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School Open Day visits are a must. The 11 Plus exam provides the means by which the private or grammar school selects the pupils they want on their roll.

On the other hand, the School Open Day gives parents an opportunity to decide whether they want their child to sit the 11 Plus exam for that particular school and ultimately be enrolled as a pupil. It is the main method used by parents in their selection process.

It is extremely important that you take your child to visit the schools on your list and take advantage of the opportunity to see its facilities, meet and talk to teachers, explore classrooms, hear about the school’s successes and future plans. Schools offer specific dates and the most popular schools require parents to book a place as early as possible after release of the Open Day dates, whether it be for Open Mornings, Open Afternoons or Open Evenings.

View open day school list here

11 plus exam preparation has become the ‘norm’ in households all over the UK and a must for parents who want to have some control over their child’s secondary school placement.

Pupils in preparatory schools are guided through extra mathematics coaching in advance of the 11 plus exams. Parents of chidren in state primary schools have now accepted that they too must supplement their child’s learning.

The Independent published an article on this increasing practice “A recent government survey showed that 11 per cent of parents with state-educated children have paid for private tutors. The survey, involving 1,500 parents, also showed that 9 per cent of parents with children as young as five used tutors.” (Independent, 2009). Highlighting how much parents value tuition “The cost of private tuition will vary widely depending on where you live in the UK and what level of tuition you require but, generally speaking, tutors charge between £20 and £80 an hour. “ Read the full article

As a ‘desperate’ parent, what qualities should you be looking for in a tutor?  Here are some tips:

· Qualified teacher status (QTS)

· Specialism  i.e in mathematics

·  Previous experience of 11 plus exam preparation

·  A record of success (pupils who have passed and received top school offers)

·  References or testimonials

All too often parents think that just hiring a tutor is enough, but without the correct tuition your child could still be at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately, with work commitments the majority of parents simply do not have the time to sit down and help their children at home with their maths. More importantly, many parents do not understand the way the subject is now being taught in school, resulting in confused children and many cries of ‘that’s not the way I’m taught in school!”

Admittedly, it’s a fine line finding the correct match between the teaching in school and teaching by a tutor.  At Summit Saturday School qualified specialists teach our students. We have also found that by giving parents the opportunity to speak to children who have had experience of Summit teaching (as well as their parents). It is easy for these children and their parents to see how they too can have a successful outcome.

Maths is taught by experts in a unique, professional way at Summit.  Students who have previously struggled with the subject grow to love and enjoy it and our record of success speaks for itself.

The Gifted and Talented academy which was set up in 2002 and based at Warwick University, is to be scrapped next month.

It was set up to ensure that the very brightest pupils in the UK reached their full potential.  The popular Summer Schools at Warwick ran courses, master classes and provided support for Britain’s brightest.  They attracted over 4,000 secondary age pupils who were privileged to receive learning normally reserved for pupils in private schools.

“Excellence Hubs” were established around the country to provide out-of-school activities for children who were identified by their teacher as being in the top 10 per cent of the school’s ability range.

Parents are now worried and feel let down by the loss of this provision for their gifted children and are concerned that they will not now be academically challenged.  Some are turning to private tuition……

Read the rest

Summit Saturday School (North East) will open in spring 2010. Already an established school in London with prestigious links – this is an exciting development for Teesside.

From April 2010 Summit Saturday (North East) will be located at:
Summit Saturday School – Teesside Venue
North East Saturday School,
c/o Victoria Building
Victoria Road
Middlesbrough
TS1 3AP
Phone: 01642 828 720
Email: enquiries@ne-saturday.co.uk
Website: www.ne-saturday.co.uk

Summit Saturday School is a private school which is open every Saturday during term time. Summit is a formal school, with qualified teachers, a Principal and Deputy Head and the other formalities of a week-day school.
The school’s motto is “we give you the tools to climb mountains!” That is exactly what Summit does by empowering its pupils with excellent teaching and the confidence to excel in examinations as well as in their lives. By the time students leave Summit they are confident and highly motivated.
Class size at Summit is small. This is for the comfort of the teacher and to allow every pupil in the class to be engaged and participate fully. This is the students chance to really explore their subjects and develop a strong understanding.
But Summit is not just about excellent grades, we have an holistic approach to education, so students are invited to workshops that provide them the tools to succeed in exams, interviews, University and later the workplace.
The number of students applying to UK universities has gone up by 22.9% this year alone – meaning that students can no longer only depend upon having good grades to get in to their University of choice. “You have to be able to show you have that something extra – and certificates alone don’t show that. Experience of volunteering, work placement, confidence and a positive attitude and demeanour, now THAT makes a student stand out. “