SPECIALIST TUTORS
11+ Tuition
Building confidence and secure foundations for selective school entrance.
Witherow Brooke connects families with specialist 11+ tutors for grammar and independent school entrance exams. Our tutors design personalised programmes that develop subject mastery, reasoning skills and exam technique, helping students approach their assessments with clarity and assurance.
We understand that the 11+ asks students to demonstrate subject knowledge while working with reasoning, problem-solving, and unfamiliar question types, all under timed conditions. These assessments require students to think carefully while working efficiently. Preparation focuses not only on secure understanding, but also on familiarity with question formats and exam skills.
At Witherow Brooke, we offer different services to support students preparing for the 11+. Our services include identifying and recruiting elite tutors for full-time homeschooling, academic support and travelling tuition roles, as well as online homeschooling with a bespoke timetable of subject specialist tutors, and flexible hourly tuition, available in person in London and Dubai and online around the world.
We guide families through this process while helping students build secure foundations in English, mathematics and reasoning, alongside effective exam technique. Through bespoke preparation and teaching, students develop the knowledge, confidence, and study habits that support success in the 11+ and a smooth transition to secondary school.
Book a consultation with us so we can help you find a private 11+ tutor for your child today.
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What Is the 11+?
The 11+ is an entrance assessment used by many grammar schools and selective independent schools in England. Students typically sit admissions tests towards the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6, although timelines vary by school and region.
The format also varies between schools. Some assessments focus primarily on English and mathematics, while others include verbal and non-verbal reasoning and longer reading comprehension passages. Many independent schools use online assessments such as the ISEB Common Pre-Tests, and some schools also include interviews, writing tasks, or “taster” activities.
As the 11+ is not a single, standardised exam, a specialist 11+ tutor can help families understand what each school is looking for, identify which skills matter most and build a personalised plan.
The benefits of 1-to-1 tuition for the 11+
The 11+ often draws on a wider range of skills than the primary curriculum alone. Success in these assessments depends on secure maths fluency, strong reading comprehension and vocabulary, familiarity with 11+ question formats, and the ability to work accurately in exam conditions.
A skilled 11+ tutor approaches these skills thoughtfully, identifying areas that need strengthening, explaining methods clearly, and helping students revisit key topics until understanding becomes secure. Tutors also help students practise pacing, checking their answers, and making sound decisions under timed conditions so they can approach entrance assessments with confidence. A single tutor is able to provide a holistic view to a complex programme of learning, revision, and exam technique tailored to each student's individual needs.
One-to-one tuition also allows time for deeper academic consolidation. Students can develop reading habits, vocabulary, and exam technique at a pace suited to specifically to them, while also building wider skills required for selective entrance assessments, including time management and exam confidence, preparing them not just for the exams but for the step up in education they will face.
Academic support for the 11+
For families seeking structured, long-term support alongside school, Witherow Brooke offers specialist Academic Support for the 11+. We conduct a bespoke global search to find an elite tutor who works closely with your child for a minimum of 10 hours per week, delivering personalised academic support adapted to your child’s current stage of learning, learning style, and chosen schools.
Your dedicated tutor builds a bespoke programme that complements school learning while strengthening the core skills required for selective entrance assessments: reading comprehension, vocabulary, maths fluency, reasoning strategy, and confident performance under timed conditions. Sessions include regular review of progress alongside focused teaching that strengthens your child’s understanding in key areas. Our tutors also use a structured cycle of timed exam-style questions, feedback, and mock papers.
Through our meticulous matching process, we identify tutors who combine deep subject expertise with specialist experience in 11+ preparation and independent school entrance exams. We ensure your tutor complements your child’s personality, learning style and academic goals. Witherow Brooke remains closely involved throughout the engagement, overseeing progress and advising families on admissions timelines, exam formats and preparation strategy for their chosen schools.
This approach strengthens subject knowledge, builds confidence, and develops effective study habits and exam technique, helping students approach the 11+ with assurance and prepare for the academic expectations of secondary school. Witherow Brooke remains closely involved throughout the engagement, overseeing progress, providing quarterly reports, and advising families on admissions timelines, exam formats and preparation strategy for their chosen schools.
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Our tutors & approach
When identifying elite tutors for students, we ensure they combine subject mastery and extensive experience with the right personality to engage and motivate the student over what can be a demanding and stressful period. To learn more about services, book a consultation today.
Homeschooling with a full-time 11+ tutor
For families seeking a fully personalised approach to education, Witherow Brooke offers Elite Homeschooling for students preparing for the 11+. We place an exceptional, precisely matched educator who works with your family as a dedicated in-home teacher, delivering a comprehensive homeschooling programme adapted to your child’s needs, learning style, and pace in ways many traditional settings cannot accommodate.
