Blog Posts
11+ Preparation Blogposts
Adaptive Tests and How to Prepare for Them
Adaptive tests have become increasingly popular, particularly for 11+ independent school examinations where they have the facilities for each child to have their own device and take their own test online. They are not currently used by any grammar schools in their...
What is the CAT4 Test?
What is the CAT4 Test? Understanding the Cognitive Abilities Test. If you're a parent, educator, or student in the UK or some international school systems, you may have heard about the CAT4 tests. But what exactly are they? Here, we will explore what CAT4 tests are,...
What is the Future Stories Community Enterprise?
What is the Future Stories Community Enterprise? The Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) was established in early 2022 and their aim is to make grammar school entrance examinations both rigorous and yet accessible to all children, including disadvantaged and...
What is the 11+ CEM Select Exam?
What is the CEM Select Exam? CEM Select is a computer assessment designed for selective independent schools, partially-selective state schools and grammar Schools. They are used for 11+, 13+ at Year 7 entry and in other year groups for late transfer. CEM Select...
Preparing for 11+ Interviews
Interviews can be a daunting time for children, especially for those who feel they lack confidence in these situations, but they needn’t be! Have a read of our blog post all about helping your child to prepare for their 11+ interview. Why do schools interview...
How to prepare your child for the 11+ at home!
Preparing for the 11+ examinations is hard work. The top schools are highly competitive and they are looking for the children who ‘stand-out’ from the rest. As tutors, we do everything that we can to help your child reach their full potential in English, maths, VR and...
Creative Writing Blogposts
What are the writing genres and their features in Key Stage 2?
Here are the main writing genres your children will learn during primary school education and their key features: Narrative/Story Writing: Story start, build up, problem and resolution. Characters, setting, and plot development. Descriptive language to paint a vivid...
Why should your child join our creative writing courses?
Children study English often every day at school so why are our creative writing courses so important? In the latest national Key Stage 2 assessment results published in July 2024, 72% of pupils met the expected standard in writing at the end of Key Stage 2, a lower...
Igniting Writing: Why it Matters in 2025
In July 2023, the National Literacy Trust published a report entitled, Children and Young People’s Writing in 2023. The report summarises the findings from their 2023 Annual Literacy Survey, which was completed by 71,351 children and young people aged 5-18 in schools...
Assessing Children’s Writing and Raising the BAR
How best to assess a child’s writing level has long been a source of debate. The 2014 National Curriculum for primary level English splits writing into three main categories: Transcription (spelling and handwriting) Composition (ideas and structure) Vocabulary,...
10 Summer Holiday Creative Writing Ideas for KS2
10 Summer Holiday Creative Writing Ideas for Key Stage 2Here are a few ideas to keep your children writing over the summer holidays! Happy writing! My Favourite Summer Memory: Write about your most cherished memory from a past summer holiday. Describe the...
List of 11+ creative writing tasks taken from real exams
The questions your child might be asked in an 11+ creative writing assessment is endless but here is a list which you could use to guide you. These tasks are all taken from real 11+ papers, from schools including Latymer Upper, St Pauls Girls, The Perse School,...
Reading and Comprehension Blogposts
What books should my child be reading in 2025?
Are you stuck for reading book ideas for your child?Here are some ideas to get you going! Reception: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin JnrWhere’s Spot? by Eric HillThe Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleClifford the Big Red Dog by Norman...
Summer Holiday Reading Challenge
Reading challenges can be a fun and effective way to encourage children to read more and improve their reading skills. Here are a few ideas for reading challenges that you can use with your primary school-aged children: The Reading Bingo Challenge: Complete...
Getting your Child Interested in the News
Why is it important to encourage your child to be interested in the news? Awareness of the world: The news provides information about current events, both locally and globally. It helps children understand what is happening in the world, including social, political,...
Phonics Blogposts
Phases 4-6 Phonics
How is Phonics Taught? Phonics is taught in phases, starting in the preschool setting and continuing until year 2. Phase 1 is usually covered in the preschool setting as well as in Reception and is all about speaking and listening. Following on from this, Phase 2...
Phase 3 Phonics
How is Phonics Taught? Phonics is taught in phases, starting in the preschool setting and continuing until year 2. Phase 1 is usually covered in the preschool setting as well as in Reception and is all about speaking and listening. Following on from this, Phase 2...
Phase 2 Phonics
How is Phonics Taught? Phonics is taught in phases, starting in the preschool setting and continuing until year 2. Phase 1 is usually covered in the preschool setting as well as in Reception and is all about speaking and listening. Following on from this, Phase 2...