How much time tutoring ?

[Tinkers]

If I had listened to school recommendation in year 5 we wouldn't have tried for Kendrick. As it was DD's year 4 teacher thought she was well suited.
Year 5 teacher didn't think she was quite up to it because she was border to get level 5 in writing by the end of year 6

However she was level 5 for reading and maths at the end year 5 and end of year 6 had level 6 in maths.

And level 5c in writing.

One term in at Kendrick and certainly not struggling. She has even managed 6c in writing for one of her English assessments. Tbh I wasn't impressed by English teaching at primary in year 6, no literacy homework was ever marked.

[VanillaLatte]

I would strongly recommend the Sutton mocks. They will help you get a good idea of where your dd is. Which school are you applying for? Nobody can tell you how much work you need to do because you have not given us any idea where your dd is at present. What are her Sats levels? Does your school set in English and Maths? Is she on the top table of the top set? What is the ratio of applicants to places for the school you are interested in? Find someone who has already got a place for their dc and ask to see examples of their work shortly before they sat the exam. You need to know where the bar is so you can aim for it. Every year parents are devastated when their dc's not only fail to win a place but are hundreds of places away from it. The problem was that they did not do enough research to know where the bar is and were never going to get anywhere near it with the level of work they were doing. DG

Hi, not very easy one to find someone whose child got a place for their dc in a gs. I know someone who's ds got a place purely because they have had excellent results in Catholic school. Dc who has never had a private tuition or nothing like that. I have had a test for my ds and found out that he definitely needs private tutor. Very difficult to find one though ...It is such a shame that a average ('good') school in London does not provide the required support for a gs.

[parent2013]

Very true. My view is that even if you find someone whose child has got into GS, the parents are not keen to help out. They keep it a secret on books, syllabus, exam pattern and of course tutors. You might hear a reply - My ds just did standard material available at WH Smiths and he got it. It actually means "I don't want to help you and don't waste my time asking"

The school's curriculum (whether state or private) is not geared towards GS. Moreover they are looking at 30 children of varying ability and ambitions. So, not their fault but of the parents who expect them to do miracles.