Generally are those in Trafford tutored as intensely as the Home Counties?

I have gone DIY route and now a little apprehensive with just 6 weeks to go.

Most tutor fairly extensively (but lie about it) in my experience.

I have been DIYing and relaxed about that but have signed up for a few summer sessions with a Tuition company over the summer as I was also wobbling about it. If she needs any more than what weve done I'm happy that grammar school's not for her.

I was hoping Trafford was more relaxed. I used to live in Kent, where tutoring is a big thing. Every man and their dog was being tutored from a young age.

Mayday - that is a very positive way of looking at it.

One boy I know of was having 16 hours worth of private 1-2-1 tuition each WEEK over the summer holidays. Not sure how he’s coping now he’s actually at school, doing the work for 15+ subjects?

That’s mental!

From another thread but I thought a little relevent here;

"Tuition/coaching/preparation is all the same thing.

If you have been doing Bond books and papers regularly at home followed by mocks then your ds has been tutored/coached, just by you rather than by somebody else. In fact your ds may well have got more individual attention from you rather than being one of a large class.

Some parents send their dcs to tutors as they find it difficult to prepare if they have other siblings to deal with.

Your ds doing Bond papers and books with you at home was probably the same preparation as others doing them in a classroom or a tutor's house so the other boys who will be in his class in September probably did around the same amount as you did. DG"

That's a good point. The difference a tutor could make is they are often familiar with layout, structure etc of the actual test. And from experience, they know the sort of questions that are likely to come up. Having past students who have done the 11+ must help tutors build in their coaching from past experience.

Also, do you find your dc is more attentive when being taught by a teacher than mother?

I think it differs by area. Our perception was that AGGS applicants tended to be tutored more by virtue of going to local prep schools, whereas Stretford had more state applicants. But tutoring wasn't openly discussed so its hard to know. We DIYed, quite intensively in the weeks leading up to the exam (somewhat out of fear of feeling at a disadvantage of not being at a prep school or paying a so called 11+ expert).

Having been through both GL and CEM style with my children over the past few years (and them both receiving passes for every Trafford Grammar), my honest opinion is that it can be done yourself. The main issue seems to be the “not knowing” whether you are doing enough/too much.

The best advice I can give, is to get your child reading, reading, reading. No tutor can help with this. Vocab as well. Play word games in the car/tram/whilst making dinner. A lot of this stuff is far too labour intensive to rely on a tutor to do - there simply is not enough time. Tutors are good for exam technique, but even this can be done at home. Quick fire maths questions at them at the same random sorts of times - all pretty standard stuff really.

Mock exams are very useful in the run up to the exams and all the commercially available material you can buy online/in Waterstones (often on 3 for 2 offer as this time of year).

Be careful of tutors in this area. There are some great ones - but there are some greedy ones. It’s very easy money when you’re preying on parents’ insecurities.


Finally, my personal experience is that those from prep environments tend to to struggle much more than their state primary peer counterparts once they get up to Grammar. Their lack of subject breadth becomes quite apparent. Should your child be attending a prep school, it would be wise to consider familiarising your child with some of the “softer” subjects before they commence secondary school (whether this be Grammar or comp).

That’s my take on it, but others will have different experiences of course. For a bit of context - we were new to Trafford only 1 year prior to eldest child sitting exams. From non grammar area. State primary right though. DIY plus mock exams.