11+ Tuition by Ivy Education

At Ivy Education, we provide bespoke, expert 11+ tuition, helping students gain entry to independent school admissions and grammar school entry. Our highly experienced tutors offer a personalised approach, adapting to each child’s learning style and needs.

Expert 11+ Tutors

Our handpicked 11+ tutors provide expert 11+ exam preparation in London and online, and have proven their success in preparing students for 11 Plus and other competitive entrance exams. Many have attended top UK schools themselves, offering a unique insight into the exam process.


Tailored Learning

We offer private and fully tailored 11+ tutoring services, focusing on individual strengths and areas of improvement, ensuring students excel in all subjects tested in 11+ exams. Whether you need a specialist tutor for your child's personal circumstances, or a subject-specific specialist, we will go above and beyond to meet your family's requirements. We provide a fully personalised approach, creating bespoke learning plans that focus on the specific strengths and weaknesses of each student.

Flexible Tuition Options

Choose from online 11+ tuition or in-person sessions, depending on your schedule, preference, and location. Explore our flexible online 11+ tuition options to suit your family’s schedule.


All 11+ Exam Boards

Our tutors are experts in all exam boards, including GL (Granada Learning), CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring), as well as The Independent Schools Examination Board for ISEB Pre-Tests.

What Are 11+ Entrance Exams?

The 11+ entrance exams are used by leading grammar and independent schools to assess students’ abilities in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. These exams evaluate a child’s academic skills, logical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities. Our tailored 11+ tuition ensures students are fully prepared to meet these challenges. From subject mastery to exam strategies, we help children develop the skills, confidence, and knowledge they need to perform at their best and secure a place at top schools.

When Should I Start Preparing?

Starting preparation early is key to success. We recommend beginning 12 to 18 months before the 11+ Plus or ISEB Pre-Test to ensure your child has the time to build a solid foundation and develop effective exam techniques. Our expert tutors provide personalised 11+ tuition, focusing on mock exams, time management, and subject mastery to ensure your child excels. We have a proven track record of helping many students gain entrance to the most competitive schools in the UK.

What's included in our 11+ Tuition?

Our 11+ English tuition focuses on developing the essential skills needed to excel in the exam. We help students master reading comprehension by teaching techniques to quickly and accurately understand texts. Grammar and punctuation are strengthened, ensuring confidence in sentence structure, tenses, and writing mechanics. We expand vocabulary, helping students use advanced words effectively, and refine creative writing skills to produce engaging, well-structured essays. This comprehensive approach ensures students are fully prepared for the demands of leading schools and exam boards.

Our 11+ Maths tuition builds a strong foundation in all key areas of the exam. We focus on arithmetic skills, numerical reasoning, and problem-solving techniques to help students confidently approach multi-step questions. Advanced topics, including fractions, percentages, algebra, and geometry, are covered to meet the standards of GL, CEM, and independent school exam formats. By combining clear explanations with targeted practice, we ensure students can tackle both standard and advanced questions with accuracy and speed.

Our 11+ verbal reasoning tuition helps students develop the skills needed to solve complex word-based challenges. We teach logical thinking, language manipulation, and word association, enabling students to confidently identify patterns and relationships under time pressure. By tailoring lessons to reflect the style of top-tier schools, we ensure students approach verbal reasoning questions with accuracy, efficiency, and confidence.

Our 11+ non-verbal reasoning tuition equips students to excel in this visually focused exam section. We teach proven strategies for pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, and sequence analysis, helping students interpret visual information quickly and systematically. By developing logical thinking and problem-solving techniques, we ensure students build the confidence and accuracy needed to succeed in both GL and CEM exam formats.

We use past papers and mock tests to provide realistic exam practice, building familiarity and confidence ahead of the 11+ exams. Our tutors conduct timed mock exams replicate real test conditions, helping students build confidence, manage time effectively, and identify areas for improvement to achieve top scores. Time management strategies are also a key focus, ensuring students work efficiently under pressure. This targeted approach, combined with ongoing feedback, ensures each child progresses effectively and is fully prepared to achieve their best on exam day. 

