Academic piece of work for the 13+ interview...?

[Millybutterfly]

Hi everyone,
My Ds is going to be asked to bring any academic piece of work to talk about on the interview at Bradfield College. They do at school few, but he doesn't enjoy them to start an exciting discussion. called the admissions dep-t to get more info but they say lovely common phrases and that shouldn't be the arty works which is sad because DS is very arty and has got a lot of beautiful sketches and drawings.
I can't say I'm worried too much about that but just trying to help him with ideas generating.
If someone had the same experience before the advice will be very much appreciated.

Surely he must have read a book and written about it in English? He can take along his piece of writing but do some additional work on the text so he can, for example, talk about different characters or discuss other aspects of the text or even, if he has time, read something else by the same writer so that he can compare them in the interview.

What does he enjoy at school? What about something he's recently done in science or geography especially if he can tie it into a current topi al subject.

Thanks Roseformeplease, he is obsessed with reading and reading so fast that sometimes I think he is trying to get to the end of story losing details on the way. He was writing the book about 2 boys adventures and sketching pictures in it, it is great! but I'm not sure he wants to share with someone, he doesn't even want to show it his dad. Very personal, but thank you for advise, might work.

Happygardening He likes let's say the archeological aspect of science. And suggested me yesterday the topic for the work " How to think like Archeologist" with some practice artefact digging in the garden)))))) There is the Wonderpolis web site, great for imaginary ideas. He probably found it there. His another idea is to make the parallel from the old ancient birds to modern ones mostly because he wants to draw them ( his favourite object) but honestly I find it too hard and a lot of research and paper reading, may get boring and too scientific.
The last one at Geography was Soil erosion but he didn't like it
Cells in Biology also not very exciting. Thanks for advice anyway, you are right about connecting it to the current topic.

I actually used to work there (outs self - although it was years ago) and would be impressed by any of his "projects". However, what would concern me, as a teacher, is whether he can demonstrate a depth of knowledge in things he is learning for himself - he might just come across as a child who is interested in things but who hasn't really got any great depth of understanding of any of the topics.

Pick a topic he has studied at school (book, science topic etc) and then do some additional work on that topic ON HIS OWN to show a personal interest and to give him some ideas for the discussion. So, if he has studied Archeology, or Ornithology, great, but not if it is just a passing hobby. I would, personally, talk to his teachers at school at the moment who will (unless he is coming from a state school) be very used to helping in preparation for this kind of interview.

Roseformeplease your tips are very very valuable, thank you. It is getting clear now. It should be definitely his own creation with personal interest shown but connected to the topic they've learned on major subjects recently. Huge thanks again!!!
Did you work in Bradfield? I'm not bothering you with hundreds of silly questions but it is getting to became our first choice although it is not highly academic and from all aspects we've been looking for, great. We are picking up information from everyone and everywhere about the school and I haven't heard anything negative. If you'd like and have smth to share about the school I'd be very happy to know.

I loved working there. It is a fantastic school but I left there years ago 15+) so know very little of the current set up.

Roseformeplease Anyway thank you for your comments a advice, very helpful

oops , comments and advice, sorry

I was talking to a mum at a sports thing whose DS is at Bradfield they're really pleased with it there only gripe is that they hadn't realised that it's now very much a weekly boarding school.

Thank you HG, the more I ask the more sure I am that Bradfield is what we've been looking for. We just exactly needed a weekly boarding option more the full boarding. Hopefully it will be all fine with the interview.

Hi there, my daughter has just had her admission interview at Bradfield. She took her Science excersise book and talked through an experiement she had recently done. She also took some art (but she is applying for art scholarship). Having just asked her, she said they didn't spend that much time on the stuff she'd taken, they moved pretty quickly onto their own questions. Happy to give more detail on what she was asked if you'd like it. She was offered a place, so she must have said something right! She said it was a nice interview, very friendly. The School is fabulous, know many parents there and haven't heard a bad thing. New Head raising academic levels, but keeping vibrancy of mixed ability. Can't wait for her to start!

Thank you very much Vintage, DS is going to to smth same as your daughter. He has got a science project connected to archeology and going to take some art works although he is not applying for scholarship. I'm nervous but hope for the best. He is very academic and serious boy but may be quite grumpy and not chatty at all so I hope they will see what he is. There is no particular date for the interview yet, just applied last week and still waiting from school.
I would be happy to get as more details as you could tell me ))) Every little helps. How long was the interview , not longer then 30 min I suppose. DS usually doesn't tell to much about the interviews on the same day, some very important info comes out in a few days.

Yes, school is fantastic! Such a friendly atmosphere! Even DH liked it, he is usually looking for smth suspicious and bad but that time on the Open Day he was really impressed. The head of Faulkners/Boys is the classmate of my very close friend and she says he is absolutely amazing person. I don't know anything to share about the Girls Head unfortunately.