10th January 2011 9:00
By Blue Tutors
More children than ever are receiving private tuition to win a place at grammar schools. As reported on the Daily Telegraph’s website, the number of children sitting the 11+ exam has increased in the last year, and in some cases, the parents of students as young as 3 are contacting tutors to begin tuition for the 11+.
One tutor said that most parents look for a private tutor roughly two years before their child is due to take the 11+ exam, and that generally parents are looking for tuition in Maths, English, Numerical Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning. However, another tutor reported being asked to tutor a 3 year old in preparation for the 11+, and suggested to the parent that there was far more time than the parent seemed to appreciate. Despite his advice, the tutor was left in no doubt that the parent would simply find a tutor elsewhere. The main increase in private tuition has been for children around the ages of 5 and 6.
There are only 164 grammar schools left in England since the Labour government stopped any new grammar schools from opening, a decision which the new coalition government have supported. Although this has been seen a positive step to reduce academic inequalities, it has also created an increased demand for the few remaining grammar schools. If parents want what they consider to be the best education for their child then winning a place at a grammar school is seen as the only alternative to paying the fees at a private school, fees which make the cost of two years of private tuition seem insignificant.