Our 11+ interview preparation helps students develop the confidence and skills required to excel in school interviews. We conduct realistic 11+ Mock interviews with former heads of top independent schools, familiarising students with common formats, questions, and expectations. We also offer Interview Preparation Sessions to help students familiarise themselves with the interview format. 

Our Teaching Method

Our proven approach to 11+ preparation combines expertise, structure, and personalised support:

1. Initial Discussion & Academic Assessment

We begin with an initial discussion with you about your child’s needs, followed by an academic assessment benchmarked against UK independent school averages. This helps us tailor your child's tuition and guide school selection for the best independent schools in the UK such as Westminster, KCS Wimbledon, St Pauls, and Latymer. The assessment results support informed decisions, keeping your child on track to achieve their academic goals and succeed in the admissions process.

2. Targeted Tuition

After the assessment, we consider your child’s target schools to create a tailored tuition checklist and match them with the ideal tutor. We carefully evaluate tutors based on availability, experience, approach, alongside your preferences and location. Our Education Team will introduce you to the selected tutor, and your child will then receive a bespoke study plan with focused objectives to help them achieve their goals.

3. Entrance Exam Preparation

Throughout your child's tuition, their tutor will guide them through the entire 11+ entrance exam process, from the ISEB Pre-Test to interview preparation. Our experienced tutors will help improve your child's exam technique and scores by working through past papers, teaching them to identify question types, manage time effectively, apply their knowledge under pressure, and approach questions with confidence.

4. Interview Preparation

Interviews are a crucial part of the school entrance procedure and often require specific tuition or preparation. Our expert tutors will provide your child with guidance on demystifying and mastering 11+ school interviews, through techniques, tips, and building confidence in answering questions.

5. Mock Interviews With Former Heads

We also offer mock interviews to accompany your child's tuition. Our School Entry Mock Interviews, conducted by former heads of top independent schools, are a unique opportunity to meet with a former Head of a top Independent school. They will draw on their extensive knowledge to create a realistic interview experience, so that your child knows what to expect and how to prepare for competitive school interviews.

Our 11+ Tutors

Qualified Tutors for All 11+ Exam Boards

Our team of expert 11+ tutors have been hand-picked, to help your child towards successful entry into leading Independent and Grammar schools across London and the UK.

Sandip
Sandip
7+, 11+ Entrance Exams, GCSE and A Level

Sandip graduated with a History BA from Queen Mary University of London, he then completed his History MA, which specialised in Global, Imperial and Postcolonial History at the sam...

Anna
Anna
Primary Education and Assessment

Anna has 25 years’ experience as a class teacher, SENCO/Inclusion Manager and Reading Recovery teacher, as well as being a member of the Senior Leadership Team as Acting Assistant ...

Rupert
Rupert
School Exam Entrance Specialist

Having spent nearly 10 years working as a professional teacher and private tutor, Rupert has always felt that the priority of education is achieving one’s personal best and inspiri...

Darya
Darya
Secondary Education, University level studies, GCSE Specialist

Darya has over seven years of tutoring experience. One of her key strengths is making Maths “click,” reducing the degree of abstraction, making complex concepts easier to understan...

Alfie
Alfie
Physics GCSE Specialist

With a specialism in Physics and Maths, and holding a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Girton College, University of Cambridge, Alfie deeply understands the AQA and Edexcel cu...

Tom H
Tom
GCSE Specialist Tutor - Maths and Physics

As a Cambridge graduate with a distinction in his PGCE, Thomas brings both expertise and enthusiasm to his sessions. He is known for being patient and understanding of the unique l...

