The 11+ examination is the entrance test for the Boys and Girls Grammar Schools in Torquay and Churston Ferrers Grammar School.

The 11+ -from September 2023 -consists of two papers that are around 50 minutes each. They test on English and Maths and created by the provider GL.

Your child can sit the exam at either of the grammar schools and still apply to both Churston and the Girls/Boys Grammar School.

The 11+ examination takes place in September - usually the second Saturday. Children will be at the beginning of Year 6.

There are several reasons why you should consider tutoring for your child if you want them to sit the 11+ examination.

Firstly, the 11+ includes questions that rely on children having had exposure to year 6 teaching content.

The test is administered under timed conditions. It relies on speed as much as knowledge and we work to build our tutees stamina and ability to find key information in wordy questions.

The exam is a multiple choice test. This means there is a multiple choice answer sheet and examination booklet. Filling in answers in the right place and managing the exam booklets can often be trickier for tutees than it sounds!

Tutoring allows children to feel prepared and understand the format for the test.

All 11+ Superstars tutors are qualified and in post teachers with up to date knowledge of the curriculum and teaching strategies. Did you know? Some tutoring companies have tutors who don’t hold qualified teaching status - it’s worth checking.

We want our tutees to be fully equipped for the demands of the entrance test and tutoring is done in a relaxed and friendly manner.

Regular but manageable homework is set each week that mirrors our session work. Full feedback is given and support is offered.

We give verbal feedback to parents after each session to help you understand what we’ve been learning and how well your child is doing.

Last year, 92% of our tutees gained a place at their grammar school of choice. 100% of children gained at least 1 yes. This year, 100% of our tutees gained all 3 yes ticks on their guidance letter.

Our Mock Exam timetable starts from March. We offer non-compulsory monthly mocks to best prepare tutees.

We offer Masterclasses throughout the Easter and Summer holidays. These group sessions of no more than 6 children explore areas of learning in depth and develop exam technique. On average, our tutees gain 8% more marks from each mock they sit.

But don’t just take our word for it, hop on to our Facebook page and check out our 5* reviews!

This is a really common consideration. All children are different and you- as their parent- know them best. All children need support to learn how best to approach exam-style questions. Question phrasing can be tricky in exam questions and we support children who recognise the key parts of the question and track back to ensure they have answered all parts of the question.

If you're not sure if your child needs to be tutored, we recommend getting in touch to book an assessment session. We will work with your child for an hour and identify any gaps in knowledge and offer you advice on next steps. There is no obligation to book further sessions.

The Torbay Grammar Schools recently moved to delivering the GL version of the 11+ examination.

It is important to note that the children are tested on Maths and English content up to a Year 5 standard. This means that there ISN'T Year 6 content, such as ratio, algebra and 4 quadrant co-ordinates included in the examination. Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning will also NOT be tested.

The process of applying for a place at a grammar school can be confusing for parents. Here’s our whistle stop guide of what happens and what you need to do whilst your child is in Year 5.

1. To sit the examination, you need to complete the registration form (available from the Grammar School websites from Mid-March) and submit it to the school where your child will be taking the tests. This must be submitted by Mid-July. In the week prior to the test you will provided with further details and given either an AM or PM slot. This slot is assigned and can’t be changed.

2. The examination takes place in Mid-September- around two weeks after your child has started Year 6. The schools recommend you take the test at the school where you wish to attend but this isn’t essential.

3. In Mid-October the schools will issue you a guidance letter. You can see what this looks like on our FB page. This letter tells you whether or not your application for a place is likely to be accepted. This will help inform your secondary school choices.

4. By the end of October you need to have completed a Common Application Form from your local authority(Torbay/Teignbridge). You can list up to 3 schools in order of preference. You can choose the Boys/Girls school and Churston as well as Spires grammar stream on your form if you wish to.

Is 1:1 or group sessions best for my child? If you child enjoys being part of a team, working collaboratively and a healthy dose of competition, group sessions are a great choice. There are no more than 4 children in a group and offer lots of fun and hard work. We work through the curriculum paying particular attention to new areas of learning. These sessions are our most cost effective option.

1:1 sessions suit children who have gaps in learning or may need a more bespoke session. Whichever session you choose, we know your child will make huge progress and have fun in the process.

We offer Running Start 1:1 sessions for Year 4 children and 1:1 or group Superstar sessions for Year 5 children. We recommend beginning your 11+ tutoring journey no later than the beginning of Year 5 so we can make sure your child it suitably prepared. That being said, do get in touch with last minute tutoring requests - we can offer intensive daily tutoring.

We recommend having a full academic year of tutoring, from Year 5 to the examination in Year 6 as a minimum. The 11+ has a large syllabus and we need to ensure your child is well equipped.

We offer Year 4 tutoring sessions and these are really popular.

If you decide you'd like to wait until year 5, there's a few things you can do to keep your child ticking over:

1. learn their timetables to 12 inside and out

2. learn the Year 3/4 and 5/6 spelling lists

3. read widely - this helps your child's vocabulary. Why not come and browse our 11+ library and borrow one of our fab books?

We provide all tutees with their own 11+ Superstars drawstring bag and give advice after the first session about which books to purchase to support our learning.

All writing equipment, including an exam style pencil case, and homework books are provided.