While there's no 11+ exam for state schools in Dorking, many families here prepare their children for entrance to independent or out-of-area selective schools. These assessments typically cover English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning — and our experienced educators help students approach them with confidence.
Scholarship and Entrance Exam Preparation
Independent schools and scholarship programmes set their own assessments. These are often more challenging than the standard curriculum, testing problem-solving ability and breadth of knowledge. Our experienced educators in Dorking prepare students for these exams with practice papers, timed exercises, and focused teaching on the reasoning and comprehension skills that distinguish successful candidates.
For Parents and Carers
Families know their children better than anyone. That insight is valuable — and we use it. At the start, we ask parents to share their observations: which subjects cause stress, when homework becomes a battle, what has worked or not worked before. Throughout the process, regular updates ensure families in Dorking always have a clear picture of progress and next steps.
Learning to Learn
The aim of tutoring is not dependence — it is independence. Working with Dorking learners always includes helping them develop effective study habits: how to plan a revision timetable, how to use active recall instead of passive re-reading, how to break large tasks into manageable steps. These meta-skills are as valuable as the subject knowledge itself, and they serve pupils long after tutoring ends.
Building the Right Skills
Entrance exam preparation isn't just about practising past papers. It's about developing flexible thinking — being able to approach an unfamiliar question type calmly and logically. We teach reasoning strategies, vocabulary building, and mathematical problem-solving in ways that give students an edge. Preparation typically takes 6-12 months of regular sessions.
Preparing your young person for a selective entrance exam? Speak with our team to discuss your target school and we'll create a preparation plan tailored to what's required.