SPECIALIST TUTORS
7+ Tuition
Gentle, expert preparation for entry into London's leading schools
Witherow Brooke connects families with specialist 7+ tutors for entry into selective independent preparatory and junior schools. Our tutors deliver personalised tuition to build secure foundations in English and Mathematics, develop confidence in unfamiliar tasks, and prepare young children for assessment in a way that protects their enjoyment of learning.
We understand that the 7+ asks a great deal of a six or seven year old. Children are expected to write at length by hand, read and comprehend independently, work through mathematical problems with accuracy, and speak thoughtfully with an unfamiliar adult, often across a single morning. Preparation is therefore as much about stamina, composure and self-belief as it is about curriculum knowledge.
At Witherow Brooke, we offer different services to support students preparing for the 7+. 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.
Book a consultation with us so we can help you find a private 7+ tutor for your child today.
What Is the 7+?
The 7+ is an entrance assessment used by many selective independent preparatory and junior schools for entry into Year 3. Children usually sit the assessments in January of Year 2, at the age of six or seven, although timelines vary by school.
The format varies between schools. Most assessments include written papers in English and mathematics: comprehension, creative or descriptive writing, spelling, grammar and handwriting on the English side, and number fluency, word problems and problem-solving on the mathematics side. Many schools also include reasoning tasks, reading aloud, an interview, or a group activity in which children are observed working and playing alongside their peers. Some schools use standardised or online assessments as part of the process.
Because places at this stage are limited and the cohort is very young, schools are looking for potential and disposition as much as attainment: curiosity, resilience, the ability to listen and follow instructions, and a willingness to attempt something unfamiliar. As the 7+ is not a single, standardised exam, a specialist 7+ tutor can help families understand what each school is looking for, identify which skills matter most, and build a personalised plan.
Families for whom the 7+ timeline is not the right fit often consider the 8+ or 11+ instead, and we are always glad to advise on which entry point best suits a child.
The benefits of 1-to-1 tuition for the 7+
The 7+ draws on skills that the Key Stage 1 curriculum does not always develop at the pace or depth that selective assessment requires. Success depends on fluent reading and comprehension, the ability to compose and handwrite an extended piece of writing within a time limit, secure mental arithmetic, and the confidence to tackle a problem that has not been seen before.
At this age, one-to-one attention is particularly valuable. A skilled 7+ tutor can observe closely how a child thinks, notice where understanding is fragile rather than absent, and adapt within the lesson itself. Sessions can be short, varied and briskly paced to suit a young child's concentration, with sensitive work on pencil grip, letter formation, spelling patterns and reading stamina alongside the wider academic programme.
A single tutor is also able to hold a holistic view of learning, practice and preparation tailored to the individual child. Because the same educator works with the child across English, mathematics, reasoning and interview practice, preparation remains coherent, and progress in one area can be used to build confidence in another.
Above all, tuition at the 7+ should be proportionate. Our tutors are experienced in preparing very young children thoroughly without over-drilling them, keeping the work purposeful and enjoyable so that children arrive at assessment day interested rather than exhausted, and continue into Year 3 with their appetite for learning intact.
Academic support for the 7+
For families seeking structured, long-term support alongside school, Witherow Brooke offers specialist Academic Support for the 7+. We conduct a bespoke search to find an elite tutor who works closely with your child, delivering personalised academic support adapted to your child's current stage of learning, learning style and chosen schools.
Your dedicated tutor builds a personalised programme that complements school learning while strengthening the core skills required for pre-prep entrance: reading fluency and comprehension, vocabulary, creative and descriptive writing, handwriting and presentation, mental arithmetic, and problem-solving. Sessions are designed around the concentration span of a young child, with frequent changes of activity, regular review of progress, and focused teaching in the areas that need it most. As assessments approach, tutors introduce timed exercises, past and practice papers, and gentle rehearsal of interview and group-task situations so that nothing on the day feels wholly unfamiliar.
