Help Them Become Well Rounded
Of course they are already interesting – you find them engaging and constantly surprising. However, the interviewer does not know them the way you do; even their headmaster – who writes a reference to the perspective school – does not know them the way you do.
So find media and articles that you can talk through with them on an adhoc basis. It will get them thinking and used to talking about things they don’t fully understand – it will help them to get better at talking to adults and when the head and the interviewer talk to your child then they too will see the interesting, surprising and compelling person they really are.
Clever TV
It may take a few attempts to get the balance right – you need something that is slightly beyond their age range but interesting enough to keep them engaged. I found that a big part of making this work was to find shows that you are interested in too – if you are enthusiastic they will become enthusiastic.
Science is often a good place the start. The BBC i-player and Amazon has a raft of science documentaries. Once or twice a week I’d sit down and watch a show on Mars or the Moon landings; Elements or the science behind light and colour. Drop in interesting discussions during the shows – “Can we be sure we are all seeing the same thing in the same colour”, “I wonder how rocket propulsion works in the vacuum of space”.
The Christmas Lectures are a good bet
History is also a good bet – there are some great documentaries on 1066. We so got into history shows that we even ended up watching Wolf Hall – that’s a big ask for a 10 year old but by the time of their exams they had matured enough to follow and enjoy it. Art or Sports Science may be a good route in – just so long as it gets them talking and asking questions.
Pod Casts
These are difficult to listen to together – but keeping it in the background over the occasional dinner may work. The Infinite Monkey Cage is a good one. The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry was another winner.
Articles
Each Friday I would have a quick look at the BBC science and nature news pages to see if there was anything to trigger conversation over the weekend. The recent story that scientists think the earth’s polarity is about to swap is a great example – why would it happen, how will it affect planes and satellites. Space X – should space exploration be by private companies or governments? The Turner prize – who would they have picked.
Mix in Things They Already Like
Tom – my eldest likes music (listening to pop, not playing a grand piano) so he listens to Desert Island Disks on a regular basis – he just enjoys it. James – youngest, just completed the entrance exam process – likes Maths so this series on Magic Numbers by Hannah Fry was a big win.
Keep it Fun
Finally, keep it fun and interesting – if you have to make them watch or listen to something then you have picked the wrong thing.