Dorset doesn't have state grammar schools, but Sherborne families preparing children for independent school scholarships, selective entry, or entrance exams to schools outside the area still benefit from structured preparation. Our dedicated educators cover the maths, English, and reasoning skills that most selective entrance assessments test.
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 dedicated educators in Sherborne prepare students for these exams with practice papers, timed exercises, and focused teaching on the reasoning and comprehension skills that distinguish successful candidates.
Learning to Learn
The aim of tutoring is not dependence — it is independence. Working with Sherborne 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 previous exam 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 child for a selective entrance exam? Let us know to discuss your target school and we'll create a preparation plan tailored to what's required.