Who is NOT tutoring....?

[Babawhitesheep]

Just discovered that every child except mine in his Y2 class is being tutored.

We could afford a tutor but I think 6-7 year olds are tired enough at the end of the day without tutoring as well. It’s hard enough to get him to do his homework let alone extra work. Plus, what’s the point of school fees if you have to have a tutor as well. And finally, if a kid doesn’t pass a school’s 8+ without tutoring then should he really be going there?

However it seems we are in a minority of one and now I am wondering if IABU to let him take 8+ this winter without having been tutored?

Most of the population with 6 and 7 year olds aren't tutoring.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say the overwhelming majority.

However, if you are choosing to put your child through a system of schooling where that is 'the norm', then you might look at it differently.

It never in a million years would have occured to me to tutor. But then both my children are very bright. This tutoring culture , I think, is middle class people with average kids.

Don’t do it. Any school that they would only get into if they had tutoring is not the right school for them. Only reason to tutor a y2 child would be if they have a particular thing they need extra help with and you don’t feel you can help. If you start tutoring now you will probably need to keep it up until they are 18.

DD is at a grammar school where 95% of her class were tutored for 11+. She wasn’t tutored and is doing really well while many of the girls have had to have tutors throughout their time there. When does it end? Tutors through uni?!

Seriously? Nope. No yr2s I know of are tutored.

I assume you're in the pressured London pre-prep/8+ world. If so, you may want to ask MNHQ to edit the title of this. The vast majority of Mumsnet readers will not be in that world. Fwiw I agree with you. If you're paying preprep fees you assume one of the school's jobs is to get them through prep school entry.

I'm in another world. Im pretty certain no kids in my daughter's school class are tutored

What is the context? Year 2 in March the 7+ is done and dusted. Are people tutoring for the 8+? it's too early for the 11+ surely. or is it a bad school and they are just trying to keep up?

Waterbottle12

I knew people were tutoring for 7+ - it started very early, in Y1. Now all the children who either tried 7+ but didn’t get the school they wanted, or who were always aiming for 8+, are being tutored. Already.

And there are prep classes in the Easter holidays, £2500 for the week apparently.
I think it is due to a perception that there is a correlation between time spent being tutored and exam success. If you have the money, why not start as soon as possible (goes the thinking)

MillicentMargaretAmanda

Sorry my fault - I have always assumed from the content that the education-education subheader in MN was code for “the private schools bit”. Hence why I didn’t post in the primary schools forum.

You thought only private school parents were interested in education 😲

Well if you're doing the 8+ then you're going for westminster or st Paul's so tutoring is necessary and sensible. If your son isn't doing those exams then he doesn't need it. Btw have you not looked in the primary education forum lately? Lots of private threads!

SquashedFlyBiscuit

No of course not - it’s just that there are specific fora for primary, secondary, home ed, SEN etc under the main Education title etc but not for anything specific to do with private schools. Meanwhile it seemed to be that there were a LOT of private threads on the sub-forum Education...

If your child needs to be tutored to get into a school then it's a false economy since they will need constant tutoring throughout their time at the school to keep up with the rest of the cohort who haven't been tutored and will probably be miserable.

I actually disagree with @icantbelievethis001. I think many people don't realise the extent of tutoring that happens in schools in London. At least everytime I've mention it on this website, people think I'm bonkers when I say private school kids get tutored and apparently no one knows of this happening.
It is so bad that it completely inflates 11+ entry scores. Just because a child is tutored, doesn't mean they will need it once they're in school. But they often do need it to get into the school because everyone has been tutored up to their ears and get crazy scores. Kids are tutored for reception entry and it gets continued from there on. And this isn't just in one subject. People often have a very egoistical view of schools and rarely do you find parents just wanting a school that's best for their child. It is unfortunately often the name that counts.

I feel for you OP but unfortunately this is v common and it's only getting worse.

I dont think tutoring (for private schools or 11+) means children will struggle when they get into the school. The vast majority of their peers will have also been tutored to get there.

I think tutoring 7yos is ridiculous but then my DC went to a sink comp and got very average results. They are lovely well rounded young men with good jobs though.