Maths summer class for entry secondary

[JoelDad]

Hi my child is starting secondary school this year. I’m looking for any maths summer classes for them to get a head start. Preferably that accept child vouchers.

Anything you would recommend?

Location TW, Richmond Borough.

thank you!

Why does your child need a "head start"? If you are trying to plug known weaknesses then you might be better off with a tutor. if you genuinely want your child to be ahead, then I'd suggest you consider "why" - there are lots of years of secondary school to come!

I actually hope that their aren't any summer maths classes for 11 year olds - what's wrong with giving them a break?

if you want to keep their maths ticking along, maybe consider something like Explore Learning.

You would also be better to put the location in the title if you want area specific info.

Thanks for your tips @redskydarknight

Mrs Burgess Tutoring 11+ in Kingston/Ham is doing summer intense program in preparation to 11+ exams. The material covered is that of year 5 and 6.

The OP may be wanting to steal a march on the yr7 syllabus though, not consolidate their DC's understanding of what they should be secure in already (although the latter would be a much better idea than the former, granted).

😮....
Surely OP is a fantastic material for a parent of a kid in a grammar school.

Thank you all for your responses.

I'm indeed looking to keeping my DC engaged and mentally active while also having fun and enjoying their holiday. The goal is not to have an intense 6 weeks course but 1-2 hours a week. Will checkout Explore Learning.

This is someone I follow on Facebook.
I have no idea how good it is

https://learn.myedspace.co.uk/maths-whatsapp-form-update?utmsource=facebook&utmmmedium=parents&utmterm=neildoesmaths

Thanks @Shaghayeghyzl and @marcopront your tips led me to this site which compares online options:
https://education.clickdo.co.uk/best-online-tutoring-platforms-uk/

My preference would be f2f with online support instead of a full online experience.

On that list the first one mentioned is GoStudent, however if you look in the tutoring forum there is a very critical thread about that platform.

Hi, I booked a trial session last Wed with explore learning. My DC was a bit reluctant at first but when I collected them an our later they where very happy and wanted to attent the next day again. So I signed up for weekly sessions and DC can work from home as well.

This is no endorsement for EL, will post my findings after 2/3 months.

thanks all for your input.

Do you ask the same question and give the same advice if a kid wants to get ahead in sport or music?

Sport and music aren't taught in an age specific way. There is no "getting ahead". You work at your own pace.
If you've passed your Grade 3 (say), then you move onto Grade 4 - it doesn't matter how old you are. Children at different ages learn the same pieces, they just keep progressing.

However, there is absolutely no advantage to a child having a "head start" with the Year 7 curriculum before they start Year 7 (particularly as Year 7 tends to start with recapping primary school maths). They will just be bored in Year 7.

Yes, arguably, maths should be like music and children should progress at the rate that suits them. However, that is not the situation we have in the formal UK education system and the OP has chosen not to home educate (where she could do this). It would be better IMO to use the summer holidays to broaden their child's education outside of that set within the strictures of the curriculum. it also makes sense to keep their current knowledge ticking over so they don't regress over the summer holidays (which is why I suggested Explore, and I'm pleased the OP's DC has enjoyed it).

If a parent thinks their child needs a "head start" over the summer, I do think they should ask themselves "why"? What if every child had a "head start"? Wouldn't that end up evening out so no one was ahead of anyone?

Not sure what kind of sports you think about but all team sports are grouped by age. Most individual sports are too.

I can’t comprehend why people should not get ahead in academic subjects? Are you suggesting that all kids should progress at the same rate? I am glad that a lot of people don’t think so and kids can learn for the whole summer if they want to get ahead.

Talking of boredom, a lot of bright kids are bored to dead in a lot of lessons, especially Maths, because they are waiting for other to catch up / even out the advantage that will never come.

Sports are grouped by age, but there is no "standard" for a 12 year old playing football. A 12 year old playing football can be any level of good or bad. If they are good enough they can progress to county teams or national teams or football academies. If they aren't that good they can just play football with their friends in the park. So there is value in getting better in sport (if you want to) because there is somewhere for you to progress to.

However, there is no point getting ahead in academic subjects if you are in the UK school system, because the UK school system does not cope with this. If you can do Year 9 maths and you're only in Year 7, then you are going to get very bored. As it seems you acknowledge. Much better to broaden your horizons by focussing on things outside of the standard school system - or do you think that education is only about things that are on the school curriculum?

Talking of boredom, a lot of bright kids are bored to dead in a lot of lessons, especially Maths, because they are waiting for other to catch up / even out the advantage that will never come.

Which supports the comments that there is no point in making the child do maths in the holidays if the idea is for them to be 'ahead' when they start year 7?

they will be bored either way. if kids want to get ahead in a subject then what makes you think you can decide that they shouldn’t. People have a weird objection when it comes to academic ability like they are afraid that other people are better or cleverer.

Do you tell kids not to play their sports because PE might be boring?

All you argue for is trying to bringing all kids down, kind of a race to the bottom so no one can get ahead. Take your example of a y7 kid who can do y9 Maths. If they wait until y9 for everyone to be at the same level, when a new topic is taught, they will pick it up quicker and get ahead again. Do they wait again or just race ahead?

By the way, same as the sport analogy, there are many things that a kid with good maths skills can get to and beyond school curriculum such as competitions, opportunities to advance in other subjects like science and computer science. Again, if we let kids advance in sports then why the weird objection against advancing in academic subjects?

Your second paragraph is exactly what I said! Don't push a child ahead in the school curriculum (it's got a fixed structure; no point). If your child is interested and bright and wants to, it's much better to broaden their education with other things that will enhance the same skills in a different way. Or perhaps introduce them to different ones. Learn a new languge, play an instrument, take up a new hobby.

I'm not advocating for keeping "kids down" - unless you are solely measuring against the school curriclum - which is such a narrow way of considering education. They will have to stick to the school curriculum in school - let them do other things out of school!

And we have holiday season. Children really could have a bit of rest without the constant push