So who has an 11 plus tutor and what do they do?

[swedishmum]

I'm starting to panic on a big level. Most parents I know seem to have a tutor. I am a teacher and am working with dd (did same with dd1 2 years ago) but would love to know exactly what tutoring involves. Am I letting my daughter down? Am SE Kent btw.

We have had a tutor for dd for a while now - but not specifically for the 11+. She was doing very well in literacy but struggling in numeracy and it was getting her down . Her (no rude words bad enough) year 4 teacher said"oh, poor thing - she'll never be a mathematician - I really do feel for her" and I didn't have the presence of mind to say'It's my job to feel for her, it's your job to teach her!" She's still doing just maths with the tutor. We've got a lot of old 11+ papers we inherited from someone who did it last year, so if we have a spare half an hour we do a bit, but I'm trying to mot make a big deal out of it. Technically, you're not suposed to coach or practice at all. Yeah, right! Where do you live, swedish mum?

BTW I'm panicking too - can we panic together?!

My dad tutored me... you can buy great packs of tests from WHsmith... I presume a tutor would do similar... go through test after test.

Village south of Ashford, curlew. Where are you? We're doing papers, looking at strategies atc but I'm doing it myself. Did it with dd1 successfully but she was less stroppy! It occurred to me at a school meeting that I was probably the only one not employing a tutor. Are you my area? Highworth is local school.

We live near Faversham so our nearest grammar is Queen Elizabeth. But technically we have access to the Sittingbourne and Canterbury schools as well.
At our school meeting the head professed shock and amamzement that so many children are being tutored - and said that children should just take the test in their stride. I think it would be very difficult to sit the test without at least some preparation. I don't think it has to be outside tutoring. It sounds as if you are doing what most tutors do. Out head said that if a child was working towards level 5s at this stage then they have a good chance. I just hate it! And I hate having to work with a system I hate - if you see what I mean!