There’s no doubt that raising children abroad makes for significant improvements on their cultural knowledge, linguistic abilities and life skills. Children grow up to be teenagers and young adults who can say they’ve travelled and seen the world around them, instead of sheltering in safety and staying on British streets. Learning from different education systems that choose different focal points to feature in classes can help expand any student’s knowledge of the world, and aid them in making their own judgements in later life.
However, the UK educational system shouldn’t be written off as soon as you leave the country. Having one of the finest, oldest and most prestigious academic reputations, holding a qualification or degree from the UK can open many doors around the world, and help put more opportunities on offer once your teenager has started searching for a career. Similarly, if university is on the cards, UK establishments feature highly in the world tables, and with large influxes of international students coming to study in the UK, it’s important to keep further education in the UK in mind.
In order to give your teenager the best possible chance at applying and getting into a British university, combining a knowledge of new cultures and different skills with a traditional UK education is key. It’s so important to keep your finger on the pulse of UK education, so if your teenager chooses to go to a British university, or decides to return to the UK, they won’t feel behind in subjects or confused by certain areas.
Many universities, colleges, internships and British jobs look for students who are well-rounded: they want the young adult who’s seen the world, who can speak different languages, and knows there’s more outside of their door than the local chippy – but they also want applicants who excel academically, and can prove that they know what’s going on around them. As an ex-pat, you’re in the prime position to set your teenager up in the most advantageous way: they have a selling point that many of their peers in the UK don’t.
In order to ensure they have the best of both worlds, keep them up-to-date with UK education. The easiest and most efficient way to do this is to enlist the help of a tutor, no matter what level they’re studying at. They can receive one-on-one sessions that fill the gaps that a foreign system might not touch on, as well as getting relatable and practical advice on the university admissions system.
Being based abroad, however, usually means finding a tutor that specialises in the UK education system is as easy as forecasting the weather in England! Combat this with the help of online tutoring: no matter what your location is, your time difference or your budget, tutors are available on MyTutor to help guide your teenager through any and every aspect of education in the UK. Tutors specialise in subjects and qualifications, and all sessions are tailor made to the individual student’s needs and requirements.
The tutors available come from some of the best universities in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge, so if you’re after advice on applications, you’ll be in the safest hands: they’ve gone through all the exams, coursework, personal statements and interviews just like your teenager will be about to!
As long as you have a laptop, a broadband connection and a webcam, your teenager can use MyTutor’s virtual classroom, complete with an interactive whiteboard, video and voice chat system and instant messaging service, to keep on top of the trends in education.
Living abroad can give your teenager so many special advantages and a sense of being unique – but ensuring that they can follow a syllabus from the UK, and not feel behind in lessons is something that MyTutor can offer, ensuring that each student reaches their full potential, wherever they are around the world.
Robert Grabiner – Founder of MyTutorWeb