When to start tutoring?

[summerinthesunshine]

DS is currently Yr3 of an excellent state primary. He's in the top groups for all subjects and got level 3 for all his yr2 SATS. We're seriously considering sitting him for a couple of very academic schools and know he'll need tutoring so when's the best time to start? I'm thinking mid year 4 to give us 18 months to prepare for the exams, does that sound right? Too early? Too late? He finds numeracy and reasoning very easy and does Bond papers for fun but needs help with literacy although he's more than capable and is an avid factual writer and a prolific reader but doesn't see the point of comprehension and creative writing.

[MaureenMLove]

Not at all? If he's that capable in Yr3, why do you need to?

[summerinthesunshine]

Because much as I hate it,it's what everyone does, even the prep school parents are tutoring on top of paying fees and if we want to give him a serious chance I we're going to have to go down that route too. The school has an excellent track record of children moving into the academic private schools but they won't have covered the ground that the prep schools will have.

[Snuppeline]

My stepson, of similar capabilities, had tutoring for a year before sitting the 11+ exam. He might have done equally well without the tutoring, who knows, but I think it helped him feel confident which obviously helped on the day. So from that 18 months should be plenty. If you start slowly from 18 months you can build up from 12 months until D-day?

[summerinthesunshine]

Thanks Snuppeline, I'm thinking along the same lines. Perhaps he'd do fine without the tutoring but we have decided that if we sit him we'll certainly tutor to make sure he's as well prepared as possible. I'm confident that if he gets in he'll be fine, it's just that coming from a state background his current school isn't geared that way.

[Azure]

Another factor supporting some tutoring is that 11+ exams are likely to be based on the whole year 6 syllabus and the current school might not have covered all the topics by that stage.

[singersgirl]

The thinking round here is a year's tutoring, starting after Christmas in Y5 and finishing just before Christmas in Y6 - which is when the local private school exams are. The tutor that DS1 went to, and DS2 just for a term before 10+, doesn't like to see them for more than that because they get fed up.

[castlesintheair]

singersgirl, you might remember me from the 'dreamer's thread' a couple of years ago. iirc, our DCs are at nearby schools. Can I be really cheeky and ask you to let me know which tutor you used? Or any you can recommend, please? Please PM me if you prefer. Thanks very much and hope all is well.

op, sorry for hijack! I certainly think it's worth getting your DS assessed at least, which is what I am intending to do with my DS who is currently Year 4 at excellent state primary. Also bright but in an extremely competitive part of the country.

[singersgirl]

Will try to PM you, Castles, tomorrow when am not so knackered. Definitely remember you - in fact, I was going to reinstate the dreamers thread as DS1's new school (well, he's in his second year now) has suggested he might be dyspraxic...

[castlesintheair]

That would be great thanks ss. Also would love dreamers thread to start up again. My DS also has (or had ) dyspraxia and I think there were a couple of others on the thread so definitely a "dreamy" trait.

[summerinthesunshine]

Thank you everyone. The idea of just tutoring for a year sounds ideal to me especially as I know that DS won't be that enthusiatic about giving up precious football time to prepare for exams.

[seeker]

If he's that capable in year 3, then he doesn;t need tutoring. Let him play football.