11+ Testimonials



FAQs - 11+ Exam Boards & ISEB Pre-Test Support

The 11+ exams are competitive entrance tests taken by students in Year 6 for admission to grammar and independent schools across the UK. These exams assess key areas, including English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The specific format of the exam can vary depending on the school and the exam board, such as GL, CEM, or ISEB. At Ivy Education, our 11+ tuition prepares students for all sections of the exam, with tailored lessons, mock tests, and proven strategies to help them succeed.

The ISEB Pre-Test is an online assessment used by many independent schools for Year 6 applicants. It evaluates English, Maths, Verbal, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Our tutors provide targeted preparation for the ISEB alongside other 11+ exams.

We recommend beginning 11+ preparation around 12 to 18 months before the exam. This timeframe allows students to build a strong foundation in core subjects, develop effective exam strategies, and work on areas requiring improvement. However, the exact duration can vary depending on your child’s current ability and goals. At Ivy Education, we create personalised study plans to ensure steady progress, whether your child is starting early or requires focused support closer to the exam date.

GL and CEM are two different 11+ exam boards. GL focuses more on curriculum-based English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. CEM is designed to be less predictable and includes mixed-style comprehension and problem-solving. We tailor our tuition to the specific format used by your target schools. We've written a guide on the differences between GL and CEM.

The 11+ exams typically cover four key areas: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. English includes reading comprehension, grammar, and creative writing. Maths focuses on arithmetic, problem-solving, and numerical reasoning. Verbal Reasoning develops logical thinking and language manipulation, while Non-Verbal Reasoning tests a child’s ability to identify patterns and relationships in visual sequences. Our tutors provide comprehensive preparation for each subject, ensuring students are confident and fully prepared for exam day.

Our ISEB Common Pre-Test and 11+ tutors are specifically trained and highly knowledgeable regarding the specific entrance exams for each school. They will ensure their tuition programme targets every child’s exacting needs.

A tutor can offer customised instruction and practice in key subjects and test-taking strategies for the ISEB Pre-Test or 11 Plus, focusing on your child's specific needs.

Look for 11+ tutors with a strong track record of helping students excel in 11 Plus exams, and consider their qualifications, teaching methods, and availability to ensure they are a good fit for your child's specific needs.

Our tutors are either fully qualified teachers or full time professional tutors. They have all been through the same rigorous selection process, where they are interviewed, observed teaching, and 11+ trained. It goes without saying that they have exemplary experience and qualifications, which allows us to focus on ensuring they have a brilliant rapport with your child.

Our recommendation is always less intensive over a longer period of time. For students preparing for the ISEB Pre-Test and 11+ we recommend sessions of 1 hour 15 minutes once or twice a week. The main focus is exam technique in order to maximise scores. Assuming your child is targeting the right schools for them, they should not need more sessions with a 12 to 18 month lead time.

We provide monthly reports to measure your child's progress, providing you with valuable insights into their development and areas of improvement. The tutor will also outline the upcoming objectives and associated achievement criteria, so you are fully informed of the plan of action.

Absolutely! Our tutors incorporate 11+ past papers into our tuition sessions to give your child the opportunity to practice with real exam questions. This not only helps them become familiar with the format of the 11 plus test but also allows them to develop effective strategies for answering different types of questions. You can explore our range of 11 plus past papers to see the resources we offer.

GL and CEM are two of the main exam boards for the 11+ exams, but they have slight differences. GL exams are more structured, with clear question formats across English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. CEM exams are designed to be less predictable, with mixed question types and a strong focus on time management. We prepare students for both formats by providing tailored practice, mock exams, and strategies to ensure they can handle any question confidently and efficiently. We've written a full guide here that explains the differences in-depth.

We offer interview preparation sessions and mock interviews as separate packages. Our mock interviews are led by former heads of top independent schools and provide students with realistic practice, helping them understand the format and expectations. We focus on building communication skills, confidence, and thoughtful responses, ensuring students make a positive and lasting impression.

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