The School Success Formula with Lucy Parsons

I have to say I'm a bit nervous about writing this blog post. But, prompted by some recent very vulnerable (and brave) admissions by parent members of The Extraordinaries Club and interactions with parents of the students we work with over a number of years I feel moved to ask this: Are your good intentions […] The post Are your good intentions stopping your teen from living their best life? appea...

Do mock exams really matter? Afterall, they're mocks, not the real thing. In this blog we're going to consider whether GCSE and A-Level mocks really matter and, ultimately, how seriously you should take them as a parent or a student. Do mocks really matter? What's the point of mocks? Mocks are held for several reasons. 1. […] The post Do mocks really matter? appeared first on Life More Extraordina...

Bill Morrison, the latest person to join our Academic Coaching team, understands, from his own experience, that academia and education do not always follow a straightforward path. This blog is a summary of my conversation with Bill, which you can listen to using the podcast player above or by searching for The School Success Formula […] The post Introducing academic coach, Bill Morrison appeared f...

A-Level Sociology is a relatively new subject but it’s becoming even more popular than traditional subjects like history and geography. So what exactly does being a successful A-Level Sociology student involve? How can you set yourself up to bank some good grades that will enable you to reach your goals beyond A-Levels? I interviewed Zoe […] The post A-Level Sociology: How to Revise and Succeed ap...

If you’re taking Religious Studies as an A Level subject you need two main strengths: An ability to retain large amounts of information; and, Skill in evaluating and explaining your arguments effectively. In this article taken from my interview with expert Religious Studies A-Level teacher and examiner, Chris Eyre, we share some important tips on […] The post 5 Tips for Success at Religious Studie...

When you're supporting your child to achieve their full potential at school it's really helpful to understand the shape and dynamics of the academic year. It's really all about long-term time-management – knowing what they should be doing and focusing on in each season of the school year. In this episode of The School Success […] The post [Re-Release] The Ultimate Guide to the Academic Year: What...

Annette and Erin were some of our founding members of The Extraordinaries Club, from the end of year 10 to year 13, and recently agreed to take part in interview with me.  This blog is a summary of my conversation with them about the lessons they learnt about the Club, themselves and what they took […] The post “Better than school” – Annette and Erin’s Extraordinaries Club Story appeared first on...

As we head back to school, hot on the heels of the two most difficult academic years ever experienced, it's worth taking a moment to make sure your mind is the right place to succeed. Let's review the situation we find ourselves in and think about how we can mentally prepare ourselves for the school […] The post Back to School Mindset reset appeared first on Life More Extraordinary: Academic Coach...

The step up from GCSE to A-Level study is a tricky one, and something that's under-estimated by students and their parents alike. This means that every year we see students coming to us in the latter part of year 12, over the summer holiday and the beginning of year 13 who have got themselves into […] The post 3 Top Tips For New Year 12s to Start the Sixth Form Right appeared first on Life More Ex...

Did you miss our Open House on 17th August 2021? We invited people to come along who were interested in working with us in the 2021-2 academic year to:Find out how you can work with usUnderstand which way of working with us would be best for you (or whether it's the right time for you at […] The post Open House – August 2021: Find out about how you can work with us appeared first on Life More Extr...

Are you thinking about signing up for 1:1 Academic Coaching with Life More Extraordinary? It's important to us that you get the most out of this experience – and making sure this happens starts before you even sign up for a preliminary call to discuss how we can help you. In this blog you'll find […] The post How to get the most out of Academic Coaching appeared first on Life More Extraordinary: A...

Would it surprise you to know that I don't just look at GCSE and A-Level grades as being a reflection of academic ability? To me, they're not just a measure of how ‘clever' someone is. Instead, GCSE and A-Level grades tell a story, boiled down into a letter or a number, of two years of […] The post The real achievement behind GCSE and A-Level results appeared first on Life More Extraordinary: Acad...

