11 Plus Tutoring
From steady progress to peak preparation
London, UK-wide, worldwide online
11+, Key Stage 2
The 2024-25 cohort of Dukes Tutoring students achieved a 98% success rate in the 11+
What is the 11 Plus, and how can Dukes Tutoring help?
The 11 Plus exam is an entrance assessment used by some grammar schools and selective independent schools in England to determine admission for Year 7 (age 11). The process typically involves testing a child’s ability in areas such as English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
These exams are designed to measure aptitude, as well as curriculum knowledge, focusing on problem-solving, comprehension, and logical thinking skills. The format and subjects can vary by region and school, but most tests are taken in the autumn term of Year 6.
At Dukes Tutoring, our 11 Plus tutoring is delivered one-to-one by extremely experienced tutors with proven track records of success with leading senior schools.
Contact our friendly team to get matched with the best-fit tutor for your child.
11 Plus Tutoring with Dukes Tutoring
-
11 Plus Maths
Our tutors cover every area of the curriculum in detail, including algebra, fractions, and geometry, and introduces any appropriate elements from the KS3 maths curriculum.
-
11 Plus English
Our tutoring covers comprehension, reading, writing, grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and introduces any appropriate elements from the KS3 English curriculum.
-
11 Plus Verbal Reasoning
Our preparation includes a full range of question types with a strong focus on exam technique, including how to approach specific topics.
-
11 Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning
Our tutoring also covers a full range of question types and expert guidance on test techniques and approaches.
Meet our 11 Plus Tutors
Please see a small selection of the tutors who deliver our 11 Plus tutoring below.
All are highly experienced and have proven track records of success with leading senior schools in London and the UK.
We take care to personally match each child with the tutor who best suits their target schools, personality, and strengths and weaknesses.
Clive
“After a first career in business, Clive has spent over twenty years working in education. Whilst his main teaching subject has been mathematics, most of his time has been spent in leadership roles ensuring that student outcomes and wellbeing are always at the centre of everything his schools achieve. He has extensive experience both in the UK and overseas, having been a Head of two schools in the UK – Packwood Haugh and Northcote Lodge, and having completed two interim Headships overseas in Egypt and Spain. His knowledge of the prep to senior school transfer process is outstanding and he is very proud of the successful transition of so many of his pupils to their first choice school. He is very well connected within the sector having previously been the Chair of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) finance committee and having sat on the Independent Schools Council (ISC) finance committee. His knowledge of the independent school sector, both day and boarding, is extensive. His mix of experience and skills make him a very well rounded consultant who sees the bigger picture. However, he still really enjoys working with individual students to help them achieve their potential and their goals. He has been part of the Dukes team for some years now and is delighted to be supporting the consultancy and tutoring service.”
Qualifications
Denise
“Having worked as a classroom teacher for more than thirty years – including roles as diverse as Head of English, Head of PHSE and Head of Religious Studies. I joined the Dukes Tutoring team as a private tutor more than ten years ago. Over time, my role with Dukes Tutoring expanded and I became the examiner for 11+ English mock exams: this has seen me both writing and marking these exams. I have also run numerous workshops in both English and maths for 7+ and 11+ students. I pride myself on having a 100% success record for my 11+ students being offered a place in one of their schools of choice. Outside of my professional role with Dukes Tutoring, I am a qualified teacher of both ballet and tap dancing and attend classes twice a week. And I am passionate about Fiat 500 cars – having never owned any other car in my life!”
Qualifications
- University of Manchester
- BEd in Education and Psychology
- Associate of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing
Elliot
“I have been working in education since 2019 and as a tutor specialising in school entrance exams for over three years. I specialise in all subjects for the 11+, 13+ and Common Entrance exams. In addition, I have a vast amount of experience in assisting younger students in their 7/8+ exams. I have prepared students for a range of competitive schools including St Paul’s, Westminster, Eton, Winchester, Highgate, Latymer Upper, City of London (Boys and Girls) and many more. My tutoring style is rigorous and structured but also holistic, focusing not only on preparing students for exams but in developing them as an individual and critical thinker. I am a keen writer and published my debut collection of short stories, ‘Peace and Quiet and Other Stories’ in October 2025. The leading story of this collection was longlisted for the Yeovil Literary Prize 2014. ”
Qualifications
- TEFL & TESOL -Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- University of Nottingham – LL.M Human Rights Law
- University of Birmingham – LL.B Law
Gil
“I am an experienced and approachable maths tutor with a background in both state and prep schools, specialising in 11+, 13+, and GCSE maths. I began my career in primary education, which helped me develop patience, adaptability, and the skills to support students with a wide range of learning needs. Moving into London prep schools strengthened my subject knowledge and gave me a clear understanding of what competitive entrance exams require. Even after more than a decade as an educator, my approach remains holistic: rather than focusing solely on past papers, I help students build a deep understanding of each topic and develop confidence in problem-solving and reasoning. I have supported students in gaining places at schools such as Alleyn’s, JAGS, Dulwich College, Highgate, and Whitgift. More recently, I have helped several Dukes students secure offers from Westminster, City of London, and Habs, with some receiving scholarships. I have also guided pupils through the Primary Maths Challenge and UKMT, with many achieving Gold Awards and progressing to the Bonus Round. Many families choose to continue lessons beyond exams, as their children enjoy the sessions and make consistent progress. I aim to create a calm, supportive learning environment where every student feels comfortable asking questions, challenging themselves, and growing in confidence.”
