Test Teach!

[Sutty961]

Just test papers, not much new.

Waste of time and money.

[tiffinboys]

Glad that we didn't go there, if it was so. But certainly, this was not our impression when we approached them and from the feedback of few of our friends.

[agathachristie]

Test teach is local to our primary and a number of parents use it.. as with most tuition centres its buyer beware. In my view most of their materials are pass papers that are available freely on the internet and accessible to all. My understanding is that most of their clients in the past have been seduced by their marketing blurb. ie staff doubling as current/past teachers at Tiffin. Parents I know with DC's who passed Sutton schools also in addition had tutors throughout the process. Parents who based all their prep on test teach were left disappointed...Most tuition centres in my view have a one size fits all approach which does not suit all DC's so once again buyer beware.

[tiffinboys]

Thanks for letting us know, AC. I wonder what those tutors from Tiffins and other gs background actually do, if they just use past papers? Markers, perhaps.

[agathachristie]

I wonder too Tiffin boys.

[Daogroupie]

At least quite a lot of the internet papers don't have answers so they are adding some value. I know parents who pay tutors to mark Bond papers when all the answers are in the back. That is a real puzzle to me. Which free past papers do Test teach use? I was amazed by how many staff they have. 12 teachers and 11 teaching assistants. They must have a real boatload of students. Who is it owned by and what percentage of their students actually win a selective place? DG

[sunny546]

Papers used included those for schools such as Latymer, Alleyns and Oundle as well as their own, definitely more difficult than the average high street papers. The reason we did the course was for the essay writing practice which was useful, as well as the comprehension. The place is rather impersonal and we did not talk to a tutor the whole time we were there, as we could see from the test papers he brought back where he was going wrong and help him at home. Our DS was motivated by the monthly test results in which the boys are put in order anonymously, this encouraged him to 'up his game'. However, this approach probably also discourages some more sensitive children. If we had not helped him ourselves a bit at home as well he would not have passed. He did no more than 1.5 hours extra work at home a week. I also feel very sorry for the year 4 children going there, which is too young, surely having a childhood and enjoying your weekend is more important.