"Good" tutor for 7+ or 8+ - what does this mean to you? What are the criteria of a good tutor?1

[goodusb]

Had a number of tutors ...but feel none of them was the one who i could trust they would prepare my DS for 7 plus...

[BlueSmarties76]

If you're in north London just get Arlette (if that's her name?) she is famous

[CB2009]

Arlette does tutor in Golders Green. She will already probably be booked for 7+ exams in Jan 2017. Classes start this week if anything like last year. I have her e-mail and phone number so PM me if you need. She has indeed been tutoring children for some 20+ years. It is tough programme on the mothers (in particular) and the children but appears to get results. There is also an up front assessment of the child before starting

[Mominatrix]

If there is an up-front assessment prior to starting, does it not mean then that her success is based on choosing those children who would pass anyways?

[Youarenotthebossofme]

Sounds hideous, 'it is a tough programme on the mothers..and the children' especially if tutoring for next years exams are starting now.
Paying for your child to basically attend an exam bootcamp for a year does not seem like sound practice to me.

[writingonthewall]

Mumteacher on here is a 7+ tutor

[firsttimer08]

I know of an excellent tutor for 7+. PM me if interested.

[justanick]

hello everyone! Is there someone who knows Helen Grogan saturday classes for 8+?

[LondonChillaxer]

'Arlette...will already probably be booked for 7+ exams in Jan 2017.'!!! Seriously??
Surely there should be some kind of regulation to ban such practices. 6 year olds should not have to go through this to frankly satisfy the ambitions of their parents...

[mumofthreegoingmad]

I know an excellent tutor that teaches 4, 5 and 7plus. She really cares abut the child and makes it fun. She is based in N London. Nobody helped me when I went through this and ppl were so cagey about sharing who had helped them. PM if you want details.

[Londonmumat40]

A definite vote here for Helen Grogan if you are close enough to her Chelsea classes. I've used her with two boys. They did a two hour session each Saturday morning and they were divided into fairly small groups (around 5 or 6 per teacher) by age and ability. The classes give you exactly what you need - repeated practice of Maths, Comprehension, Composition and Reasoning. It really took some of the pressure off us as parents. Helen is very sensible and straight talking. She will tell you honestly what she thinks the chances for your child are and as she has many boys every year doing the 7+ and 8+ (and 11+ girls I think) she has the experience to know. I know she gets a good number into all the top schools each year (CC, WUS, SH, KCJS etc). Both my boys did some one on one tutoring before discovering the classes and they both responded much better to the classes. I think there is something about working in a group which means they feel it is less "unfair" that they are having to do extra work. Many boys are naturally competitive and seeing their neighbour doing well makes them work harder. (We had used one tutor from a different agency who had bored my son to tears).

Another advantage of the classes system is that in October and in the run up to the exams Helen sets mock exams. My children came from a school which doesn't prepare for the 8+ at all so they had very limited experience of sitting any type of exam. It was therefore very good practice for them to get the feel for sitting in a quiet exam hall and competing against other boys. The results give you a feel for how your son is doing relative to others which isn't always easy to do. Having done the classes also meant they saw a familiar face or two on the actual exam days at the potential schools.

If your child is struggling in a particular area then you maybe need some one on one sessions to deal with it rather than the class but I think if an issue came up there would be the opportunity to book that with one of the teachers separately. I guess (although this is only my experience) the classes are aimed at maximising the potential of boys who are doing well and aiming at top schools rather than being remedial classes for those struggling. There is now a fairly comprehensive website which it is worth looking at.

I have recommended Helen to various friends. Her set up really worked for us.

[Waterlily4]

My son was going to Helen Grogan's saturday classes!
It was good for sitting in a group and time management.
But they definitely do not prepare for a specific school!!

[AimHigh100]

Yours is an interesting question, Goodusb. A good tutor should be experienced in teaching the specific areas that'll meet your objectives and your child's needs - and someone who will be honest with you about whether the two are aligned.
What difficulties have you had with previous tutors?

[wickerlampshade]

[shocked][shocked][shocked][shocked]

how much?

[Momof3toB]

@CB2009 pls could you send me arlettes number?

[NoTimeToDillyDally]

I can send you Arlette and Miss Bloomfield’s number. I preferred the latter.

[Momof3toB]

@NoTimeToDillyDally yes pls...
Do both have a good success rate?

[CB2009]

Have PMed Arlette's number. She suits some children and families. Not others. We are all biased depending on whether the person we send our child to helps us achieve our desired result. Clearly this is due to a wide range of factors - not just the tutor. But impossible to disconnect the two things. Arlette is robust and strict but does indeed get results. I heard that she was retiring but this has been touted for years and she has carried on. Good luck

[NoTimeToDillyDally]

Momof3, Arlette will assess and decide whether she’ll take your child on. Whereas Miss Bloomfield will assess and work with your child without screening out those who may not help her to maintain her own success rate. Arlette is fair and honest, also turning away the occasional child who’s too far ahead of the cohort she has - but encouraging them to return in a number of months, when her lot have caught up.

Miss Bloomfield is honest, experienced and will ensure that your child achieves their potential - letting you know whether your goals (school choices) are realistic and best suited to your child’s ability & disposition. Miss Bloomfield works 1:1 and gives a lot of feedback as to next steps and activities to practise at home, before the next lesson. Her standards are high. My own children and the children of friends who’ve been have come on leaps and bounds with her. She does group activities with other 7+ pupils towards the January of the exams so as to give them the chance to be in a more realistic assessment environment and give feedback on their interaction during group/ team activities. I liked that it was 1:1, really targeted my children’s particular areas of weakness and yet provided the group experiences with children that they didn’t know, nearer exam time.

[Momof3toB]

@NoTimeToDillyDally thats incredibly helpful. Thank you very much

[NoTimeToDillyDally]

Pleasure. Good luck with it all. Schools have a way of making our choice easier for us. The brightest of children can’t change their disposition to fit the ethos of the school - much as those not particularly able can’t jump through the hoops needed at the more challenging academic assessments. Schools know what they’re doing and exactly what they’re looking for. It’s more about finding the right match than making a square peg child star-shaped. Saying that, tutors are so helpful in guiding us, as parents.

[Theskate]

Hello notimetodillydally.

Thank you all for your advise above- we are looking at 8+ too please could you also PM me Arlette’s email and Miss Broomfields? Thank you

[Foamshrimp]

Hi. Would be v grateful if someone could pm me the contact details of these tutors. Thanks so much!

[Livingwiththree]

Please can someone send me a PM with tutors contact details for 8+.