Qualifications
- University of East London – PGCE Primary
- Brunel University – MA Education
- University of Malaya – BSc (hons)- Science with Education
Jacob
“Jacob is a highly experienced and committed teacher and tutor with several years’ experience supporting students across a wide range of ages and abilities. He specialises in Mathematics, working with students from KS1 to A Level, including 11+, 13+ and Common Entrance preparation. Jacob is particularly skilled at developing tailored strategies to support both students who need confidence-building and those who benefit from stretch and challenge. He has successfully prepared numerous pupils for 11+ entrance exams, helping them secure places at highly competitive state selective and independent schools, including Haberdashers’ Boys’ and Girls’, St Albans, Highgate, Belmont, St Paul’s, North London Collegiate School, UCS, QE Boys, Merchant Taylors’, Latymer Upper, Wren Academy and City of London School. Known for his calm and supportive approach, Jacob focuses on building confidence and adapting the curriculum to meet each student’s individual needs. Alongside his tutoring, he plays a senior tutor role where he leads exam preparation courses, workshops and mock exams. He has worked with Dukes Tutoring since 2016 as an academic tutor and workshop leader.”
Qualifications
- University of Sheffield
- MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering (1st Class) Kings College London
- PGCE in Mathematics (School Direct)
Katie
“With over 16 years of experience as both a classroom teacher and one-to-one tutor, I am dedicated to fostering a supportive and trusting learning environment where children feel motivated to pursue their goals and explore their learning potential. It is a privilege to tailor learning to each student’s individual needs, and I take great pride in helping children grow into confident, enthusiastic learners who think independently, work creatively and enjoy the process of problem-solving. I specialise in all subjects for the 11+ and have experience preparing students for the 7+, 8+, and 10+ exams. Over the years, I have guided many children toward securing places at some of the country’s top independent and grammar schools. Outside of teaching, I’m happiest outdoors—be it hiking, camping, or just getting into nature. To unwind, I love a good book or film. ”
Qualifications
- Oxford Brookes University, MA – Creative Writing
- Oxford Brookes University, PGCE– Primary
- Manchester University, BA (hons)- Religious Studies
Nick
“I am an experienced mathematics tutor with over twenty years of teaching across GCSE, iGCSE, A Level, Further Mathematics, a wide range of school entrance exams, and university mathematics admissions tests. I hold a PhD in Mathematics, a PGCE, Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) status, and national leadership qualifications (NPQSL and NPQLTD). I have a strong record of helping students make rapid, often transformational progress, and I specialise in building confidence through clear explanations and a supportive, question-friendly approach. Alongside tutoring, I have recently worked for the DfE-funded Advanced Mathematics Support Programme, where I trained teachers and delivered workshops on university admissions tests, applications and interview preparation. Outside of work, I enjoy time outdoors, especially with my four grown up children who are now at university.”
Tania
- 11+
- 13+
- 7+
- Education Consultant
- English
- Interview Preparation
- KS1
- KS2
- Literacy & Numeracy
- Maths
- Music
- NVR
- Occasional Place: 8+ 9+ 10+
- VR
Tania
“I have extensive experience in education having taught for over 25 years as a class teacher, Assistant Head and Deputy Head Teacher in outstanding primary schools in Norfolk, London and Cheshire. Also, I was Head of Schools, Head of Learning and Head of Dukes Tutoring; however, I now focus solely on tutoring. I am meticulous and take pride in creating structured lessons to match each of my student’s potential. Lesson feedback is both thorough and personal, inspiring students to meet achievable goals, involving them in setting their own academic targets. I am enthusiastic and highly committed, building professional relationships with my students and their families. I also act as an education consultant for Dukes Tutoring, conducting many academic assessment reviews and guidance, as well as interview preparation for secondary schools. Music is my passion, and I am a skilled pianist, a keen songwriter and a member of a local community choir. I love both attending and performing in concerts as well as regular trips to the theatre.”
