Is it worth getting tutoring for my daughter who sits the Step Maths exam in June?

[PepGuacamole]

Just that really, she has a conditional offer but has to do the Step exams in June and depending on the results she may or may not be offered a place.

Obviously she has done a lot of practice papers and is improving.
Just wondering if it is worth doing half a dozen or so sessions with a Tutor who knows the Step exam well.
Any thoughts?

Hi, OP -

I am a former STEM admissions tutor in a School with a very high offer. We don’t use STEP but we do get a number of students who did not get offers, or make their offers, at COWI institutions who were required to take admissions tests.

You and your DD probably know (but others may not) that STEP is the most difficult of these and Cambridge sets the grade boundaries so that only about 50% of its Maths offer holders make their offers.

I am particularly concerned this year because some private schools with good Cambridge connections have good in house STEP tuition. Historically the Advanced Mathematics Support Network has provided STEP revision workshops at low cost around the country. However @noblegiraffe informed us last week that HMG in its wisdom has reassigned all Maths admissions test support directly to MEI (which funds AMSR).

As of now there is nothing on the MEI admissions test site about STEP revisions workshops. In fact the University Admissions Tests section doesn’t work at all on my phone. There are links to past STEP papers and solutions you can access through Google, but you can get those and more directly from the Cambridge STEP website. BTW, the AMSR site still has some useful online materials.

I think this will feed inequities in Maths HE, particularly at Cambridge but also at the other universities that accept STEP.

Also, we have evidence from the Institute of Education recently that girls tend to be less confident than boys. FWIW, girls are particularly under-represented at Cambridge Maths and it isn’t all down to the drop in participation at FM.

This is a very long-winded way of saying to you and other parents of STEP offer holders that unless your DC is at a school providing excellent in house STEP tuition, it looks like a rough year. The DC don’t tend to realise how difficult the exam is unless like OP’s DD they have started on past papers.

If you can afford to arrange some tutoring, it is a particularly good idea this year. I know it is expensive - perhaps DC could consider doing joint sessions with a schoolmate to cut the costs?

Very best wishes to DD and all STEP candidates.

PS The University Admissions Test site works minimally - the Free Resouces subsection doesn’t work at all on my phone.

My son decided to take the TMUA about 5 weeks out (🙄) and had some tutoring around it that was eye-wateringly expensive. The guy we used also tutors for STEP and was truly exceptional. DS says he would have been hugely unprepared without the help even though he is very decent at Maths. I can happily send you the tutor details if you DM me.

Also have a look at the London School.of Mathematics. You may be able to get some help via them - again, super expensive but exceptionally good levels of tuition in our experience.

Hi @WhamBhamThankYouMham
I have sent you a PM re the tutor you used

We used a Step tutor for my son - it was expensive but he says it really helped to work through questions each week with someone, rather than just self study. To note though he didn't get the required grades (he needed 1, 1 for Cambridge and got 1, 3) so obviously having a tutor doesn't guarantee success, particularly as Cambridge set the grade boundaries (but you're probably aware of that!)

Thanks very much for that information.
Do you have any online tutor that you can recommend?

I would use one.
Ds1 had some tutoring and sime in school classes too and still didn't make the grade hr needed. He is suoer bright but had too much on and didn't devote as much time to it. Actually none of his friends made that grade either... it was really tough.

I’m sorry, OP, I don’t know anything about tutors. One possibility is below, possibly depending on where you live.

The Cambridge STEP website is good. Obviously the past papers (and solutions) are important, but the Foundation Modules and assignments appear to be high quality. I don’t know that a candidate need work through them all, but if a weakness shows up the relevant module and assignment is a good way to address it. The (free) downloadable Stephen Siklos book there may be highly relevant as Dr Siklos was a Cambridge mathematician and for many years he wrote or supervised the writing of STEP. He set the tone.

If you live near a university with an excellent School of Maths, you might enquire whether a doctoral student with a good reputation as a tutorial leader is interested in this type of tutoring. Ideally someone with their own experience of STEP, but that isn’t a necessity.
I am sure this very specialised tutoring will still command a premium, but nothing like a professional tutor would charge. A small tip is that if DD can meet them at or near the university (as they are likely busier than she is) the job will probably seem more attractive.

If you don’t live near such a university, perhaps you could advertise at Schools of Maths for an online tutor?

Either way, I suggest that if this idea is sensible you word any job advert to indicate that you expect fluent English and familiarity with STEP. Plan ahead: will the tutor be helping DD with past papers before she looks at solutions? Helping with the Cambridge foundational materials and assignments? The more creative Siklos materials? Etc

The difficulty with STEP is that it requires creativity. The problems are unpredictable. Memorising past papers is useless but extracting themes and techniques and drilling down on weaknesses is where a tutor can really help

Perhaps other MumsNetters can recommend good professional online STEP tutors?

PS Keep watching the Cambridge site in case they lay on more resources! Although it is getting late

Step is brutal and as others have replied, most students are either having extensive prep at school or using private tutors. I’m generally anti tutoring as I feel over the long run it is counterproductive but I think in this situation I’d feel they’d be at such a disadvantage l’d probably bite the bullet. The step tutoring can also help prepare them for the uni course itself.
If you happen to be in Wales, I think Further Maths Support Wales is running prep courses which are excellent and free.
Best of luck to your DD!

I would say its a good idea - my DCs large state 6th form ran a Step class for students who were taking further maths.
My dc didn't continue with the class, but knew someone who did sit the STEP exam and sadly didn't make the grade - so it is v tough.

@poetryandwine with ref to your comment about MEI they do offer a STEP revision course over 10 weeks. My son did it at the start of the year and it was incredibly helpful although obviously his ultimate result will tell us how much ! However it wasn’t free, £160 or £180 I think, which isn’t bad per session but it’s not one to one, there were 7 or 8 students (I think) in DS’s group. He heard about it via his school sixth form otherwise we’d have considered some kind of tutoring. I think if he’d not done it, he’d have been floundering tbh.
There is a decent text book on the Cambridge website about it btw which has also help DS.

Thank you for this! That’s really good to know.

It still seems odd to me that MEI isn’t advertising anything now (as of a few days ago, please someone correct me if revisions information is posted now), particularly as they only took over from AMSN formally on 1 April. Many are just starting their revisions.

That fee is much higher than what AMSN used to charge IIRC but then the revisions programme sounds potentially more comprehensive. If it was, the value for money could be well worthwhile.

Are you referring to the Siklos book? It can be downloaded for free! I am sure parents of STEP candidates on this thread would appreciate another reference

Best wishes to DS for his exams

I have PM you. Please could you share the number of the TMUA/STEP tutor

@pinky11plus I didn't get a message for some reason but have just sent you a DM!