11 Plus Exams Forum

I'm trying to find out the pass rates for this years cohort (2019) for all the local tuition centres. Does anyone have any idea how I can find this out? The results are not on the individual tuition centre websites. I have looked at names of tuition centres removed by moderator.

P4mm1 wrote:I'm trying to find out the pass rates for this years cohort (2019) for all the local tuition centres. Does anyone have any idea how I can find this out? The results are not on the individual tuition centre websites. I have looked at names of tuition centres removed by moderator.

Have you tried emailing them? I'm sure they would be delighted to tell you how well they did.

Although if they're not actually shouting it from the rooftops already...

honestly, the figures are meaningless even if you get them.

The Tuition centres often use sixth formers from grammar schools as “tutors”: they are teenagers who want to put experience on their UCAS personal statements, and are willing to work for minimum wage. These are not experienced teachers or personalised experiences.

The frequent “testing” is aimed to filter out those less able candidates by “saving their money if the child is unsuitable and their chances are low”: in practice some
of the lower performing children are managed out the door by halfway through year 5 in order that the centre can claim “high success rates” for their “graduates”.

Even if they can boast an “xx%” pass rate that is meaningless for your individual DC, as if they engage with the learning and progress well, that’s great, but you can’t be sure that will translate into a pass for THEM on the day.

Any able child with practice, and encouragement, and materials will do the best they can. If a particular intensive brand of tuition is the only way they can pass and they would fail otherwise, then it may be your child would not thrive in a grammar environment.
You’re better to work out the type of imput you want that works for your lifestyle/time/cash commitments, and then go with that (which may be DIY or a summer course rather than long tutoring).

Totally agree Aethel. A little bit of summer prep here at home, no more than an hour a week, slightly more in the week before, most material bought via Amazon. Meanwhile, most of our daughter’s friends have spent two years and a long intensive summer course on top, and many still didn’t qualify. Yet parents still exchange tuition names in playground whispers..as if they are the golden tickets to endless success!

From our own experience, a lot depends on the parents willingness/ability to manage and lead the preparation process. Preparation contents and support are freely available on websites such as this one. Best if you as parent begin doing the research early on about topics, test formats, questions varieties and school requirements, before you get the child involved.