Managing Stakeholders
How to have challenging conversations built on a partnership of respect and trust with parents, teachers and students
Working with colleagues and SLT
Working with parents and families
Collaborating with universities
How to support neurodivergent students with university applications
Preparing and applying for higher education can feel overwhelming…
Why learning about history can help us make sense of national stereotypes
Why are Americans so extroverted? Why are Asian students so …
‘But I need that predicted grade for my application’
Do students really need a specific predicted grade? Or do they just…
‘I want a degree that will make me more employable’: a counsellor’s response
Competitive job markets and fear of debt mean increasing numbers…
Why a university degree is so much more than just a degree
Economic, social and cultural capital are important…
How to help students with special needs find the right university
Unsupported, students with special needs can lose touch with their …
What is a teenager?
Teenagers are the key population counsellors work with – so it can …
How to have difficult and sensitive conversations
Difficult topics and conversations often come when you least …
How to help students with SEND prepare for university life
By understanding the diversity of students with special educational…
Students’ common misconceptions – and how to tackle them
As university counsellors, we become used to hearing …
How can counsellors best support LGBTQIA+ students?
Here are four simple ways for counsellors to support LGBTQIA+…
How to persuade students that there’s more to work than salary
Students feel under pressure to decide on their careers at an…
Do good grades matter?
The education system is fixated on grades – but university …
‘What do I do if an academically bright student doesn’t want to go to…
Some students are not interested in higher education, even if they are…
Counselling resource: The scary maths of university admissions
University admissions rates don’t tell the whole story – as…
Paying in sweat: how to advise student actors, athletes and singers
How do we, as school counsellors, give advice to students who are…
How to be inclusive when counselling students
What does ’inclusivity’ mean? Who does it refer to? And, most…
Four students – and four important counselling lessons learned
It’s important to understand what’s motivating students, and to get to…
How do our cognitive biases affect our counselling?
We like to think of ourselves as rational beings, but we approach…
How to motivate your students – and make sure they motivate themselves
Some students will need endless cajoling simply to register on a…
Why we need to shed our cultural baggage
We are all shaped by our cultural context – but, in order to do our…
Five ways to help students feel valued
To nurture success, counsellors need to build strong relationships…
How to help your students set effective goals
Applying to university involves successfully setting and …
How do you create a relationship of trust with students?
What does an honest and authentic relationship with students look …
Counsellor resource: why counsellors should be classroom teachers, too
Delivering regular classroom lessons could make a huge…
How to create the right relationships
Counsellors need to empower students and parents to make…
Counsellor resource: working with SLT in a school
Working with senior leadership teams can be a challenge for high school counsellors. Here’s a…
What do you do when teachers try to offer university counselling?
Teachers often try to offer university application advice to students, out of a well-meaning …
How to divide up roles fairly among a counselling team
The job of university counsellor is multifaceted, with a range of different roles and…
Call my agent: how to work constructively with education agents
Many university counsellors wince at the mention of agents – but their knowledge and…
My student has hired an independent counsellor. Now what?
The use of independent counsellors can make a school-based counsellor’s role more …
How COBIS is championing high school counsellors
Colin Bell, CEO of COBIS, shares how COBIS is helping school counsellors to access…
Starting a new school? Here's how to fit in
A counsellor starting at a new school needs to be able to understand its culture, speak its…
University visits and fairs: how to meet all stakeholders’ needs
University visits and university fairs can be instructive, useful and enjoyable for all …
How do you convince stakeholders that you’re on their side?
Actively listening, establishing trust and navigating challenging conversations with…
How to combat parents’ obsession with grades over skills
Parents often value high academic grades over interpersonal and …
‘A waste of time and money’: parents’ perceptions of gap years – and how to counter…
Universities now see a gap year as a valuable asset, enhancing…
How to involve parents in the counselling process
Involving parents in university or careers fairs can add…
Navigating cultural or generational differences in education
Navigating cultural differences and expectations for students can be…
Bringing parents along on students’ academic journeys
Your sons and your daughters may not be beyond your command – …
Are parents demanding a well-known university? Here's what to tell them
Families often look for a strong brand name and high place in…
ChatGPT prompts parents can use to support their children’s university search
It’s useful for students to be able to discuss university plans with their…
Four tips for putting parents at their ease
As college counsellors, we can sometimes forget about our…
How counsellors can communicate well with parents
Some parents will spoonfeed their children; others will not be …
Whose career choice is it – students’ or parents’?
Parents can have very definite ideas about which are suitable…
Ten tips for working effectively with parents
Applying to university is a significant step for students and…
Why university reps should not be talking about their institutions to students
Students will take away far more from a university visit if reps talk about a specific…
How to plan student visits to university campuses
With nearly 30,000 universities around the world, it can be difficult for students to know…
Counsellor resource: How to collaborate with university admissions reps
Admissions representatives are founts of knowledge when it comes to university…
What sort of format can university visits take?
Students have demanding schedules and differing needs. So it’s best to offer a range of…
How do I arrange university visits to my school?
If you want university representatives to visit your school, you’ll need to build positive…
Why are university visits necessary?
University visits involve welcoming representatives from colleges and universities …
