Free tutoring for the 11+ - or how to make the 11+ more meritocratic

[tryingreallytrying]

Thinking aloud...

I successfully tutored my own dc for the 11+ and have been approached many times to tutor other people's children (I'm a teacher, but not at this level, but frankly didn't find it difficult to get on top of requirements for the 11+).

I've always said no to doing any paid tutoring (though I've tutored a friend's child for free) - I know I could make lots of money doing this but strongly believe that grammar schools should not only be open to the children of those who can pay - much like it used to be when I went to grammar school myself.

I'd like to return to that situation - where 11+ exams are NOT tutored for. But in the absence of that, I'd like to ensure that 11+ exams are open to everyone, rich or poor, and that the poor are as well prepared for the exams as the rich.

I'm happy to offer my expertise - but can't afford to spend my time tutoring everyone who might want it for free, personally.

So how to achieve that goal? I've thought of creating materials, websites... Anyone else like to join with me in this? Got any other ideas?

LowClouds, as Goodness says, this already exists. The problem is parents either don't know it exists or don't know how to apply the recommendations. Which was kind of where this thread started.

Have PMd you OP.

I think it's a bit of a fallacy to think everyone has a choice of lots of schools, good or otherwise. Where we used to live (in a village a couple of miles outside a decent sized city, so not exactly in the middle of nowhere) we were only in catchment for one secondary school, so that was the only one that provided a school bus, and public transport was limited to say the least. So the choice would have been either send our kids to that school, or, even if we could get them into a non-catchment school, accept that we'd be driving them to and from school til they were 18.

Mini doesn't live in a rural area Amber, she's said where she lives. Obviously options depend on transport, although parents may only need to drive a short distance to the nearest bus or train. I had a long commute to school with a 25 minute walk then a train and a bus - about an hour and a half in total -I certainly wasn't driven to school until I was 18! Where we live now there's no transport, but a 25 minute uphill walk would take my DC to a road with buses if need be. It's unusual to be significantly further than that.

I wasn't commenting specifically on Mini's situation, just questioning trying's suggestion that 'unless you live in a really rural location and have no public transport and/or don't drive at all, who has a choice of only two schools??'. Of course you're right, Ventura, that being prepared for your children to spend three hours a day commuting will open up more possibilities, but that doesn't sound like something most people would consider reasonable (does it?).

Amber - I don't drive but in our area there really are 4 comps, at least 4 selectives or partially selectives and several faith schools within under an hour's public transport distance. I live in a suburb.

Having access to a single school sounds unusual - and I think it must be. In our area, we get to list 4 choices for secondary places and that's low - in London it's 6. I know most people in my area would like more options on the form.

Presumably in your area all the options would be left blank as there are no schools to fill them!

We are rural and also have at least four realistic options, without the child having to be ferried to the school by parents, once a walk and public transport is factored in.

This is relevant to some issues raised in this thread:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26359564