Economical with the truth...

[pocketpairs]

Why do practically all parents (or maybe just the ones I've met!) feel the need to downplay the amount of tuition their DC has received for grammar school entry.

While it's certainly easier in some parts of the country, superselectives are competitive, even for the brightest, and most schools won't cover NVR, so without tuition it's almost impossible.

Why do you ask them about it? Maybe they think you're being nosy.

Some kids have less tuition, some more, some none. Some are tutored at home by parents. Some that don't get in will do better at school and/or in life than some that do. If it bothers you, move to an area with no grammar schools i.e. most areas of the country.

Surely, they want to show their kids are superior. If their kids get in, it’s all about how little effort they claimed to have put in—clearly, they’re just naturally better than yours. And if their kids don’t get in, well, they didn’t really try anyway, so everyone else who got in must have put in way more effort. Lying on 11 plus exam prep is ingrained in British culture, and unfortunately, you just have to embrace it.