SATs results in Greater London determine how children are grouped when they start secondary school. For Greenwich pupils, tutors we partner with focus on the specific skills each paper demands — from multi-step arithmetic problems to inference questions in reading — ensuring children feel prepared rather than pressured.
Next Steps
If your child in Greenwich is approaching SATs, we can help them feel ready. Drop us a message to discuss where they are now and what support would make the most difference.
When to Start
Starting in Year 5 gives the most time to fill gaps — particularly in maths, where foundational weaknesses can be hard to fix quickly. Year 6 preparation then focuses on applying those skills under test conditions. For Greenwich families who come to us in Year 6, we can still make a significant difference by targeting the topics most likely to appear and building test strategy rapidly. But earlier is always better, especially for children who find reading or maths genuinely difficult.
Mental and Written Maths
The arithmetic paper tests calculation skills: long multiplication, long division, fractions, decimals, and percentages. There's no room for reasoning here — it's about speed and accuracy. Tutors we partner with in Greenwich build these skills through regular practice, focusing on the methods children are expected to use and the common errors that cost marks. Fluent arithmetic is also the foundation for the two reasoning papers, so time spent here pays off twice.
Seeing Results
Parents in Greenwich should be able to see tangible evidence that tutoring is working. After each block of work, the tutor provides a brief update on what was covered, how the learner responded, and what comes next. For exam-level pupils, we track scores on topic tests and timed papers, giving a concrete picture of improvement — not vague reassurances. If progress stalls, we adjust the approach rather than repeating what is not working.
Beyond the Classroom
School teaching is designed for the middle of the ability range. Those who are behind get left further behind; those who are ahead plateau. Tutoring in Greenwich works precisely because it meets each learner where they are. Whether a pupil needs to revisit fundamentals or push beyond what school covers, a dedicated tutor shapes every lesson to their level, their goals, and the areas where improvement will matter most.
GPS Paper
The GPS paper tests grammar terminology (subordinate clauses, modal verbs, relative pronouns) alongside spelling and punctuation. It's often the paper that children in Greenwich find most unfamiliar, because the metalanguage can be confusing. Tutors we partner with teach this vocabulary explicitly, using examples and practice questions to make abstract concepts concrete. Spelling lists are practised regularly, and common patterns are taught systematically.