Choosing a suitable 11 plus tuition service for your child can be an absolute minefield.
You want to ensure you’ve got the right support for your child, as this can be a very stressful and overwhelming time, and children will be under a lot of pressure.
Passing the 11 plus exam is very important to many, as this can be the gateway to a fantastic academic future and a great career for any learner. It means children have the opportunity to attend grammar and private schools, which, for many parents, is a big priority.
You want your child to have access to the level of teaching, facilities, and opportunities that these types of schools offer, but demand for available places can be extremely high.
As such, making sure your child is in the best possible position to pass this exam is key, and private tutors can be very helpful when preparing young learners.
From helping children understand how to answer different questions to giving them confidence in their own ability, private tutors are a fantastic aid.
But with so many services offering the same thing, how do you know which is best for your child?
Well, let’s take a look at some of the key things you should consider before making your decision.
Understanding the 11 Plus Exam
As we’ve already discussed, the 11 Plus Exam can cause a great deal of stress for children. They can feel overwhelmed – especially if they don’t understand how to answer the questions properly.
Without the right support and a planned approach, the 11 plus exam can be a daunting experience.. It’s essential they feel prepared going into the exam room, and know how to tackle any difficult questions that come up on the paper.
The reason why the 11 plus exam is so challenging is that some of the questions measure academic ability, whereas others measure aptitude (intelligence).
These types of questions in particular can be very challenging for children, as skills such as reasoning may or may not be developed yet, which requires nurturing over time.
Therefore, if a child does not pass, it might not necessarily be down to the fact that they were less ‘able’ but more an indication of the lack of preparation and support received.
To add to this, the school curriculum does not cover all the material required for the 11 plus exam, in particular, the verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions, meaning children have no prior experience in these areas.
As such, every child sitting the 11 plus will need to prepare in good time so that they can take advantage of different practice papers. The more familiar they become with the types of questions being asked, the more likely it is for them to pass – or at least to feel more confident.
At Redbridge Tuition, we provide a range of 11 plus exam papers so that learners can deal with the four main tested areas:
- Mathematics
- English
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
The papers within this pack are designed in line with the exam boards and will help children gain familiarity, identify their weaknesses, and experience exam pressure.
How to Find the Right 11 Plus Tuition Service
‘Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.’
And this couldn’t be truer when it comes to the 11 plus.
As we’ve touched on above, children do not necessarily fail this exam because they are academically unable or ‘slow’. Instead, it might be because they are less prepared than other learners and have not had access to the right preparation.
After all, you would not go into a sports day race without some practice, so why would you not prepare for the 11 plus exam?
Book Your Free 11+ Assessment Today.
If you’re interested in learning more about our take on the 11 plus, you should definitely check out our Education Lounge Podcast on the subject below:
When it comes to choosing the right 11 plus tuition service, there are a few key considerations that will help you find a centre that meets your child’s needs.
Let’s take a look.
What Do Other Parents Say?
Usually, a tuition service will have a record of previous testimonials from other parents/ carers who have seen a positive change in their child as a result of using the centre.
The first thing you should do is check out their website and see if you can find any reviews or comments from other parents, as this will give you an insight into the service they provide and how they work with children.
As this is such an important stage in your child’s academic life, you want to be sure that you’re putting them in the best possible position for possible future success.
Whilst testimonials are not a direct indicator of the quality of a tuition service, they are a huge help. These are real unbiased people, and they have had a positive experience. Read the reviews carefully; do they all sound very similar and are they all very short, or is there a range of writing styles and do they sound genuine?
At Redbridge Tuition, we’re proud to say we’ve helped plenty of children through their 11 plus exam. We understand first-hand how difficult this process can be for both learners and parents, so we do everything in our power to help children feel more prepared.
But don’t just take our word for it!
Loughton 5.0⭐️ • Seven Kings 5.0 ⭐️
“With the help of Redbridge, he was offered 3 schools. I have no hesitation in recommending this place for assisting children getting ready for 11+ and private school entrance exams.”
Bhumika
“My son started his tuition for his 11+ with Redbridge Tuition when he was about halfway through year 5, and the team have been fantastic! I wish he’d started sooner!”
Jade
“They are a very resourceful team, who structure the activities very carefully and execute them to perfection. We are forever grateful for the seeds of knowledge they have sown.”
K.S. Kumar
“Never in a million years did we ever think Mollie would ever achieve one of the ‘top Academic Scholarship Award’ at one of our two chosen local Independent Schools. Not to mention passing her 11+ exams and also achieving a place at Woodford County High School.”
Shook Lui
Ask How They Approach Their Lessons
When choosing an 11 plus tuition service, you need to understand how tutors approach their lessons and the way they teach.
You want to be sure that the tuition service (and the tutors) really know their stuff, as they are the people who are preparing your child for the exam.
When asking how they approach their lessons, allow tutors to demonstrate their 11 plus knowledge by asking questions about the exam paper. You might want to ask about the types of topics they cover, how they teach children the core subjects, and how they provide feedback.
Knowing this information will help you decide if their approach is right for you or if you think your child would be better suited elsewhere.
You’ll also want to ask how long the tutoring sessions last, as some sessions last for 60 minutes, whereas others can run up to 2 hours, and some may only be 45 minutes, depending on the tutor or tuition company.
