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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Would you employ a tutor for the 11+?

16 replies

StarryEyedDemise · 22/10/2010 16:10

DS has had a very low mark in his maths test and I am considering getting him a tutor as he has the 11+ next year. On speaking to DH, he doesn't think it's such a good idea as it may not get him up to the standard he needs to pass. I still think we should do everything we can to help him.

Any advice welcome .

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SofaQueen · 22/10/2010 16:17

Did he get the low mark because he wasn't trying, or because he just didn't get the concepts? If he just can't do it, I wouldn't bother trying for 11 plus. Tutoring does not result in dramatic improvements, just ( at best) tweaking a good candidate.

Original poster

StarryEyedDemise · 22/10/2010 18:40

A bit of both I think - doesn't understand, so gets frustrated and doesn't try IYSWIM?

OP posts:

Whocantakeasunrise · 22/10/2010 18:48

My experience of an 11+ tutor, is that they prepare for the exam, i.e. teach exam techniques, rather than improve mathematical, english ability etc.

squashpie · 22/10/2010 18:51

Some will give additional tutoring for the maths part of the 11+, but you should ask. Or just get a dedicated maths tutor. It is easier to raise a child's performance in maths then in English, verbal reasoning etc. so I think it would be worth it and a good tutor give your DS more confidence. Nothing beats 1to1.

YouGirl · 22/10/2010 21:57

Yes get him one...so what if he fails? The point is you did everything you could to help him pass.

Ne11 · 22/10/2010 21:58

Ask his teacher. He needs to be expecting a Level 5 in year 6 if he is going to stand a chance at the 11+.
If that's the case it would be useful to get a tutor has they will teach technique and ime what is expected at 11+ is in excess of what is (generally) taught at primary.
But if the teacher really doesn't think he will pass (and not for idealogical reasons!) then don't put him through it.

claig · 23/10/2010 13:56

yes get a tutor. He will probably improve dramatically. Even if he doesn't, he will still have learnt a lot and you can always stop lessons if you don't think he is benefitting.

fsmail · 23/10/2010 14:22

Again just get a tutor for maths not for 11+. It will give him a bit more confidence in the subject and sometimes the one-to-one attention will give him the chance to ask more but if he is not interested in improving his maths it could backfire so get him on board first.

3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 14:44

Help with maths is never wasted. It is a life skill. However, it is a different ball game from the usual teaching to the test for 11 plus.

I honestly think that if a child needs tutoring (especially to the extent it is used in my part of london) they are unlikely to cope in a selective school.

I didn't tutor my children, just got them to do some practice papers. That should be enough for 11 plus.

3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 14:46

Sorry - I meant specific 11 plus tutoring should not be necessary.

HowlingAtTheStripeyMoon · 23/10/2010 17:01

Agree with littlefrogs. Grammar schools push their students quite hard, and if they have just been tutored to pass the 11+ they may struggle if they get into that school and don't really understand the fundamentals.

QOD · 23/10/2010 17:17

Tutoring in maths usually means reaffirming things they have already learnt - usually that they have not quite got or that got rushed over. I agree with most people here, get a MATHS tutor to help assess - they would also probably give you an honest feel on his ability maths wise.

Quattrocento · 23/10/2010 17:25

I didn't

Can you elaborate on what sort of 11+ your DS is sitting? If it is one which just tests verbal and non-verbal reasoning then I absolutely wouldn't get a tutor. It's a waste of your money - the practice papers should be enough

If your DS is sitting one which tests knowledge, ie has an English and Maths test then it's more debateable. My inclination would be to do it if it is just a case of him needing to learn things he hasn't been taught.

But if he just isn't quite up to it then I wouldn't. Simply because the tutoring won't be able to help that much, and will cause you and your DS stress in an exam that he might well not succeed at (and leave him feeling a bit inadequate). Or he could just get through on the strength of being heavily tutored and that could be an even worse scenario - because he might then be at the bottom of the pile at grammar school and become demotivated then.

Dunno if any of that helps

Pioneer · 24/10/2010 13:51

If he got a really low mark in Maths then I'd probably say no as like someone else said, tutoring doesn't make a dramatic difference.

sarahfreck · 25/10/2010 18:00

Well - it may not mean that the DC passes the 11+ but it can mean that they make a dramatic improvement in overall standards(eg 2A to 4C in less than 18 months)which will help them with their secondary school maths, whichever school they go to!

sarahfreck · 25/10/2010 18:10

FWIW, several times I have been asked to tutor a child for 11+ but when I have assessed the child, felt that the 11+ was totally inappropriate. I am really honest with parents in these cases but then offer to work on general maths in any case. Usually the DC's show a significant improvement with one-to-one work,(particularly if confidence has been part of the problem),even if not to 11+ standard. Unless the tutor does 11+ exclusively they should be able to assess your child and offer advice and be able then to tutor him so that the maths improves even if 11+ is not appropriate.

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