Scholarly's Research Findings 📊

🔍 Our Research Methodology
🎯 The Three Secrets of Scholarship-Winning Parents
🚶‍♂️ 1. Normalise Failure

They view setbacks as stepping stones to success rather than reflections of ability.

🔍 2. Focus on Mistakes

They spend most of their time reviewing errors rather than simply completing more work.

💬 3. Reduce Pressure

They use supportive language and take more responsibility for the learning process.

“Each year, we interview 20-40 students and their parents, identifying consistent patterns in how scholarship-winning families approach education differently.”

Secret #1: Normalise Failure 🚶‍♂️

📉 The Reality of Difficult Exams
  • Typical scores on challenging materials range from 40–60%
  • School experience creates a false expectation of scoring 80–90%
  • Selective/scholarship exams are designed to challenge even the best
  • Scoring 90%+ consistently means the work is too easy
💪 Benefits of Embracing Failure
  • Failure becomes a stepping stone to success
  • Improves resilience and emotional regulation
  • Less shock during real exams
  • Builds realistic expectations
  • Promotes a growth mindset
🧠 Practical Applications
“If you're the smartest person in the room, you're probably in the wrong room. Surround yourself with challenges that push your boundaries.”

Secret #2: Focus on Mistakes 🔍

📊 The 80/20 Learning Principle

80% of time = reviewing mistakes
20% = new work

  • Top students spend the majority of time analysing errors
  • Mistake analysis leads to deeper understanding
  • Reduces repeated errors
  • Strengthens problem-solving patterns
⚠️ Common Missteps
  • Prioritising quantity over quality
  • Rushing through workbooks
  • Dodging difficult questions
  • Seeing mistakes as failures
  • Skipping post-test reviews
✅ Effective Correction Strategies
“There is absolutely no point doing more questions if you're not reviewing and learning from the ones you've already completed.”

Secret #3: Reduce Pressure 💬

🗣️ Supportive Language Matters
  • Use non-critical language with your child
  • Avoid phrases like “How could you let this happen?”
  • Give feedback on the process, not the person
  • Frame problems as growth chances
  • Stay emotionally calm when disappointed
🙋‍♂️ Taking Responsibility
  • Parents should take the lead in support
  • Children can't self-learn advanced material
  • Up to 80% of support comes from home
  • Stick to one strong provider instead of many
  • Reinforce lessons beyond the classroom
👀 Demonstration vs. Direction
Effective:
  • Sit with your child during study
  • Review work together
  • Engage in tasks alongside them
Ineffective:
  • Just telling them what to do
  • Relying only on tutors
  • Setting goals without support

Key Insight: Kids copy behaviours—not words. Be the model.

“If you're not that great of a parent, don't expect your child to be better than you. The learning process must be a partnership.”

The School vs. Scholarship Gap 🎓

⚠️ Why School Is Not Enough
  • School curriculum is 2–3 years behind exam standards
  • “Top of class” ≠ ready for scholarship tests
  • School is made for average benchmarks
  • Scholarships target top 3.5–4% of all students
⏰ When to Start Preparation

Top 5–10 Schools: Start in Year 3 📅

Schools Ranked 11–20: Start in Year 4 📆

Schools Ranked 30–40: Year 5 is usually fine ✔️

📈 Reality of Competitive Selection

🎯 Scholarship Tests

200–400 applicants
Top 4% win offers

🏫 Top 10 Selective

~4,000 students competing

🔗 OC Class Link

Most scholarship kids came from OC classes

“School is honestly a joke if you're aiming for scholarships. You can't really follow what you're doing at school because it's not representative of these competitive exams.”

The Importance of Early Development 🧠

🧪 IQ Development Window
  • IQ is fluid between ages 6–10
  • Brain crystallises around age 11–12
  • Gains harder after age 12
  • Early intervention accounts for 60% variance in IQ expression
  • Environment plays a huge role alongside genetics
🎵 Early Enhancement Activities
  • Reading: Boosts verbal reasoning 📖
  • Games: Chess, puzzles, Sudoku ♟️🧩
  • Music: Enhances maths skills 🎼
  • Conversations: Builds critical thinking 💬
  • Educational videos: Expand knowledge 🎥
🍽️ Nutrition and Brain Development
🐟

Omega-3s

🍎

Antioxidants

🥚

Protein

🌾

Complex Carbs

“You don't need formal coaching for very young children. Reading, logic games, educational content, and quality talk at ages 6–7 can create massive cognitive gains.”

Understanding Setbacks vs Identity 🤯

🧨 The Dangerous Mindset Shift
  • Parents tie performance to identity
  • Say things like “My child isn’t good at maths”
  • React to failure by giving up
  • Treat poor scores as personal flaws
  • Label failure as who they are, not what happened
📈 The “Fail Forward” Approach
  • Teach kids to be comfortable with mistakes
  • Use setbacks as learning data
  • Encourage “I can’t do this yet” mindset
  • Reward effort + progress
  • Create safe spaces for trial + error
🔁 The Reframing Process
Instead of:
  • “You’re not good at this”
  • “This is disappointing”
  • “Maybe this isn’t for you”
Try saying:
  • “You're still learning this”
  • “What can we learn here?”
  • “Let’s try another way”
“It's either they fail now or later—they're going to fail at some point. Might as well build resilience through the process.”

Effective Coaching Selection 🧑‍🏫

✔️ Quality Over Quantity
  • Top students attend 1–2 centres, not 4–5
  • Choose comprehensive programs covering all subjects
  • Avoid “coaching hopping” – it fragments learning
  • Understand that tutors have limits
  • Look for centres that offer feedback + explanations
🔁 Reinforcement Is Critical
  • Without parent support, lessons don’t stick
  • Parents should sit beside kids during sessions
  • Review topics throughout the week
  • Ask for summaries/recordings
  • Apply coaching ideas in daily discussions
⚠️ Common Mistakes

🎯 Trial Test Trap

Doing test after test without reviewing mistakes turns it into busy work.

🔄 Outsourcing Mindset

Assuming tutors will “fix everything” without home reinforcement is unrealistic.

“The best approach is to pick one strong centre and support that content at home. Parents and tutors need to be partners in the learning process.”

Conclusion: Becoming a Scholarship-Winning Parent 🏆

🚶‍♂️ 1. Normalise Failure
  • Use materials that challenge (not flatter)
  • Setbacks = opportunities for growth
  • Resilience > perfection
🔍 2. Focus on Mistakes
  • Spend 80% of time on corrections
  • Track errors + review often
  • Quality > Quantity
💬 3. Reduce Pressure
  • Support, don’t scold
  • Demonstrate, don’t delegate
  • Reinforce lessons at home
📝 Action Plan for Parents
💡 Final Thought

Scholarship success is a parent-child partnership. Patience, consistency, and mindset matter as much as raw ability.

🏅

Success = Learn from failure