Tutoring vs DIY? which worked for you?

[Kingfisher]

DIY - I didn't feel that DD needed a tutor. If she was going to get in, she was going to get in but I was rather relaxed about the entire thing and I think this passed down to her. We went through a few past papers together and she was successful in the exam

This is the tally so far as I can make out:

Tutor 3
DIY 8

[ToadMum]

DIY - I didn't feel that DD needed a tutor. If she was going to get in, she was going to get in but I was rather relaxed about the entire thing and I think this passed down to her. We went through a few past papers together and she was successful in the exam

This is the tally so far as I can make out:

Tutor 3
DIY 8

We never even considered outside tutoring for any of our three - similar sentiments to the above. DS1 and DS2 straight passes, DD a bit of a blip on the day but found herself in the grammar stream of a local comprehensive and subsequently transferred to first choice GS at the end of year 7 via a test for in-year vacancies. Now finds some of her new classmates ask which tutor she went to

[Yamin151]

DIY - I didn't feel that DD needed a tutor. If she was going to get in, she was going to get in but I was rather relaxed about the entire thing and I think this passed down to her. We went through a few past papers together and she was successful in the exam

This is the tally so far as I can make out:

Tutor 3
DIY 8

We never even considered outside tutoring for any of our three - similar sentiments to the above. DS1 and DS2 straight passes, DD a bit of a blip on the day but found herself in the grammar stream of a local comprehensive and subsequently transferred to first choice GS at the end of year 7 via a test for in-year vacancies. Now finds some of her new classmates ask which tutor she went to

Think there are plenty of children who can get in wiht DIY tutoring, and lets not forget, I cannot see anyone who left it ENTIRELY to chance, as DIY tutoring is still tutoring! Whether you pay or not is simply down to personalities and tolerance of working with mum/dad etc, but i think that notiwithstanding the hot house hours per week of work, that ALL DCs benefit from the tutoring that is past papers/some extra attention to areas that can benefit their confidence in school work etc etc. So its just up to you to decide which route is better for your child.
I struggle with the inference that ANY child professionally treated is at a disadvantage and will always struggle in GS because they were tutored to get in, when in fact they had the same as doing practise papers at home and the support mentioned above. I've said before, but its worth repeating, the whole tutor or not thing is like pain relief or not at childbirth! It doesn't matter whether you have it or not, the result is the same and the resultant child is no worse off, whichever route (and I'm talking childbirth AND attaining GS here!). I truly believe that a child unable to cope in GS would not be able to get in just from intense tutoring, if that were the case then there would be loads leaving the system after admission because they couldn't cope. Don't forget that in certain subjects, all DCs may 'struggle', be it maths or science, whatever, and that can be in a non selective environment too, and maybe all they need is a little support and confidence.

[ICParent]

I can see both sides to be honest, DIY tutoring is still tutoring after all. The age-old argument of GS entry being weighted towards those who can afford it is still raging. My view is that GS education should be for naturally gifted children regardless of disposable income. It will never be like that unfortunately and there are many reasons why, probably too many to go into in one post. CCHS have taken the first, tentative steps to level the playing field with so-called 'tutor-proof' exams. The results are interesting with a number of pupils having opposing results in each test.

My daughter only took the CCHS CEM test as I live too far from the Southend and Westcliff schools to make it viable, we didn't tutor because we honestly wanted to see if she could get in on her (and ours to a degree) natural ability. We went through some practice papers and got a gauge of where she was and gave her some help with her weakest points. I was told that my daughter would have to be professionally tutored to gain entry to CCHS, the person who said it had tutoring for her daughter Sat & Sun for a year plus the 11+ emphasis in her Ind Primary School. Her daughter aced the CSSE test but scored 101 in the CEM test. 2 Children in 1'000s doesn't prove a theory but from a personal point of view it's DIY over Tutoring.

Still not sure if my daughter has a place in CCHS, she scored 115 so on the edge really, high enough for us to believe she won't struggle with the GS curriculum if she gets in. It's a well-respected local school if she fails to get a place, roll on March.

[push-pull-mum]

DIY-ed unsuccessfully with Yr 9 DD so had a few collywobbles about doing it again with DS (Yr 5.)

I did think about getting a tutor this time but my working hours make it difficult to commit to a time and place. DIY is more flexible (and cheaper) and there really shouldn't be any reason why I can't teach DS myself.

The Essex 11+ has a lot on it that isn't covered in state primaries so I imagine everyone who gets in is getting a bit of extra help prepping for it but a couple of DD's friends are still seeing tutors now to help them keep up at the grammar which does make me wonder if they are in the right school.

[guest201]

My Dd went to a tutor for small group sessions for a year before the exam and I realised that she did nothing that I couldn't do with her BUT I think it would have ruined our relationship for a year if I had DIYed. I did some work with her over the summer 1 to 1 and I think this really moved her up a notch. She got a great result better than we could ever have imagined. The question for me with my second child is group sessions or one-2 -one? What do you all think, are one2one sessions too intense for some kids? My Dd enjoyed going to her group sessions, I wonder, if they had been individual sessions would she have enjoyed them or dreaded them?

[Yamin151]

Yup, so argument seems to be

Professional coach if you come to tears and tantrums by coaching at home (that'll be MY tears and tantrums!!! ), which after all will help with their primary school progress and confidence too.
or
Home/DIY Coaching if you feel comfortable you can work with your youngster and fill in any gaps, which after all will help with their primary school progress and confidence too.

Its coaching Jim, whichever way you go, and you'd coach for a music exam as well, even if your child is gifted, so no difference.

[Warks mum]

DD did a few practice papers (max 4 as there were only 4 published at the time!) before her 11+, just to get the idea of trying things in exam conditions. She didn't have any other DIY or professional tutoring so it is possible, or at least it is in Warwickshire. I know of at least two other youngsters who have done the same, one has just qualified for a South Warks grammar for September 2014 entry with a similar 'lack of preparation'.

Perhaps there are more like us, but they don't get round to posting on this forum?!

[Yamin151]

DD did a few practice papers (max 4 as there were only 4 published at the time!) before her 11+, just to get the idea of trying things in exam conditions. She didn't have any other DIY or professional tutoring so it is possible, or at least it is in Warwickshire. I know of at least two other youngsters who have done the same, one has just qualified for a South Warks grammar for September 2014 entry with a similar 'lack of preparation'.

Perhaps there are more like us, but they don't get round to posting on this forum?!

Yup, practise papers. Its just a matter of what you call 'coaching', but some preparation is always a good thing, so they know what to expect. The unfair thing would be to do absolutely nothing, which would be unfair on the child.
Just think its a blurred line between 'coaching' and 'not coaching'. Nobody does absolutely nothing. And thats right in my opinion. Just a case of what you call it. Just like helping your child to understand their maths homework is not 'homeschooling', but neither is it doing nothing.

[JamesDean]

The unfair thing would be to do absolutely nothing, which would be unfair on the child.

Agree absolutely - we are in the DIY camp, mainly because DS didn't decide he wanted to take the test until after he'd seen the grammars. So it was me over the summer hols. I had been led to believe that years of tutoring was the only way to be seriously in with a chance, but DS was keen and loves a challenge so we let him sit it (with a lot of reassurance that it wasn't the end of the world if he didn't 'pass').

As for not preparing children, my friend's DD sat the exam in the previous year and when they entered the exam hall, the child sitting in front of her asked her mother what the big clock at the front was for!!!

JD