The most common question I get from parents starting the 11+ process. Usually it comes with "I don't want to waste money" and also "I'm terrified of getting this wrong." Both fair. Here's an honest answer.

What a good tutor actually does

The most valuable thing a good local tutor brings is specific knowledge. They know which schools in your area set which papers, what the CSSE marking scheme looks like, which question types Kent schools favour, how the SET consortium in Surrey works. This comes from preparing dozens of children for exactly those schools over years. You can't get it anywhere else.

They can also motivate your child in a way parents usually can't - by virtue of not being their parent. When my son's tutor explained a concept, it was interesting. When I explained the same concept, it was suspicious. Not a reflexion on my explaining skills.

Good tutors also spot error patterns in real time: is it a misread question, a vocabulary gap, careless negative numbers? And the accountability matters - many children work harder knowing someone is coming on Thursday.

What an app does that a tutor can't

Tutor strengths
  • Local school-specific knowledge
  • Real-time adaptive feedback
  • Child motivation (not their parent)
  • Accountability and structure
  • Can probe why errors happen
App strengths
  • Available every day, any time
  • Fraction of the cost
  • No embarrassment about mistakes
  • Systematic coverage, no blind spots
  • Precise progress tracking by question type

Cost. A decent tutor costs £35–£60 per hour. Twice a week for six months is £1,500–£2,500 before you've bought a single book. An app costs a fraction of that - not a minor consideration.

No embarrassment. Some children make more effort in front of an app than a person. They'll attempt questions they're unsure about because there's no social cost to getting it wrong. For children who shut down under pressure, this matters.

What I'd actually recommend

If you can afford both, do both. App for daily practice between sessions; tutor for targeted work, local knowledge, and the final push before the exam.

Choosing just one? If your child is self-motivated and you know which schools you're targeting, an app plus Bond/CGP books will take you a long way. If your child struggles to self-start, or you're in a competitive area where school-specific prep matters, a tutor is probably worth it.

If budget is tight: use an app for daily practice, then book one or two tutor sessions in the final month - focused on timed paper technique and whatever weak spots remain.

Red flags when hiring a tutor

Guaranteed results. Any tutor who promises your child will pass is overpromising. No honest professional makes that claim.
Same worksheets for every child. A good tutor assesses first, then builds a plan. Arriving with generic materials is a warning sign.
No local knowledge. If they don't know which exam board your target schools use, that's a problem.
Pressure to commit upfront. You should be able to trial one session before booking a block.

How to find one

Word of mouth, by a long way. Ask at the school gate - parents in grammar school areas know who's good. Mumsnet local boards are genuinely useful; search your area plus "11+ tutor" and you'll find threads naming specific people. Local Facebook parent groups are another decent source, usually more honest than a tutoring directory.

Tutorful and First Tutors can work, but look for tutors with specific 11+ experience in your county rather than general maths/English tutors.

The daily practice your child's tutor can't provide

11+ Prep fills the gap between tutoring sessions with adaptive daily practice across all four subjects - at a fraction of the cost of a tutor alone.

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