11+ tutoring a con?

[Walksinwild]

I live in an area with grammar schools and almost all the children are tutored if they are going to to sit the entrance exam. Often for more than a year. I've enquired about a tutor for DS to start in Sept but I feel like the whole thing is a con. Since when was some maths practice and completing practice papers not enough? My son is capable but all other parents are telling me to get him tutored because everyone else is. Many tutors get you to sign up for a year at approx £35 a week,so are making lots of cash from worried parents and the whole thing compounds.
Those of you that did it/looked into it. What do you think please? Is tutoring necessary?
Tia

I think it is an unfortunate necessity if you want to pass. Why would it be fair? The concept of Grammar schools is inherently unfair. Why should "cleverer" children with more resources get a 'better' school?
It is a shit system that should have been stopped years ago. Where we live A LOT of the GS teachers do tuition for 11plus which should not be allowed at all. The whole system preys on parental insecurity.
I agree it is unfair but so is being rich enough to live near a great comp, or having a mum or dad who is a gifted teacher who does it all with you at home.

It’s no more of a con than hiring a driving instructor for your dc, when you could teach your child yourself to drive.

When my dc did the 11+, it covered verbal reasoning, non-reasoning, and maths of a higher standard than that had been covered in schools. The tutor was able to teach my dc these types of questions, plus exam technique.

Some can parents helped their children themselves, but others didn’t.

So if you think you have the skills and discipline to get your child up to 11+ exam standard, then go ahead.

The only scam is if a tutor takes on a child who has no hope of passing.

Both of mine were tutored (DS for a year, DD for 2) both passed well ( in Kent). It gave them both a fantastic grounding in maths (both have maths A-levels). They went to grammar schools and achieved well. Honestly tutoring for the DCs and fixing my teeth is the best money I have ever spent.

It depends on whether there is any chance they would pass in the first place. If they are being tutored to just hit the right marks to get in then they could potentially struggle in Grammer anyway and sit at the bottom of the class, which is awful for them. No tutor should be taking on pupils in that area. I think a few maybe for exam technique and a little higher maths but anymore than that seems off too me, it feels pushy and unnecessary. People go mad for it around here, it’s a joke to be honest, over 2/3rds of the children at the Grammar schools here are OOA and come for miles, which sucks for the local children.

It's kerching ££££££ for the tutors. Children need tutoring to scrape a pass, then need tutoring to keep up when they reach the school, then even more tutoring to get through gcse's and a-levels.

I pay a violin teacher to teach my child violin when I have Grade 8 myself. Is that a con? Don’t do tutoring if you don’t want to, it’s pretty simple.

Feels like a con to be. I have a daughter in year 3.

I didn't mean to quote

It's a con unless you have a shit hot tutor. And if you want a shit hot tutor £35 an hour won't be anywhere near enough. You're looking at between £50 & £100 an hour.

That rate will get you someone that will either give your child a really good chance of passing, OR will tell you honestly there isn't much chance and not take your money.

But if you drag along with the cheapest tutor you can find, you're wasting your money.

I think it depends on the child, my DC were not tutored but I did pay for Atom learning, (this was a few years ago) and made them read

I think there’s a massive difference between tutoring help with confidence and technique (which I have no problem with) and hothousing.

I don’t think it’s a con any more than paying for sports or music tuition. Both my children were more receptive to professional tutors than they were to me. It also helped that the class was at a set time each week and DS in particular quite enjoyed it as it was a group class and the tutor made it fun. Far easier to drop them off for an hour than trying to make them study at home, for me anyway.

Tutoring is rife, I don't know anyone who got into grammar in our local area in recent years without tutoring. Like it or not, it raises the bar for passing, and competition has increased further with the rise in private school fees. If you cant beat them join them. We tutored and got a pass. Children mostly don't want to learn from their parents. And I am not a trained teacher so was not prepared to try. The content is not taught in state schools (VR, NVR, maths a year ahead, grammar terms a year ahead, exam technique etc).

I have an ADHD child who really benefits from 1:1 tutoring, and another one who simply wont listen to me teaching, tutoring came as a god send to be fair. and really helps relieve some stress, my tutors are amazing, and super organised with clear goals in mind even when lessons are possibly sometimes to catch them u on lots sections where they either didnt understand or possibly missed lessons.

Another parent said that to me about everyone who gets in was tutored, but I know someone who's son is in year 7 grammar school, not tutored, but was really keen and had a good work ethic. Did past papers and workbooks with the help of his mum.

What I would advise parents of is anybody can set up as a "tutor." Check qualifications. I would be looking at QTS as a bare minimum.

So his mum was effectively tutoring him.

Years ago when everyone in primary school took the 11+ there was no tutoring at all you were either clever enough to pass or not. If you have to have a tutor just to pass the 11+ the child obviously isn't clever enough and might struggle at the school

also worth checking if they are n fact just filing in missed gaps or are they indeed prepping for exams, you can also ask your tutor to teach study skills and techniques as this massively helped my son with to now study independently as he came from state to private prep.

It's exam technique mostly. We found it useful because there are hints and tips you would find if hard to see unless you have experience in the exact type of questions, common tricks that appear in the papers etc. Also if it's a good tutor they have all the past exams, which you can't get otherwise, at least in our area you can't.

also worth noting that they will need to know at lest a year in advance of syllabus so its good to at least start with a little support to him

Years ago the primary school had taught the subject matter being examined in the 11+ and did more test practices, etc.

Nowadays, some of the 11+ content is taught after the 11+ exam, (start of final year) and schools don't routinely practice the style of formal exam that is the 11+.

I attended a grammar school and had zero preparation for the 11+. I think if you want to spend the money and have a tutor you can, but be mindful of setting your child up to attend a school where they may struggle to keep up without ongoing tutoring. I think if I had been tutored before the 11+ I would have found the whole situation very stressful. As it was I went to school one day and took the test and barely thought about it beforehand.

Times have changed! The current situation is very different, for better or worse. It's no longer enough to be naturally bright if you're against kids who have had tutoring. The content is literally not taught. I suspect many adults would not pass as VR and NVR needs familiarity to do it in the time.

They also did do a latin verbal and written exam to get into Eton which they wouldn't dare do now otherwise no kids will get in LOL times have changed and we have to try or best not to stay behind with the kids, its a competitive market out there and I for one need the grades to ensure we get scholarships to enter schools so we soldier on!