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. This is why thoughtful preparation focuses not only on secure understanding, but also on familiarity with question formats and exam skills.
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.
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.
Why tutoring helps with 11+ preparation
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.
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 their individual needs, while also building wider skills required for selective entrance assessments, including time management and exam confidence.
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.
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Intensive 11+ Preparation
For families seeking intensive 11+ preparation, Witherow Brooke offers a structured programme with a specialist 11+ tutor, typically delivered over two years. This extended preparation allows students to develop skills steadily while building familiarity with exam formats, expectations, and the demands of selective entrance assessments.
A longer preparation period gives tutors time to strengthen core knowledge in English, mathematics and reasoning while gradually introducing exam technique, timed practice, and mock assessments. This approach allows students to consolidate understanding, develop effective study habits, and build confidence in a supportive learning environment.
Through our meticulous matching process, we connect families with elite 11+ tutors who understand the expectations and entrance assessments of grammar and independent schools. Preparation may be delivered through regular weekly sessions, increased tutoring hours, online tuition, or short-term intensive arrangements where appropriate.
Contact us today to discuss how intensive 11+ preparation can support your child’s preparation for selective school entrance.
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.
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.
Online tutoring for the 11+
For families seeking flexible, targeted support, Witherow Brooke offers specialist Online Tuition for students preparing for the 11+. Available worldwide, 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 Online 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. Many families choose to work with an 11+ tutor because the 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.
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