Case study 1: Straight 9s and Russell Group Success

Straight 9s and Russell Group Success: A Case Study in Personalised Education

Starting Point: Olive worked with A in Shanghai (2018-19), supporting her with the 13+ Entrance Exams to UK Independent Schools. Upon receiving her first choice, A’s father was impressed with the uniquely perceptive and personalised approach Olive took to support his daughter’s holistic academic development. They kept in touch over the years, and when A was in Year 11, her father reached out to Olive asking to support with A and a friend with academic enrichment, personalised GCSE revision, and deep-rooted cultural immersion. 

Student Profile 

• A, 15yo, Chinese: A bright, calm and confident student with an exceptional academic profile, and a keen interest in STEM. A displayed a passion for animal welfare, and everything Biology. Her parents were highly supportive of her interests and noted her happiness as a top priority. 
• P, 16yo, Chinese: An emotionally intelligent, confident, and bright student with a keen interest in Education and Psychology, P wanted additional guidance to explore her passions, and deepen her English vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing skills. 

Subject(s) covered: (i) GCSE English Language and Literature; GCSE Biology & Maths Masterclasses (Specialist Tutor brought in); British Culture and Communication; Project-Based Writing to deepen Foundational Skills. 

Duration of tutoring: A, 4 years (2018-2022), P, 2 years (2021-2023). 

Approach & Journey: During Exeat weekends in October 2020, January 2021, June 2021, as well as during the Christmas Holiday period (4 weeks), and Easter Holiday period (3 weeks), H&H designed personalised residential experiences, supporting both girls pastorally, academically, and socially. 

As an example, the first Exeat weekend in October was a weekend in Whitstable, Kent, by the seaside. After reaching the AirBnB on the Friday evening, we made fajitas and played board games, which was a great way to break the ice and integrate strategy and communication skills in a fun and relaxed manner. On the Saturday, we undertook a 3-hour workshop on creative writing, which supported the girls with their (i) GCSE English Language revision. The rest of the day included walks on the beach and exploring the local area. On the Sunday morning, we undertook a further 3-hour workshop on exam techniques targeted at completing reading comprehension under exam time pressure specifically, which had been flagged as an area both girls wanted to work on. Both girls were dropped back at school on the Sunday afternoon with an abundance of homemade cakes to take with them!

Other longer Residential programmes took place in London and Cambridge, where both girls benefited from personalised revision programmes, niche Masterclasses to refine their interests, as well as an array of cultural activities. These activities were designed to set both girls up for success when they reached university. For example, in addition to traditional academic tutoring, we also worked on their organisation, time management, and resilience. We leisurely read “Growth Mindset” as well as “Grit” during the course of the academic year, which helped to strengthen their resilience in the face of challenges, and prepare them for rich, vibrant, and academically demanding university lives. In London, we went to plays and had dinner with inspirational friends of Olive, including a notable author and the founder of a charity. In Cambridge, H&H designed a treasure chest challenge which involved finding “clues” that had been left around the city, learning about the history and completing various riddles as they went.  

Progress & Outcomes

• A achieved straight 9s in her GCSEs including (i) GCSE English Language and Literature. She loved the Biology Masterclasses provided by H&H, which enabled her to dive into university-level content on viruses and the nervoius system. She is now thriving at a top Russell Group university where she is studying Biological Sciences.
• P achieved strong GCSEs, which were notably higher than her predictions. She achieved a 6 and a 7 in her (i)GCSE English Language and Literature, which was incredible and she was very proud of. During a phase of noted lack of confidence, H&H called in specialist Education Consultant Dr Susanna Pinkus to conduct a 1hr assessment and overview of P’s strengths and challenges. P is also thriving at a top Russell Group University. 

Testimonials

我希望我女儿能成为Olive教育的成功范例，其他中国的家长们也能理解和带他们的孩子们积极参与。因为在我看来Olive教育远大于传统意义上的私教，而是为每一个孩子度身定制的一整套进步方案。I hope my daughter can be a successful example of Olive’s (teaching), and that other Chinese parents can understand by actively enrolling their children to participate. Olive’s mentorship is far greater than private education in the traditional sense; it is a complete curriculum tailored for each child.  — A’s Father

感谢Olivia 在自己的新年期间以及这么特殊的日子里陪伴孩子们在这里我们同样也看到了两个孩子的努力，通过各种形式的学习丰富了自己的内心，学习的效率 生活方面的能力也越来越强。A huge thank you to Olivia for hosting the children for a New Year Residential.  The girls made such tremendous efforts [in their learning] which enriched our hearts as well as theirs. The efficiency of learning is high, and their ability to live well gets stronger and stronger.  — P’s Mother.