Test Teach!

[kenyancowgirl]

As a complete outsider this seems to be a very odd way to teach! Teaching to tests that are available to anyone on the internet (why would a parent pay a test centre when they could print them off and administer them themselves at home?). Notwithstanding that teaching to tests isn't teaching! You have to teach the concepts and then test to ascertain understanding, surely, not the other way round! Like Peridot, I am always wary when the websites of companies purporting to be "educational" are badly written grammatically and not spell checked.

[Peridot]

It sounds as if they offer a series of mock tests, rather than teaching the concepts properly. I would be cross at paying the fees they are asking if I had to mark papers myself. Perhaps they'd be most appropriate for use nearer the exam date as mock providers? Still concerned about their English skills though. A website for this kind of business should be a showcase of excellence and theirs isn't!

[tiffinboys]

When we had enquired, they had lessons and practice papers. Home work was their own papers for NVR & VR and other independent schools' papers for English/Maths. That was in Spring 2012. They might have changed their methods though. Their website was pathetic even then, containing outdated information.

What really worried me was that they even had some serving Tiffin teachers coaching, including a departmental head. I thought that was a terrible conflict of interest as these people would have full knowledge of GL tests used by Tiffins. I reported it to both Tiffin Schools at the time. As of now (just checked it), one of those names appears in the staff list of TS as well as TT website. I also found later that this gentleman also had also helped with coaching at another tutor with branches in Ealing & Kingston.

[sunny546]

We did not think about the 11+ until last christmas by which time we could not find any suitable tutors. We did contact a tuition agency but the only tutors available were primary school teachers whom did not appear very experienced at a more advanced level. We came across Test Teach on the internet - the advantage for us was that they were using qualified secondary teachers and we could check on this. I do not see a conflict of interest as the boys only learn maths and english for the Sutton entrance tests and do no VR/NVR as required by Tiffins. Whilst there were some niggles with the course and the admin side was appalling, it proved a good choice as our son now has a place at one of the Sutton Grammars. It is a very fast paced course that suits kids who thrive in a competitive environment, and is probably not suitable for the more sensitive child.

[Daogroupie]

I am astonished that you reported this to the Tiffin schools and they did nothing. For a Tiffin teacher to be working at a tutoring company who is tutoring students for the Tiffin exam seems to me like an absolute conflict of interest. They could possibly be marking the papers of some of their own students! DG

[yoyo123]

primary school teachers whom did not appear very experienced at a more advanced level

Eleven plus is hardly " a more advanced level" for primary teachers, we teach children of all ability levels as a matter of routine.

[tiffinboys]

From Sunny546 post, it seems that TT has now stopped NVR/VR courses. However, at the time when we enquired, they were teaching for NVR/VR as well. DC sat for their mock test and we also purchased a set of their test papers in NVR, which was also available from a large online seller.

The whole outfit smelled Tiffins from the moment one entered their centre. From tutors to Admin to helpers, all were from Tiffin at that time. Certainly, that gave some confidence to their students that they know what needs to be done for Tiffin tests. That was their great selling point. They confirmed to me more than once that many of their students have been successful at Tiffins for 2012 entry and before. In fact, I came to know of this centre when one of the forum member mentioned their name, which was promptly edited by moderators, but not before I had read that post.

They perhaps shifted their focus when Sutton schools dropped NVR and then VR and with regard to Tiffins, conflict of interest was reported.

[tiffinboys]

I am astonished that you reported this to the Tiffin schools and they did nothing. For a Tiffin teacher to be working at a tutoring company who is tutoring students for the Tiffin exam seems to me like an absolute conflict of interest. They could possibly be marking the papers of some of their own students! DG

Perhaps Tiffin did some thing or perhaps nothing, I would not know as they never came back to me. However, I think that these tutors would not have been involved in marking the papers as these are machine read.

[Sutty961]

My dd went there for 4 months and did not learn anything new at all. It was just test papers revision and child like cattle. We pulled her out of time. Sorry my English not good.

[Daogroupie]

Good enough to understand your message! Did you feel she was not actually being taught anything then? DG