Is school alone enough prep?

How much can your child's school, and yourself, prepare them for their entrance exam?

We have parents who come to us and question if their child needs a tutor to prepare for the 11 plus exam at all. They may have heard from their primary or prep school that there is no need for extra support, and that the 11+ exam is a test of innate ability.

In reality, to be ready for entrance to a competitive London Independent School, your child will need to fulfil several key criteria for success.

By the end of Year 5, your child should be proficient in the entire Year 6 syllabus for English and Mathematics. Mental mathematics, such as times tables and number bonds should be automatic and fast recall. This allows the pace necessary to complete at least three quarters of the Maths exam.
Your child should regularly practice Non-Verbal and Verbal Reasoning. They must be able to solve these puzzles with a high degree of accuracy at speed. Many schools run a pre-test consisting largely of Reasoning and this is an important hurdle to cross for admissions. Half of the candidates are typically cut at this point.
Children should have practised answering comprehension questions on a wide variety of texts. In addition, they must have a detailed understanding of narrative techniques normally taught in Years 7 and 8. For creative writing, they should be able to write imaginative stories from a variety of story prompts. Their writing should have accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation, and have a clear structure.
Children should have worked their way through all the past papers of the schools they are interested in and several others of a similar standard. They should have practised several mock exams so that they are not overawed or overly nervous on the day. They should be able to work at a mark a minute through questions in all the 11+ disciplines.
Your child should be confident with adults and able to come across well at interview with the Senior Leadership Team of the school. They should be aware of child-appropriate current affairs and be able to talk compellingly about their family and their interests. Children should be able to answer logic and reasoning questions verbally during the interview.
Children should have practised group interviews and groups tasks so they come across well as part of an ensemble. They should have an understanding of the basic behavioural principles necessary to succeed in these tasks.

How can I help my child with prep?

The intense level of work needed to pass school entrance exams can be daunting for families. Whilst parents can do much of this preparation work at home, it adds considerable pressure on home life and your relationship with your child. This is where we can help.

Is school enough prep for the 11 plus?tutor sitting with young boy.

We have 40 years’ experience helping children with their entrance exams. Our institutional knowledge will support you however schools decide to assess for 2022 entrance. For example, we have deep knowledge of ISEB digital exams. Our knowledge hugely helped our families when many schools changed their entrance exams to this format at the last minute.

Most families begin tutoring at the age of 9. This gives their child ample time to prepare for the 11+ and cover all areas of preparation needed. A Mentor tutor can give insight into the landscape of your child’s knowledge gaps, and work with them over time to address these in engaging, lively sessions.

School entrance tuition from Mentor

This year, Mentor tutees passed the entrance exam for JAGS, Alleyn’s, Dulwich, Emanuel, Whitgift, KCS, Latymer and more. Our specialist tutors have up to the minute insight into the admissions process at various independent schools. Many are senior teachers and heads of department from some of London’s leading schools. They have personal experience of the demands of the latest exams, which now emphasise lateral thinking and problem-solving skills.

Every one of our 250+ tutors has teaching experience, is reference-checked and holds an up to date Enhanced DBS Certificate. Wherever possible, we will do our best to match your child with a tutor who has taught at the school they are applying to.

Under the current government guidelines, tutors are legally permitted to teach in-person sessions at your home and so we are currently offering both online and face to face tuition with our experienced tutors.

We also offer Academic Assessments, practice papers, interview practice and workshops, giving your child the skills, knowledge and self-confidence they need to shine on their assessment day.

“Holistic in their approach, as well as ethical say parents and tutors. So if you’re the kind of parent that believes confidence building is a key part of a child’s journey to academic success, and you’re attracted to highly principled companies, then you’ll be right at home with Mentor Education.”
The Good Schools Guide