public School

5. Balmain Public School

6. Beecroft Public School

7. Chatswood Public School

8. Summer Hill Public School

9. Hurstville Public School

10. Ermington Public School

The three most popular OC schools are, in order:

* Hurstville Public School

* Summer Hill Public School

* Woolahra Public School

The popularity of Hurstville can, for example, be explained by the fact that it is the top primary school for getting children into selective high school. In 2011, 70% of students in OC classes there went on to attend one of the top eight selective schools in the state.

Competition for these schools is tough. For example, over 600 students each year tick Hurstville as their first choice, even though there are only 60 places available in total at Hurtsvlle. There are similar figures for Summer Hill Public School.

In order to fast track their child’s successful entry into OC classes and eventually the selective system, coaching for the exam is becoming an increasingly popular method. It is vital that your child gets their foot in the door as early as possible so they can achieve at the highest level possible.

When choosing the best school for your child, you will inevitably face the stumbling block: to face the selective test, or to pay fees and go private?

It’s important to first get your facts straight if you’re going to make an informed decision.

Where do other parents send their kids?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than a third of schoolchildren in New South Wales attend private schools. This is even higher for Sydney, where 44% of children are at private schools.

Non-government schools are also increasingly popular with parents – from 1998 to 2009, enrolments grew 22%, while state schools grew only 1%.

What are the main factors I should consider?

As always, it’s a question of what priorities you have. Some of the main points to think about include:

Social environment – Studies show that this is overwhelmingly the most important factor for parents, regardless of whether they choose selective or private. This means it’s important for you to investigate individual schools first, before making a broader decision about selective versus private schooling. Do the school’s values align with yours? What types of parents and students are involved in the school community?

Academic results – If this is your number one priority, the best bet is the top selective schools, which regularly make up the majority of the Top 10 in the HSC rankings each year. But below the Top 10, the schools in the Top 50 are mostly private schools. Students from private schools also ‘punch above their weight’ in the all-round achievers and distinguished achievers lists.

Quality of teachers – There are great teachers in both systems, but parents tend to be more concerned about the possibility of poorly performing teachers. In private schools, they are more directly accountable to students, and can be dealt with more quickly. In public schools, the hands of principals tend to be tied – although this is changing, particularly with the NSW Government’s announcement of the ‘Local Schools, Local Decisions’ policy earlier this year, which gives each public school more authority and autonomy over the way they run.

Opportunities – Interestingly, studies show that access to better facilities and more extra-curricular opportunities does not form a large part of most parents’ assessment of individual schools. That said, private schools tend to have more programs in place to develop the individual attributes of their students, with overseas trips to broaden their experiences, greater engagement with technology, and leadership programs like the Duke of Edinburgh.

How will my choice affect my child?

It all depends on how engaged you are with your child’s education, and how much you make the most of their time in either the selective or private system. Research shows one of the main contributors to student success is parental engagement.

This means expanding their education beyond the classroom, and embracing opportunities to put them ahead of the pack – such as private tutoring. For parents of kids in selective schools, money may be well spent on tutors to keep pace with their competitive classmates. For parents of kids in private schools, the focus needs to be making sure they are up to the state-wide academic standard set by the top selective schools.

There are clear reasons for choosing both systems of schooling – it all depends on how you allow your child to get ahead, within their education and beyond.

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Every parent wants to make sure their child reaches their full potential at school. But what if they’re not getting the attention they deserve within school hours? What if they have unique challenges that need to be addressed?

As they develop, kids can face physical, mental and social problems. It’s important to identify these early so you can take steps in the right direction. Whether your child is in Preschool or Year 3, early intervention is vital.

Some of the most common learning hurdles include:

Physical Issues

Visual-motor coordination – Some kids slow responses to visual stimuli, or they can’t take in a lot of visual information at once.

Weak wrists – This can prevent a child from writing properly, since they may not be able to grip their pencil properly. Kids might also have trouble participating fully in physical activity at school.

Speech issues – If a child stutters or stammers, this can affect their social interaction.

Mental Issues

Concentration problems – These include ADD (attention deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Kids who can’t stay focused for a long period of time can often misbehave due to frustration. For more information about these disorders, see here.

Autism and Asperger syndrome – These disorders are characterised by an impaired ability to interact and communicate with others. In school, these can form barriers between a child and their classmates. Students with autism and Asperger’s need extra care to build one-on-one social relationships. For more information about autism, see here and for information about Asperger’s, see here.

Dyslexia and other learning disabilities – At a time when kids are being introduced to lots of new numbers, letters and words, this can inhibit them from reading and writing to their full ability.

Stress – If kids become easily confused or disorganised, they often respond by panicking. Working closely with kids is important to develop their independence.

Problems with memory and recall – Kids need to be able to recall basic information, since this is a foundation for the work they will do as they get older.

Social Issues

Awkwardness or introverted behaviour – Some kids are naturally shy, which is fine. But it’s also important for them to become confident so they can interact with their peers at school.

Problems with expression – If a child has trouble putting their ideas verbally or in writing, they might not be able to relate properly to those around them.

Fortunately, most of these issues can be overcome! While it’s true that some children develop faster than others, those that lag behind need special attention to become more confident and independent.

How can tutoring help?

Studies show that early intervention is key if a child is to excel in later years of school. They also show that kids respond to individual, one-on-one lessons that are tailored best to their needs. They simply don’t get the time they need in a class of thirty students at school.

Students need structured development – making sure that kids are ready for school through early education.

There are three main ways to improve your child’s prospect of school readiness:

1) Give them structure. Lessons allow a student to respond individually to a tutor’s instructions. They allow kids to work within limits of a set timeframe and lesson plan.

2) Work towards a goal. We all want to achieve, because we like what we are good at. Kids are no different – they want to be able to improve, and for this they need to work towards manageable targets. It makes them feel good, because once they achieve, they want to achieve more. It is important to consolidate this early so they can build a lifelong interest in learning.

3) Make it fun. It’s not enough to sit kids down and expect them to rote learn their times tables. Kids need games to develop their imaginative and critical skills as well. They want to explore – who says they can’t learn at the same time?

Children respond to structure, goals and fun. To make them ready for the classroom and the playground, they need to follow a clear pathway.

Early education is beneficial – it’s about accelerated learning, it’s about structured learning, and it’s about fun learning!