The most important thing is that every aspect of the 11 plus exam is covered so that your child fully understands what to expect in the exam. In addition, you should also make sure the tuition service provides 11 plus practice exam papers so that your child can get more familiar with different types of questions.
How Many People Are in the Group?
It’s important to make sure that your child is receiving dedicated support from your chosen 11 plus tuition service.
This is one of the key differences between a tutor and a teacher, as a teacher is responsible for teaching numerous students at the same time. On the other hand, one-to-one tutors provide more personal, dedicated support. At Redbridge Tuition, we work in small groups where the work will be taught by topic and then tailored to your child’s individual needs.
Working in small groups means we can identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, providing extra support where needed.
Usually, sessions for the 11 plus exam take place in small groups, meaning that the tutor is able to concentrate on each child in full. Instead of monitoring 30 children at once, like a teacher would, a tutor focuses on a much smaller group so that they can identify any gaps in each child’s knowledge and spend time on filling in the gaps.
At Redbridge Tuition, we also offer one-to-one tutoring so that your child receives a deeper learning experience. As there are no other children involved in the session, the tutor is able to fully concentrate on your child and bridge any gaps in their understanding. It does, however, mean that the child gets no sense of where they are in their cohort (but obviously the tutor will).
This can also make children feel more relaxed and comfortable as they are not worrying about what their peers think. For many parents, 1-2-1 tuition is highly effective and can help their child to progress much faster.
However, please remember that the 11 plus exam is a contest for a limited number of seats, and it is important that each child is taught how to work out of their comfort zone and is taught how to apply their topic knowledge to any question that may come up in the exam.
To find out more about this service or to book a slot, simply click here.
Find Out Where the Lessons Take Place
11 plus tutoring can take place either at the centre itself or in your own home. Some tutors will visit your home, but at Redbridge Tuition, we will either work with children in one of our centres or via a video link if the child does not attend in person.
It’s about working out which route is most suitable for you and your child.
One benefit of attending tutoring in person is that your child is able to meet the tutor in person and build a more personal relationship both with the tutor and with other tutees.
Furthermore, if they attend group tutoring sessions, then this can help build their confidence as they will be surrounded by other learners who are also learning the same thing.
As such, they will be able to discuss with their peers and participate in group activities.
At Redbridge Tuition, we have two centres – one in Seven Kings and one in Loughton.
The Seven Kings centre serves students between Ilford, Newbury Park, Dagenham, Barking, Goodmayes and Romford, whereas our Loughton centre mainly serves students between South Woodford, Woodford Green, Epping, Buckhurst Hill, Chingford and Chigwell.
Some of our students travel a long way to work with us – even from parts of Kent and North London.
With our centres regularly accessible via public transport, take a look and see whether you can reach us. If not on a weekday, you can always enquire about Saturday classes!
Check Tutor References
To make sure the tutor really knows their stuff, ask to see their teaching certificates or other academic certificates.
Whilst not every tutor is a trained teacher, anyone teaching a child should have a solid academic background.
At Redbridge Tuition, we want to provide the best quality tuition. Therefore, all of our tutors are subject specialists and have been carefully selected via a rigorous selection process.
What is Your Role as a Parent Going To Be?
As well as understanding what services the tuition centre is providing and how they plan to teach your child, you also need to understand your role as a parent.
There will most likely be homework involved, which will require your support so that children can complete past papers and further their learning at home.
Whilst learning at the tuition centre is key, it’s important that children continue this at home because while most of the concepts taught are Key Stage 2 level, the application of problem-solving is much more challenging than most children will encounter in school.
From your perspective as a parent, it’s important to understand how much commitment and time is required as you need to make sure your child is getting the best possible support.
Getting your child prepared for the exam requires a well-rounded approach and should be a collaborative effort between you and your chosen 11 plus tuition service. This also allows you to stay informed about how your child is progressing so that you can be confident their needs are being met.
11 Plus Tuition Services: How to Find the Right Support For Your Child
When it comes to choosing the right 11 plus tuition service for your child, there are lots of things to take into account to ensure you’ve chosen a centre that can fully support your child.
Passing the 11 plus exam can be stressful, and it’s important that children have access to effective 11 plus tuition (or a structured approach if you are tutoring your own child) as this can make all the difference.
They need to be guided throughout this process so that they feel fully prepared going into the real exam. That’s why tutoring is vital, as children can focus on key areas of weakness, complete past papers, and get a feel for the types of questions the exam will ask.
This can help ease any anxieties they have before completing the exam, and also puts them in the best possible position to pass.
At Redbridge Tuition, we’ve helped many learners achieve success in their 11 plus exam since 2007. Through our tailored, dedicated approach, we make sure your child has access to all of the resources they need so that the real exam feels less daunting.
We believe that children are the future, and we’re committed to supporting them on every step of their academic journey. We want to propel the academic trajectory of every child that we work with.
To find out more about how we can help your child, get in touch with our friendly team.
This post will focus on helping parents find the right 11 plus tuition service for their child when it comes to preparing for their 11 plus exam. We can link this to various other posts, and can also include links to the different resources you offer learners to enhance the Redbridge shop.
