Eleven Plus Choices

What do parents look for in an eleven plus tutor?

A bit of experience.

“No, Mrs. Borthwick, Your child is my first eleven plus pupil. I am so excited. We are going to go on a wonderful journey. This is going to be good!”

“I have been tutoring eleven plus children for eleven years. All my children have passed the eleven plus. Your son will need to work hard and keep his mouth shut. I do not like children who talk back.”

The ability to raise standards.

“We are going to do all sorts of work together,. This is going to be such fun. We will need to read some books together to develop your vocabulary.”

“We will start at the beginning and go to the end. These are the books I use. I don’t want your child to do anything else. You must do what I say or I will stop the classes.”

A cost effective solution

“Payment in advance, please. £.. an hour.”

“Payment in advance, please. £.. an hour.”

Build Confidence

“I am going to try to help you to well at school as well as in the eleven plus. Bring any problems from school to your lessons and we can work on them together. If you do any additional work at home, and have any difficulty, please let me know.”

“My goal is the eleven plus. You work through these books and papers and you should pass. Now pay attention. Do your work. Don’t expect any favours.”

Parents and children will respond to different styles of relationships between teachers, parents and pupils. Not every teacher sets out to be sweetly nice to their pupils. They have a job to do and expect respect and high standards. Other teachers may adopt a different style.

“You pays your money and you takes your choice.”

My Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 1964, suggests the phrase comes from a quotation from Punch in 1846. The phrase, apparently, is derived from a ancient peep show rhyme. The word `peep’ may be taken from the Greek – to stare at. There is also an allusion, however, to when the word peep is used to describe hiding or skulking from creditors.

Of course we know what happened to the tailor who peeped at Lady Godiva as she rode through Coventry – yes, you are right, the tailor had his eyes dug out by the Earl.

All this to say – every now and then take a peep into the lesson – and see how happy and involved your child is. If you are not happy then you know what to do. Do it and don’t hold back.