Is a tutor the only way to pass 11+

[Jemimafuckingpuddleduck]

My daughter who has just turned 10 and is in year 5 has being talking to me a lot about secondary school options, I get the feeling it’s hot talk in her class atm with all the open days coming up and so know a few of her friends have just got tutors to help them sit the 11+

DD is my middle daughter with her sister already started the local comprehensive high school, and she is absolutely loving it and that school was a really good fit for her.

DD2 is very academic and is naturally good at maths and English she is also very athletic and sporty and competes most weekend with various clubs.

With that in mind we have started looking at the local grammar school which has an excellent ofstead report and an amazing PE department.

Having decided not to put DD 1 through the 11+ we really have no experience of what it entails or what preparation is needed, if I’m honest I was really surprised to find out that DD2’s classmates are already picking and visiting schools and starting to get things under way for the exam, especially bearing I’m mind they have near enough another 2 years to go before they go to big school!

Ideally we would have loved to get DD2 a tutor but being one of 3 just don’t think we can stretch to it.

Is it vital for passing the exam?

I’m wondering how unusual it is for a child to sit it, pass by just doing some extra pass papers and little help from parents....

Also wondered what’s covered in the test, (and, I’m guessing by a tutor) is it not taught in year 5?

I can’t lie I’m finding it all a little intimidating for my DD that some of her peers have and have had tutors twice a week for the last couple of years to prepare them for the 11+. She is naturally clever but I don’t want to put her through something that she has no chance at because she hasn’t had the same level of tutoring/teaching than everyone else!

I also wondered about prices of tutors, I have heard from a few parents that tutors are around the £30ph market here...

Is that normal, is there a way to bring that down? Online tutoring, student looking to earn some pocket money or would I need someone that really knows what they are doing...

HELP

My DD was honestly not tutored and as the school expected all students to go on to one of the Catholic secondary schools they certainly did not teach to the test. She had to go to the grammar school to sit the test. Her best friend passed too... no tutoring for her either.

I knew DS was not a grammar school candidate so didn’t put him in for the 11+ but he is now being tutored to help with his maths GCSE (he is SEN and school haven't really helped him).

"If your DD needs a tutor to get her through the 11+ she may well struggle at the school."

This really isn't true. Ignore those who say if your daughter needs tutoring then she may struggle. If she struggles with the level of work in tutoring, then she is unlikely to pass the exam high enough to get a place anyway.

Our tutoring was done in small groups and cost £15 for an hour and a quarter lesson plus the homework. We paid for 6 books throughout the year that were £6 each.

My DS's tutor said if he gets a place, he will do well at grammar school. And he would definitely have told me if that wasn't true as in the beginning he told me he was behind the rest and if he got in he wouldn't be in the top lot. At the end he said he will do well there. But it is ultra competitive in our area. Well over 400 took the exam for 170 places. The odds are stacked. Without tutoring we may as well not have bothered turning up for the exam.

When looking at a secondary school, we were taken into a Year 8 top maths set. The work on the board was work DS could do as it was exactly what he covered in tutoring. That's an idea of the level of the 11+. Our area don't do NVR. Look at your own area or you will just get a lot of irrelevant information about the exam and areas that don't apply.

It’s a tough one. I’m also wondering about whether to get a tutor. My child does well academically, but doesn’t seem right to put them in for an exam without some lessons specifically focussed on the exam

Well over 400 took the exam for 170 places

I think if there was just 400 kids for 170 places I would not bother with too much of tutoring either. It’s slightly over 2 kids per place. With 15 kids per place in London and some other super-selective areas you really DO need to stand out and every point counts. Especially when competing against private school pupils who also get tutored a few times a week by a private tutor.

There is a tutor that charges 1200 per hour in London and he has lots of clients. I don’t think anybody would pay such prices if you could just do a few past papers and gain a place.