The assumption that you need a tutor to pass the 11+ is widespread, and mostly wrong. Tutors are useful in specific situations - but most children can prepare effectively at home, with the right structure and decent materials.
I did this with my own son. Here's what I'd tell myself if I were starting again.
Before buying anything or setting up any routine, find out whether your local grammar schools use GL Assessment or CEM (Durham University). They test different things and reward different preparation strategies.
GL Assessment has a predictable structure with 21 defined verbal reasoning question types, a standard NVR paper, and consistent maths and English sections. CEM blends question types and changes format more between years. Check your target schools' admissions pages - they'll specify.
Most families overcomplicate this. The research on effective practice is pretty consistent - short sessions, high frequency, immediate feedback. Here's what a sustainable week looks like for a Year 5 child:
App-based practice, focused on the question types your child finds hardest. Check the explanation after every question, not just the wrong ones.
11+ maths is primary curriculum maths done quickly. Speed and accuracy both matter. Fractions, percentages, word problems, sequences.
Non-verbal reasoning is the subject parents can least help with directly - explanations after each question matter here more than anywhere else.
Comprehension, grammar, vocabulary. Reading widely across the year matters here more than drilling specific question types.
One timed paper per week, sitting properly, no phone. Review mistakes together afterwards. Don't do this too early - it's demoralising before the skills are built.
The most important rule: keep sessions short. Concentration drops sharply after 20-25 minutes in primary-age children. A 40-minute session often produces 20 minutes of useful work and 20 minutes of resentment. Stop while it's still going well.
Tutors are worth considering in specific situations - not as a default. They genuinely help when:
They're often less useful as a replacement for daily practice. A once-a-week tutor session without daily practice in between usually doesn't produce results.
An app doesn't replace a good tutor for every child. But for most families, it replaces the daily practice sessions that they'd otherwise be trying to run themselves from Bond books - with better feedback, proper tracking, and a lot less parental stress.
Year 4 is a good time to start building habits - short sessions, low pressure, focus on vocabulary and reading rather than intensive question drilling. The structured exam-style practice is better left for Year 5.
Starting in Year 5? That's fine. Most families do. You have time if you're consistent. The families who struggle are usually the ones who start late and then try to compensate with long cramming sessions - which don't work well and cause a lot of misery.
11+ Prep covers all four subjects, tracks progress, and shows you exactly where your child needs work - so you can run a proper prep programme without a tutor. £179 for a full year.
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