11 plus tutors in Tonbridge / Tunbridge Wells area

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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Villagedad
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells

11 plus tutors in Tonbridge / Tunbridge Wells area

Post by Villagedad »

Hi Everyone

I want to start putting the feelers out for 11plus tutors in the Tonbridge / Tunbridge Wells area for our DS.

I would appreciate any advice on a couple of things:

1) Which is the best way to find a really strong 11plus tutor in the area, which will give our DS the best preparation?

2) How long do people think is the optimum amount of time to have a tutor before taking the exam? I have heard some families starting 3 years prior to the exam and some others only 6 months..

I really appreciate any pointers people can give.

Best regards
Villagedad
alfie2
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:51 am
Location: Kent

Post by alfie2 »

I got my tutor on recommendation. However, this was not from a fellow parent but from somebody I knew with a son in a different school.

It seems that fellow parents in my daughter's school kept information about tutors very much to themselves. Don't really know why they feel the need to be so competitive but they are! We have been tutoring since Sept 2008 on the Bond Level 4 books. Our tutor charges £20 an hour.

We are based near Paddock Wood - how far and in what direction from T. Wells are you?
Alfie
Villagedad
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells

Post by Villagedad »

alfie2 wrote:I got my tutor on recommendation. However, this was not from a fellow parent but from somebody I knew with a son in a different school.

It seems that fellow parents in my daughter's school kept information about tutors very much to themselves. Don't really know why they feel the need to be so competitive but they are! We have been tutoring since Sept 2008 on the Bond Level 4 books. Our tutor charges £20 an hour.

We are based near Paddock Wood - how far and in what direction from T. Wells are you?
Thanks alfie2

We are based in a village not far from Ton & TW.

Good tip re finding a tutor, any other tips from other parents would be welcomed.

When does your DD sit the 11plus?
alfie2
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:51 am
Location: Kent

Post by alfie2 »

In Sept 2009
Alfie
Just1-2go
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:43 pm
Location: Twells

Post by Just1-2go »

Sorry for coming into this thread so late. There really does seem to be a wide variety of views on when to start tutoring here's what we did, it worked for us!

My DD took the 11+ in Jan 08 and now goes to TWGGS and my DS took his in Sept 08 and will go to Skinners this sept (2008 was a bit of a stressful year in our house, I wish I knew about this forum then!).
Both did weekly 11+ lessons for a year before the exam and we did practise papers at home (but not obsessively!)

I will do the same for no 3. It's very difficult, as there is no right answer and all we want to do is the get the best for the little darlings!
Villagedad
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells

Post by Villagedad »

Just1-2go wrote:Both did weekly 11+ lessons for a year before the exam and we did practise papers at home (but not obsessively!)
It would be interesting to hear from other parents who did a year, or more / less than this.

I hear some parents who do 6 months, and others who have started 18months to 2 years out (esp in the London boroughs)..., any views would be appreciated.
kentmum1
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:58 pm

Post by kentmum1 »

My son had his tutor for 6 months and it seemed to be exactly the right length of build up. Any longer and I feel he would have tired of the whole process. However, I did pre-prepare his tutoring by giving him the 10-minute a day Bond books and I think they were extremely effective and just gently built up his knowledge without him really realising it. When he started with his tutor, then he was doing 3 whole papers per week - 1 with the tutor and the other two at the weekends. He did his last practise paper a couple of weeks before the exam and we then went back to just 10-min maths revision per day. It all seemed a very straightforward process. However, it will depend on your son and my experience with the second son was a complete nightmare!
Villagedad
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells

Post by Villagedad »

kentmum1 wrote:However, it will depend on your son and my experience with the second son was a complete nightmare!
Oh dear.. Was he just not interested in doing the work?
kentmum1
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:58 pm

Post by kentmum1 »

I think he liked the idea of going to a grammar school, which is understandable when you already have an older sibling already there. He just wanted to have a go. It was his choice. However, it was clear that he did not find the work engaging at all! I tried to tutor him, as he couldn't get on with a local tutor, and he constantly yawned throughout! He has matured a lot since though and has really tried hard in his recent sats to try and get all 5's (although we will be happy with less!). It didn't help having the earlier test with him, but even so, I still don't think he would have been suited to a GS. I certainly don't see a GS as the ultimate goal. It has to be right for the child and they have got to be hungry for it - although this is perhaps easier for me to say having BM as an alternative choice.
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Post by Tracy »

Hi Villagedad,

My DD takes the 11+ in Sep 09.

By time time she takes the tests she will have been seeing her 11+ tutor for a year. We did have to make up some ground to due to poor maths standards at school though. School is only concerned about teaching maths to get decent sats results in year 6 so she wouldn't have covered enough of the syllabus by the 11+ date if it was left to the school!
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