About me
Hi!
I'm Anna Mitchell. I am an 11 plus tutor in Plymouth and I run small group 11 plus tuition from my home in Peverell, very centrally located and easy to get to from many areas in Plymouth and beyond.
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I have been a primary school teacher for over 20 years and have been tutoring for the 11 plus for almost 14 years. I have extensive experience in coaching and preparing students for their 11 plus exam and over the years have seen amazing results in children who have gained a place at one of the popular grammar schools in Plymouth.
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I also work part-time in schools as a teacher and a tutor so I am cully up-to-date with curriculum changes, teaching methodologies and learning progressions across all year groups. This means that I am able to identify and address gaps in children's learning quickly and effectively.
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The 11+ test in Plymouth
How 11 plus tuition works
In Plymouth, the 11+ entrance exams are in English and Maths only. There is currently no verbal or non-verbal reasoning element to the tests.
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The girl's test is an English reading comprehension paper (multiple choice) and a maths paper (multiple choice).
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The boys have the same format as the girls, but also have a 30 minute written assessment as part of their English paper.
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The children sit the 11 plus test in the September they start in Year 6, so it is a good idea to start 11 plus tuition in the September they start in Year 5.
I also run group lessons for children in Year 4 who are wanting to start their 11+ preparation sooner. These lessons focus on securing key skills and confidence in English and Maths so that they are ready to tackle Year 5 and 11+ test papers with confidence.
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Each week lessons are carefully planned and prepared to suit the needs of the group or individual.
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In preparation for the English comprehension exam, the children learn to read carefully under pressure (this if often quite a challenge for some children). They learn to skim and scan the text for information and to decipher unknown vocabulary in context.
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The boys learn how to use all of the writing skills they have learned in school and how to effectively apply this to the 30 minute written element of the test to score as high a mark as possible.
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In preparation for the Maths test, the children learn all the skills they need and how to apply this to the tricky 11+ worded problems.
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In addition to this, the children learn to manage their time, read questions carefully to ensure they are answering correctly and manage their distractions so they can maximise the time they have available. This will ensure they feel full prepared and ready to sit the exam.
My tutoring ethos
I know a lot of parents wonder whether putting their child in for the 11+ test is the best thing to do. What if they don't score high enough to get a place? What if it's too much work? Don't worry, I completely understand these worries and that's why I feel I should tell you my tutoring ethos.
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I don't carry out an 'initial assessment' because I don't like to rule out children's ability before they've even given it a go. Often, it is the children who have decided they would like to take the 11+ and I love to fully support and encourage children who have high aspirations for themselves (as well as parents who are keen to follow their children's lead!).
I find children make fantastic progress working alongside other like-minded children and with the close support from me and each other, they really inspire, motivate and encourage each other to do the best they can. We are each others cheerleaders not competitors! I am proud that my approach leads to a very high success rate.
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I promote a positive approach to learning and encourage a strong positive mindset towards the 11 plus. I like to encourage the children to be aware of lots of other amazing secondary school options available to them as well as the grammar schools. The work we do in my lessons helps the children in so many areas of their education. Not only does it build confidence in their skills in Maths and English but also by stepping out of their comfort zone to come to my lessons, they feel a real sense of bravery and achievement. Coming to the group lessons is a bit like starting secondary school on a super small scale - they make new friends from different schools and complete homework weekly. These skills help massively in preparing the children for life in secondary school and beyond.
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I am open and honest and will let parents know if their child is finding the work too tricky.
I would never let a child's confidence levels drop as a result of finding the work too hard. In addition, if the homework is proving to be a challenge at home, I would encourage parents to keep me in the loop so that we can make it work harmoniously for everyone.
Lesson times and prices
Lessons times and prices vary depending on if it is small group or 1-1 tuition you are looking for.
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Booking early is essential as places fill quickly!
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A small deposit is required to secure the place.
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Please get in touch below for more information or to ask any questions.
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