Through our meticulous matching process, we identify tutors who combine deep subject expertise with specialist experience of teaching at Key Stage 1 and preparing children for 7+ and 8+ entrance. Warmth and patience matter enormously at this age, and we ensure your tutor complements your child's personality, learning style and academic goals.
This approach strengthens subject knowledge, builds confidence, and establishes the study habits that will serve a child well throughout prep school. Witherow Brooke remains closely involved throughout the engagement, overseeing progress, providing quarterly reports, and advising families on admissions timelines, assessment 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 7+ tutor
For families seeking a fully personalised approach to education, Witherow Brooke offers Elite Homeschooling for children preparing for the 7+. 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 Key Stage 1 curriculum with focused 7+ preparation, ensuring that reading, writing and mathematics develop coherently while maintaining a rich and balanced programme of history, science, languages, music and creative work to best suit the individual child. With a dedicated educator working exclusively with your child, the day can be shaped around a young child's natural rhythm: concentrated academic work in short sessions when attention is strongest, with time for reading aloud, discussion, play and physical activity.
This continuity allows lessons to build progressively from day to day, with time for deeper exploration of the topics that capture your child's interest and consistent development of the skills selective assessments require. It is also particularly well suited to families who travel, relocate frequently, or live outside the UK while preparing for entry into a London prep school.
Through our careful matching process, we source homeschool educators who combine deep subject expertise with specialist understanding of the 7+ 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, assessment 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 7+
For families seeking flexible, targeted support, Witherow Brooke offers specialist hourly tuition for children preparing for the 7+. Available worldwide online, or in person in London and Dubai, our service connects you with an experienced 7+ tutor who adapts their teaching to your child's current stage of learning, learning style and chosen schools.
Weekly sessions suit many families at this stage, giving a child regular, unhurried contact with a specialist alongside their school day without displacing the rest of childhood. Each session is structured to develop the academic skills the 7+ requires, with short focused tasks, immediate feedback, and steadily increasing independence.
Online tuition is particularly well suited to families living overseas who are preparing for entry into UK preparatory schools, and to those who travel regularly. Our tutors are experienced in keeping very young children engaged online through well-paced, interactive sessions, and in setting light, purposeful work between lessons that parents can support at home.
Through our careful matching process, we source tutors with extensive experience of 7+ 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 7+ 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 7+ preparation? Many families begin working with a 7+ tutor in Year 1 or at the start of Year 2, allowing reading, writing and mathematics to be strengthened gradually over roughly twelve months. Starting earlier is rarely necessary, and starting later is often perfectly workable for a child who is already reading fluently. The right timing depends on your child's current stage of learning, the schools you are considering, and the format of the assessments they will sit.
Does my child need a 7+ tutor? Not every child requires tutoring. However, competition for places at this stage is considerable, and the assessments ask for skills that Key Stage 1 does not always develop at the pace required, particularly extended handwritten writing and unfamiliar problem-solving. Thoughtful tutoring can bring structure and clarity to preparation, and can reassure parents that the work being done at home is the right work.
What does 7+ preparation usually involve? Effective preparation combines reading comprehension, creative and descriptive writing, spelling, grammar and handwriting with mental arithmetic and mathematical problem-solving. Closer to the assessments, this is supplemented by timed practice, past and practice papers, and gentle rehearsal of interviews and group activities. The most effective programmes are tailored to the individual child and the schools they are applying to.
How do you support families applying from overseas? We regularly work with families preparing for UK prep school entrance from abroad, including those following other curricula. Our tutors bridge the differences between systems, familiarise children with UK assessment formats and expectations, and prepare them for interviews and group tasks conducted in a British school setting. Support is available online worldwide, in person in London and Dubai, and through full-time and travelling placements.
What if my child is not ready for the 7+? Some children who would flourish at a selective prep school are simply not yet ready to demonstrate that at six. Where this is the case, the 8+ or 11+ may be a better entry point, and preparation done now is rarely wasted. We are glad to discuss the options with you and to advise honestly on the pathway most likely to suit your child.
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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