A full-time tutor can integrate the primary curriculum with focused 11+ preparation, ensuring that English, mathematics, and reasoning develop in a coherent and confidence-building way while maintaining a rich and balanced academic programme. With a dedicated educator working exclusively with your child, lessons can focus on skill development, targeted topic practice, exam technique, and revision alongside the wider curriculum. This continuity allows lessons to build progressively from day to day, with time for deeper exploration of key topics and consistent development of the skills required for selective entrance assessments.
Through our careful matching process, we source homeschool educators who combine deep subject expertise with specialist understanding of the 11+ requirements for your chosen schools, creating a supportive partnership where your child can prepare with confidence. Witherow Brooke remains closely involved throughout the engagement, overseeing progress, providing quarterly reports, and advising families on admissions timelines, exam formats and preparation strategy.
Our immersive process for full-time roles
For full time positions, how we facilitate and oversee the highest-quality tutoring for your child.
Our goal is to ensure each child transitions confidently, whether into higher education,
a new school, an alternative curriculum, or more advanced tuition.
Hourly tutoring for the 11+
For families seeking flexible, targeted support, Witherow Brooke offers specialist hourly for students preparing for the 11+. Available worldwide online, or in person in London and Dubai, our service connects you with an experienced 11+ online tutor who adapts their teaching to your child’s current stage of learning, learning style, and chosen schools.
Online tutoring is particularly well suited to students living overseas who are preparing for UK grammar schools, independent schools, or international schools using UK-style entrance assessments. Our tutors support students following the British curriculum internationally, including preparation for school-specific papers and online formats such as the ISEB Common Pre-Test.
Whether your child is preparing for grammar school entrance exams or competitive independent school assessments, each session is structured to develop the academic skills and exam technique required for the 11+. Tutors support students in strengthening English and mathematics while building confidence in verbal and non-verbal reasoning through structured practice, targeted feedback, and familiarity with exam-style questions.
Through our careful matching process, we source tutors with extensive experience in 11+ preparation, ensuring sessions are carefully tailored to your child’s strengths, needs, and chosen schools.
Contact us today to discuss how specialist hourly tuition for the 11+ can support your child’s preparation for grammar school and independent school entrance.
K, (THE MOTHER)
“We were delighted to find your service, enabling us to travel to the places we want to whilst keeping up with B’s [the student] education. He really looked forward to his lessons with H [the tutor], and even today they are in touch.”
FAQs
When should we start 11+ preparation? Many families begin working with an 11+ tutor in Year 5 so that core skills in English, mathematics, and reasoning can be strengthened gradually. Some students benefit from earlier support, particularly to build reading comprehension and vocabulary, while others begin later with a more focused plan. The right timing depends on your child’s current stage of learning, chosen schools, and the format of the assessments they will sit.
Does my child need an 11+ tutor? Not every child requires tutoring, however increasingly families choose to work with an 11+ tutor as school entrance has become increasingly competitive over recent years. The 11+ assessments draw on more than curriculum knowledge alone, including reasoning, exam technique, pacing, and familiarity with different school formats. Thoughtful tutoring can bring structure, clarity, and confidence to the preparation process.
What does 11+ preparation usually involve? Effective 11+ preparation usually combines English and mathematics support with verbal and non-verbal reasoning, alongside timed practice, mock papers, and familiarity with school-specific formats where relevant. The most effective programmes are tailored to the individual child and the schools they are applying to.
Do you support the ISEB Common Pre-Test and other school-specific entrance assessments? Yes. We support preparation for a range of independent school entrance assessments, including the ISEB Common Pre-Test, as well as school-specific papers and online formats. We carefully match families with tutors who understand the requirements of their chosen schools.
How long does 11+ preparation usually take? How long does 11+ preparation usually take? For many students, steady preparation over 12 to 24 months is the most supportive approach, particularly when families begin in Year 5. However, timelines vary depending on the child’s starting point, chosen schools, and the assessment formats involved. Preparation may be delivered steadily over time or through a more concentrated schedule where appropriate. If you would like guidance on choosing the most suitable pathway for your child – from online sessions to Academic Support or full-time provision – please book a consultation so we can help you find a private 11+ tutor for your child today.
MEET ONE OF OUR TUTORS
Ilan Lazarus
Tutor of Mathematics
Ilan studied Mathematics at Cambridge University and currently works as a tutor and musician. He is an expert in Mathematics tuition, having taught at every age level from precocious 4 year olds in New York to 30-year old accountants in London, as well as preparing students for competitive 11+ and 13+ admissions tests in Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning. He is also a Subject Expert for the Centre of Thinking Youth in London, covering Mathematics up to Further Maths A Level.
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