Tutorfairs first 11+ Preparation Course

Tutorfair's first 11+ Preparation Course During the October Half-Term this year, Tutorfair held its very first tutoring course for 11+ students! Run by Tutorfair consultant and former director of an elite tutoring company, Angela Murphy, the course was designed to help students aged 10-11 prepare for the 11+ exams in the 2019/2020 exam sessions. Working with three experienced 11+ tutors, Saadia, Karina and Leon, and supported with sessions from Tutorfair co-Founder Mark Maclaine, the course intended to provide an engaging and collaborative environment for the participating students, and importantly gave them the experience of working closely with tutors in a mixture of one-to-one tuition and group work. The course was tailored specifically to focus on the subjects tested at 11+:  English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. When asked during the course, the students felt most underprepared for the Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests, so the tutors made sure to allocate extra time to focus on these subjects. Mark also had a session with the students at the end of the week on interview techniques and appearing confident in interview settings. Mock exams The course culminated in a mock test and exam day, in which each student sat 2 papers from the schools to which they were applying -   a scary prospect for some of the students! Throughout the week, Angela and the tutors worked with the students on exercises to remain calm and focused during exams, which some of the students used during the practice tests! These exams were marked and students had the opportunity to discuss their answers individually with tutors. Students also got to experience teaching each other and were able to learn from other students in their peer group. Group activities and challenges Group activities and team challenges were also a core part of the course. When putting together the course, Angela wanted to ensure that the students had lots of fun and were engaged throughout the days â€" especially since they were giving up their half-term holiday! The students split into teams and earned points by completing a set of daily challenges, including: The Lego challenge The Spaghetti challenge The Egg challenge The Cane challenge The Map challenge Big shout-out to Team Gladiator who was the team that earned the most points at the end of the week after some close competition! The students all said that they enjoyed themselves during the course, made new friends, and it was much more fun than they expected. Read what the students themselves had to say about the course: “When I first came in I thought it would be test after test, but later I realised it was more fun than work!” â€" Maya “I made new friends and I improved a lot and the teachers were all very nice and understanding” - Quan