My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Education

Joint 11+ tuition

19 replies

Hoppinggreen · 22/04/2014 17:48

Our DD will be going into year 5 in September and we hope eventually to our closest Grammar school, her teacher had advised us that she stands a good chance of getting a place.
I have a couple of friends who teach at that Grammar and another local one and based on their advice we have decides to get DD extra tuition from September.
A friend of mine who has a child in DD's class has decide to do the same and has asked us if we would consider joint tuition to save money. I am not sure I want to do this, it might save money but I want my DD to get the best tuition and I don't know if sharing a tutor with mother child would be the best option, or even if a tutor would do this.
If it makes any difference the children are not at the same level academically
Any thoughts? I appreciate people might have views on the whole 11+ and tuition issue but we have decide what we want to do there based on a lot of research so I am looking for advice specifically on whether to have a joint tutor.
Thanks

OP posts:
Report
slowcomputer · 22/04/2014 17:56

If it makes any difference the children are not at the same level academically

No direct knowledge, but this sentence makes me think that the more able child will get less out of it than the less able child. I don't know which is your daughter!

Report
Lilaclily · 22/04/2014 17:58

No I wouldn't
One to one tuition if you can afford it

Report
Lilaclily · 22/04/2014 17:58

No I wouldn't
One to one tuition if you can afford it

Report
Hoppinggreen · 22/04/2014 18:14

Yes we can afford it but I'm not sure if my friend can.
It is my daughter who is more able.
The more I think about it it seems that it's not a good plan, need to decide how to word it to my friend

OP posts:
Report
merlottime · 22/04/2014 20:37

I know friends who share a tutor - she is booked for an hour a week but each DC has half an hour on their own with her rather than shared time with her. It seems to work and is a way of getting some tuition while keeping the costs down.

However round our way the bigger issue is getting a decent tutor. I haven't any personal experience (my two arent going to get into a super selective in a month of sundays!) but other friends who have tried to find a tutor during the first term of Y5 have struggled as they are fully booked up. I suggest you get in quick if you can.

Report
Marmitelover55 · 22/04/2014 20:58

We shared a tutor for selective independent tuition and it worked very well. I think there were 4 girls in total. As it was for verbal and non-verbal reasoning none of the girls had done if before, so don't think there was a huge difference in their levels. One if them ended up with an academic scholarship (not my DD).

Report
Hoppinggreen · 22/04/2014 21:41

Thank you Merlotte, I have spoken to a couple of tutors who say they take bookings from after Easter so I will be sorting that out next week.

OP posts:
Report
ReallyTired · 22/04/2014 23:23

My son had group (3/4 children) tutition with a tutor last year. It was not 11 plus preparation. He had help with his English where as other children in the group were doing eleven plus preparation. He had a one and half hour session. Where appriopate the children were taught as group and they also got some one to one time while the other children got on with work. I think that being in a group made the tutoring more enjoyable for my son.

I can see that sharing tutoring with a child who is competiting for a place at a grammar might be uncomfortable.

Report
MagratGarlik · 22/04/2014 23:30

I sometimes offer joint tuition (not for 11+) for some students. If students are a similar level, it can work well and students can learn from each other, but if they have different needs a tutor will still need to differentiate work reducing benefits and becoming more like classroom teaching on a smaller scale.

If they were similar levels, I'd say go for it, but since they are not, you might be better with one-2-one, or finding a tutor who will match your dd's needs with a student with similar learning needs.

Report
Retropear · 23/04/2014 09:43

Surely if it's just exam familiarisation then it's neither here nor there if it's group.

If it's crucial that a child needs extra individual tutoring to get in then maybe they shouldn't be applying.

Report
cathyandclaire · 23/04/2014 09:52

Dd went to a tutor who did shared sessions (2, occ 3, same age but not the same academically) it worked well. We got double the time for the same money and during the time he was working with the others she was given a past paper/ old essay questions to do. He then went through this with her while the other child was was doing his/her paper.
Often the tutoring isn't intensive teaching it's guidance, practice and exam technique IYSWIM

Report
Hoppinggreen · 23/04/2014 12:30

Thanks Cathy
I agree it is all about technique and familiarity with the papers.
My friend invigilates the exam and other friends teach at the Grammar school so we know exactly what DD needs.
I do think though that joint sessions would benefit the other child more than mine and when it comes down to it I suppose they are in competition.

OP posts:
Report
JohnFarleysRuskin · 23/04/2014 14:12

We did group tuition - it was cheaper and a good way to get DS to go enthusiastically ie. to 'see his mates.'

However, if he had specific problems, 1-to-1 would have been better.

Go with your instinct. You're not keen on this. Don't feel pushed into it.

Report
maree1 · 27/04/2014 13:06

Tutoring with two should be fine. Many tutors work around a small number of past papers - so buy more from WH Smiths or bookshops because past papers help. For English take an extra look at londonmumsmagazine.com/2013/crea ... oney-cards and downloads.bbc.co.uk/radio2/500wo ... k-2014.pdf . For maths Khan Academy online offers some quality and easy to understand free teaching videos.

Report
BigBirdFlies · 27/04/2014 20:28

We used a tutorial centre which had about 6 in each group. I don't think individual tuition is necessary.

Report
Pani6161 · 22/06/2014 01:16

Hi Everyone.My son will be starting year 5 in September and I am looking for very good tuition to help him in English and also prepare him for 11+ exam.
I would appreciate if you can help me in this matter and share your views with me.

Report
antimatter · 22/06/2014 01:21

I think only tutor you booked after assessing both kids can advise you if that is OK.

Report
donnie · 22/06/2014 08:17

I would not pursue this; there is a conflict of interest as , in effect, you and your friend are competing for the same school places. It will cause all kinds of problems. You should get your dd tutored individually. A good teacher will tailor their lessons carefully around a child's strengths and weaknesses which is why individual tuition is so much better than group sessions where there cannot be the same targeted attention.

Report
Retropear · 22/06/2014 09:18

We're with a big set up and it works well in a group.They shuffle the groups according to ability and seem very on the ball as to work set,latest news,linking to mocks,feedback,targets to work on etc.I'm a former teacher and have been impressed.My dc haven't been doing it that long and have been doing it for familiarisation,to cover work not set in their state primary.It has been spot on.

I really don't think any child should need intensive 1to1, in competition type thing.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.