Qualifications
- PGCE – Homerton College, University of Cambridge.
- BA (Hons) Music – Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge.
Ted
“As a former Head of English, I possess a deep understanding of the academic landscape and what students need in order to succeed across 13+, GCSE and A Level. My approach is holistic and student-centred, focusing not only on academic progress but also on building confidence and enjoyment. I create a warm, supportive environment where students feel comfortable expressing their ideas and developing their voice with thoughtful guidance that helps them strengthen their skills. Whatever a student’s goals or challenges, I am committed to helping them reach their full potential — both in and beyond the classroom.”
Qualifications
- Durham University, PGCE – Secondary English and Drama
- Inlingua, Cheltenham, Cert – TESOL
- Aberstwyth University, BA (Hons) – English
Supporting services
Online tailored educational assessments for the 11 Plus, covering strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, providing valuable insights for exam preparation and school placement. We also offer an in depth academic assessment, covering all aspects of the 11 Plus with an educational consultation.
Mock exams form a final and vital stage in the 11 Plus preparations, and take place once tutors have covered the 11 Plus curriculum with their students. Dukes Tutoring 11 Plus mock exams provide a taste of the real experience, with all of our mock exams taking place under strictly timed conditions.
We provide detailed mock exam feedback and results, to ensure that the final 11 Plus tutoring is highly focused on key areas for improvement.
Sitting an exam under timed conditions may still be relatively new and alarming to this age group, so it’s good practice for them to write practice papers this way. Our 11 Plus tutors seek to provide an authentic examination experience with our age-specific 11+ mock exams.
Our Dukes Tutoring exam packs is a resource of over 100 papers, available in digital or print formats and caters to a broad spectrum of boys’, girls’ and co-educational schools. The papers cover a wide range of topics and contain a diverse list of question types and mark schemes.
Interview preparation is often a key element in gaining a school place through an 11 Plus admissions process. The interview process often includes a one-to-one conversation with the head teacher to reveal the child’s social skills, confidence and focus through focused 11 Plus interview questions. In addition to our 11 Plus tutoring, we offer bespoke interview preparation and group mock interviews too. The team can advise on what is best for the school your child is applying to.
Throughout the year, we offer workshops to help tackle the 11 Plus. Check our Upcoming Events page to see what is coming up next.
FAQs
We offer a bespoke one-to-one tutoring service for children preparing for the 11+ exam, delivered in-person or online by tutors carefully matched to the student.
Every student is different and the 11 Plus journey is very personal to each individual, their current academic level, school goals and time scale. Many students start tutoring for the 11 Plus in Year 4 or early Year 5. We find that at least a year of preparation gives optimum results, but of course, every child is different and starting later is not a barrier to success.
The 11+ entrance exams are taken in Year 6. Grammar schools and state selective schools usually sit in September, with some schools having a second round in October. Independent school exams often take place between November – January of Year 6, although it is known for some to take place even earlier in October.
As outlined above you can expect maths, English, VR and NVR. Additionally, some also include aspects such as creative comprehension, puzzles and problem solving and critical thinking. Dukes Tutoring stays ‘in the know’ to ensure our bespoke 11 Plus tutoring is covering the expected content depending on your schools of choice. This is overseen by Head of Primary Tuition.
An academic assessment for your child is a must before they embark on the 11+ journey. This will inform you if they have the potential to pass these challenging exams, and indeed whether they are likely to manage in a highly academic selective senior school. If their academic potential doesn’t match up to the school’s future expectations, then you might be setting them up to fail, even if they can be prepared well enough to secure a place.
Children should not be intensively tutored to get into a school for which they lack the innate aptitude to succeed. Therefore, we always recommend assessing children before discussing possible school choices with you. Once we have agreed on target schools we can look at routes forward.
Some of our school successes
Dukes Tutoring provides an incredible bespoke service for all things 11+. The team have guided both of our children (and my wife and I) through the 11+ process. From initial assessment, choosing of the perfect tutor, regular reports, mock exams and continuous support, the service has been exceptional. Both children secured places at all North London selective schools for which they sat academic exams
Get started today
Book your
free consultation
Let’s have a friendly chat about how we can help your child succeed with private tutoring.
Book consultation