Structured preparation for selective entry and private school scholarship exams, covering reading, mathematical reasoning, thinking skills and writing under strict time limits.
Selective and scholarship tests are not harder versions of school work. They are speed and reasoning tests, sat by strong students against a tight clock, where the gap between a place and a near miss is usually pacing and technique rather than knowledge.
Most papers assess reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, thinking skills or abstract reasoning, and a written piece. Thinking skills in particular is rarely taught in class, which is why unprepared students lose the most marks there and why preparation shows the fastest gain.
Dense unfamiliar passages, inference and vocabulary in context, answered at speed.
Multi-step worded problems that test reasoning rather than computation.
Logic, patterns and abstract reasoning, taught as recognisable question families.
Creative, persuasive and analytical prompts, planned and drafted in under 30 minutes.
| Time before the test | Focus | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 12 months | Reading speed, reasoning and vocabulary | Weekly |
| 3 to 6 months | Question families and timed sections | Weekly plus practice papers |
| 4 to 8 weeks | Full timed papers and pacing | Weekly intensive |
| Under 4 weeks | Technique, triage and confidence only | Short block, with honest expectations |
Selective and scholarship places are limited and competitive, and preparation cannot manufacture a result far outside a child current level. We will say so if we think the target is unrealistic or the timeline too short, because an over-prepared, anxious child who misses out is a bad outcome for everyone.
Where preparation genuinely helps is familiarity and pacing. Children who have sat timed papers in the real format do not lose marks to panic, mismanaged time or unfamiliar question types, and that is often worth more than extra content.
A timed sample section to see where your child sits against the real standard.
A recommended timeline, or a straight answer that the target does not fit the time available.
Question families, reasoning technique and marked writing.
Complete papers under exam conditions before the real thing.
A timed sample section shows where your child genuinely sits against the standard, before you commit to anything.