Many of my clients tell me how calm and soothing I am, so it might surprise you to know that I've been struggling with anxiety since spring 2018. I've done various things over the last three years to tackle the anxiety, but I've made bigger strides in 2021 than previously. After a member of The […] The post What I’ve done to help my anxiety in 2021 appeared first on Life More Extraordinary: Academ...

With the summer holidays fast approaching, parents have been asking me what their young people should be doing in the summer holidays. In this post, I'll be sharing the things students in years 7-13 should be doing in the summer holidays to give you some clarity and reassurance. What should you do in the summer […] The post What should you do in the summer holidays 2021? appeared first on Life Mor...

What's the right mindset when you're applying to Oxbridge? With only about 20% of Cambridge applicants and 16% of Oxford applicants getting a place, it's important that you go into the process with a healthy attitude so that you can get the most out of the experience, whatever the outcome. In this article you'll discover: […] The post The right mindset for Oxbridge applications appeared first on L...

If your child is applying for a vocational university course, it's important that they understand what they need to do differently in their UCAS personal statement compared to students applying for academic subjects. In this article you'll learn: What the difference is between vocational and academic university courses What's different about applications for vocational university […] The post What...

Year after year I see university applicants making the same 3 personal statement mistakes. These mistakes cost them lots of time, and would deprive them of offers at universities if they weren't put right. Read on to find out what they are – so that you can avoid making them. 3 Personal Statement Mistakes to […] The post 3 Personal Statement Mistakes to Avoid to Get University Offers appeared firs...

“What's the point of learning Pythagoras' Theorem? I'm never going to use it in real life.” That's what one of the members of The Extraordinaries Club was moaning to his mum. If you're the parent of a teen studying for exams, you may well have heard the same complaint about any number of things they […] The post “What’s the point of learning Pythagoras?” A parent’s guide to motivating teens to lea...

Is your child studying A-Level Physics? It can be an intimidating subject for some because of its heavy mathematical elements, but in practice, the subject encourages a whole range of other skills. These skills, alongside the mathematical modules, make it a great qualification to lead into university. Here I share some tips on how to […] The post How to Succeed in A-Level Physics appeared first on...

It's not easy to succeed at GCSE and A-Level. I think we all know this intellectually, but many people seem to resist the reality of what it really takes. In this article, I'm going to share three hard truths about what it really takes to succeed at GCSE and A-Level. It's up to you whether […] The post 3 Hard Truths About What It Takes to Succeed at GCSE and A-Level appeared first on Life More Ext...

GCSEs are hard. A-Levels are hard. But what's the alternative? The alternative is even harder. That's what we're thinking about today. Choose your hard The other day, my head coach, Helen, sent me a meme that said: Marriage is hard, Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard, Being fit is hard. Choose your […] The post Choose your hard appeared first on Life More Extraordinary: Academic Co...

In the English and Welsh education system, most schools hold year 12 exams in the summer term, halfway through students' A-Level courses. In my experience as an academic coach, year 12 exams can often be a rude awakening for A-Level students – showing them where they haven't paid enough attention over the last year. In […] The post Year 12 exams: The Challenges and Opportunities appeared first on...

Is your child in year 10? Are you wondering about their end of year exams? In this article, you can find out everything you need to know about year 10 exams including answers to the following questions: Are year 10 exams important? What are year 10 mocks exams? How seriously should you take year 10 […] The post Year 10 exams: Everything you need to know appeared first on Life More Extraordinary: A...

A-level history has a fantastic reputation for developing students' analytical and critical skills which is a great preparation for university. However, many students struggle to demonstrate these skills in their exams, even though they put hours into their revision. In this article you'll find a summary of my conversation with Zoe Holland, a history teacher […] The post A-Level History: Strategie...

Exam season is one of the most stressful times most GCSE and A-Level students have ever experienced in their short lives. It's also a very stressful time for the mums and dads guiding them through it. In this article, I'm going to share with you three ways to deal with the stress in the here […] The post How to release exam stress – 7 things you can do to feel calm and in control appeared first on...