Seeking reasonably priced 7+ tutor for Westminster/St Paul's /Latymer/Bute House

[megw8]

Hi everybody,
My twins are preparing for 7+ entrance exams, and we are planning to apply to Westminster Under, St Paul's Juniors, Bute House, and Latymer. Since March, we've been doing most of the preparation ourselves using Bond, CGP, and other standard materials.
We are now considering hiring a tutor and would ideally like someone with direct experience preparing children for these schools and, importantly, a verifiable track record of getting offers from those schools. We've spoken to a few tutors who claim to have secured offers from these schools for their pupils, but it's difficult to verify.We also spoke to a tutor who came highly recommended by another parent in this group and had a proven record of success, but unfortunately she is outside our budget. I completely appreciate that experienced tutors charge premium rates, but I personally struggle to justify paying 100 per hour. Can anyone recommend a tutor who:
Has a verifiable track record of securing offers from Westminster Under, SPJS, Bute House, or Latymer, is reasonably priced and offers one-to-one lessons at home.
Any recommendations or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Please message me directly. I might be able to help.

You might have better luck looking for a tutor on a UK directory of independent tutors. Not as many independent tutors are on here (I am one but I don't do what you are looking for in afraid). Most of the professional tutors on the major platforms like Tutorful/MyTutor/Tutorhunt are leaving or super expensive as they take commission/fees of 35-65% which pushes the prices up, so you should look for a commission free platform if price is a factor.
For your situation the data set says £30-£60/hr typical; £70-£120/hr for high-track grammar and private school prep, London and the South East run 20-40% above national rates.
Hope that helps.

We paid £30 for half hour lessons (also 7+) last year for our son which I thought was very reasonable. If you DM me (or just @ me here) I can give you the details X

Thanks so much! We've decided to do it ourselves for the time being, but I really appreciate your recommendation.

So you can afford school fees but are too tight to pay a tutor the going rate?
Just because people work with children doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get appropriately paid. Going rate in my area (south east) is £50+ per hour.

Even with a tutor there is no guarantee a child would get a place at any of these super competitive schools. Some tutors with the highest success rates actually won’t take on children who they don’t think will get in.

IME the most successful tutors are the ones who truly understand your child, can quickly identify the areas they need to work on, and teach them in a way that your child learns best. I have seen exemplary tutors at both the bottom and top price ranges as well as some shocking ones.

Would suggest speaking to the parents of pupils who received offers to WUS, LU, etc, after speaking to the recommended tutors. They all should offer references. A knowledgeable tutor is worth the ££ spent- any day.

Please be careful about tutors recommended here. I met with one lady and realised she has very little relevant experience and was a babysitter till very recently. I didn’t find her particularly kind or engaging either.

To get into WUS or St Paul’s without hours and hours and hours of tutoring is practically impossible unless your child is exceptionally bright (well above average bright). Bute and Latimer on the other hand don’t require months and months of tutoring - I know quite a few people (including myself) who secured a place with no external tutors. Something to consider.

As someone above said - private school is a substantial investment (eg £30K per year). It is worth investing into a reputable professional tutor to get the right school.

If you are happy with online I have a great lady (£90ph) but she is online only which is not always a hit with a six year old.

100% agree. Definitely use a UK tutoring directory, and find a tutor who credentials are actually checked, and that you can review yourself, and with long history of reviews you can read.

Thanks, everyone! I've decided to work with them myself until September, and then we might look at hiring someone.

It’s great that you’ve already made a start. Bond and CGP are useful resources, although they are quite generic, so I would also introduce independent-school papers and activities based on the skills and question types that appear in them.

It is worth being selective with past papers, as some are much easier than others. Some schools have also removed older or more challenging papers from their websites, possibly because they have changed their style and format or do not want to put parents off. I’m happy to share a few papers that may be useful (the ones I’ve found that helps prepare children).

In terms of pricing, there are many factors behind a tutor’s rate, including qualifications, knowledge of specific schools and outcomes. A more experienced tutor may charge more per hour but require fewer sessions because the teaching is more targeted. Equally, a lower hourly rate can sometimes work out more expensive due to lack of expertise (not always the case). So, I would say, it is worth looking beyond the hourly figure alone and rather focus on the outcome that you desire and who will get you there.

As you have twins, another option may be to have them taught together, provided they are working at a similar level. This could make an experienced tutor more affordable while still giving them focused support. Another option is maybe paying for an experienced tutor to do a few session, including a diagnostic of their gaps and giving you the tools to work on these independently.

I hope this helps :)