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‘Why leave it to chance?’, one parent shrugged when discussing tutoring in East Kent and it is generally accepted, if begrudgingly by some, that there is an increasingly symbiotic relationship between the tutoring industry and education. There is a well-respected and trusted fleet of local tutors available, usually retired teachers or university students, who will provide experienced tutoring and guidance through the 11+ process and beyond. Word of advice from locals: don’t leave 11+ tutoring to the last-minute; instead, secure your slot from year 4 and definitely no later than year 5.
Kumon Maths and English in Canterbury is hugely popular, so too is Tutor World based at The Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and also in Folkestone. Ashford's Sainsbury's is home to Explore Learning, providing a flexible, convenient and affordable service. The tutor agencies based in London and the southeast are well used too, particularly for online tutoring. We review over 60 of these – from high-end polished agencies such as Bonas MacFarlane to Oppidan Education (mentoring), SENsational Tutors (SEN), Capital Tuition (who only employ teachers), Air Maths Tuition (maths only), Fleet Tutors (mainly online tutoring) and Minerva Tutors (young and dynamic tutors).
Perhaps because of the more laid-back ethos of East Kent, people are normally happy to share details of their tutors. There is the general feeling that ‘we’re all in the same boat, in the same system’ but the parents who ‘tutor their children to within an inch of their life’ are frowned upon – and, yes, they do exist in East Kent. You might also find our tutor advice articles helpful, covering everything from Do I need a tutor? Through to Online tutoring.
Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education for a fee. There are currently around 163 located in 36 English local authorities, with around 167,000 pupils between them. Northern Ireland has a further 67 grammar schools, but there are none in Wales or Scotland. A word of caution: there are private schools that have the word 'grammar' in their name but this is purely for historical reasons.
At specialist music, dance or performing arts schools, the arts aren't optional extras. They’re intrinsic to the school curriculum. Students are expected to fit in high level training and hours of practice alongside a full academic provision. It's a lot to ask any child to take on, but for those with exceptional performing ability this kind of education can be transformative.