What questions to ask when choosing an 11+ tutor

[SynchOrSwim]

I'm looking ahead to find an 11+ tutor for September when DD starts year 5 and I'm not sure how to choose one.

Should I ask what their background is? I know one is an ex teacher.

Can I ask their pass rate or is that cheeky? Plus it obviously depends somewhat on the initial ability of their tutees.

Any other questions I should ask? Exactly what they cover in the sessions?

It depends on which school it's for, but you can ask about pass rates. Be aware that some of them lie though 🙈 my friend had a woman who said she'd taught the private school entrance exams only to realise after a month that she hadn't and had only ever taught for the 11+ and didn't even know the content of what would be asked for the daughter's exam!!

For us, it was about getting on with someone and feeling like you could "trust" them if that makes sense? You'll be able to tell pretty quickly if they know what they're talking about!

We tried with a few "ex teachers" but we didn't really like their style of teaching - it seemed very much like an extension of school where my kids sat down and listened to an explanation and then did the work, rather than what we wanted which was a more personalised approach.

I'd be happy to recommend who we use if you send me a DM X

DBS checked

Definitely ask for the success record, that shouldn't cause any embarrassment. I screenshot successful entry messages and conceal the child's name for privacy for any parent wanting to see, but otherwise check with other parents. Word of mouth is what keeps the best tutors going.