You see this is the thing - people have totally different expectations of what is acceptable and normal prep for 11+.
It ranges from the belief that zero prep or familiarisation is needed, just innate ability. Then there are the many families who feel okay with an hour of tutoring and maybe an hour of Hwk per week, stepping up a bit just before the exam, to those who say an hour per day, to those who do an hour per weekday, plus several weekend hours and possibly over many years.
In non-superselectives areas which have standard grammar where about 30% go, it’s still v much a competition, but the v able student should get in with a bit of familiarisation. But they probably won’t get into a superselectives grammar which has no catchment areas with just this level of prep even if v clever.
In my view, 5 hrs a week for an 8/9 year old is too much. I wouldn’t put my child through that, but I probably would do an hour. But lots of people and cultures are ready to do that and see it as a matter of pride, good parenting and resilience of their child to do it. And unfortunately because lots do it, those who don’t have less opportunity to get those superselectives places. It isn’t just ability but ability and a lot of prep.
Is it worth it? I suppose the Q is about how valuable being in a selective environment is compared to being in maybe a strong Comp where no exam is required.
Able kids in good Comps do well. They can and do get very good sets of GCSEs and A Levels. Lots find that they are set for core subjects and spend much of their time with kids if a similar ability and expectations of the teachers are high. Outcomes could be the same or v similar to those at Grammar - data suggests based on prior attainment.
Byt here’s the rub….there are some elements of uncertainty, which some parents can’t cope with. Exactly how many subjects will set? Will DC need to be in classes with less motivated or able students. The results may be very good but are they truly amazing - might they be pushed to 7/8 whereas it could be 9 at Grammar. These fears can be v pervasive.
A lot depends too on how much a parent trusts in the ability of their child and probably more importantly, themselves to give support needed. Some have a sneaky fear their child is actually quite lazy, could be led into laziness or fear they actually aren’t super bright. Sometimes mes they believe that the only route to success is pure exam results…forgetting that personality, parental input and attitude and sadly often connections, can play a big role too.
So I’d say the avid tutoring is often a cultural phenomenon. It’s about taking a belt and braces approach and not being happy to tolerate any element of uncertainty or risk, which might be perceived as part of a Conprehensive education. It’s particularly about trying to remove a child from potential disruptive influences. And it’s often valued hugely when parents themselves don’t have enough confidence in the system and their own child to succeed without a narrow grammar environment and don’t have the funds to pay for such an environment, which is often what those with kids in independent education are effectively doing.
So lots of middle class, well educated parents will decide the level of prep for grammar isn’t worth it in terms of what a 8/9 year old needs to go through. They decide that living in a good area with good schools will be sufficient. They will expose their kids to lots of extra curriculars, provide a supportive environment where education is valued, get a tutor if needed at certain points and trust in their own understanding of schools and uni systems that their child will be able to do well enough and quite possibly extremely well. But not everyone can afford to live in those places with great Comps, nor has the confidence in themselves and their kids to succeed. Some see it as good parenting and a badge of honour to push their 8/9 year old to do multiple hours of work a week and learn the lesson that very hard work can pay off….although often it doesn’t, when maybe 90% of those applicants don’t get a place at the super selective anyway!