Specialist Independent School Entrance Exam Preparation
One-to-one tuition: From £72 per hour
Securing a place at a leading independent school can be a highly competitive process. Entrance assessments are designed not only to evaluate academic ability but also to identify pupils who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, strong communication skills and the potential to thrive within a demanding academic environment.
Many independent schools assess applicants through a combination of entrance examinations, interviews, school reports and, in some cases, group activities or assessment days. The precise admissions process varies between schools and often differs depending on the entry point being considered.
At Aquinas Tuition, we provide personalised preparation designed to help pupils approach the admissions process with confidence. Whether a child is preparing for entry at 11+, 13+ or 16+, our tutors provide tailored support that develops academic skills, examination confidence and interview readiness.
Most tuition is delivered online, allowing families to access specialist support regardless of location. In-person tuition may occasionally be available depending on tutor availability and location.
Independent schools assess applicants in a variety of ways and there is no single admissions model that applies across all schools.
Depending on the school and year of entry, applicants may encounter:
While specific formats vary, successful applicants are typically those who demonstrate strong academic foundations, effective communication skills and the confidence to engage thoughtfully with unfamiliar questions and situations.
Our role is not to teach to a particular school’s admissions process. Instead, we focus on developing the skills that consistently underpin success across a wide range of independent school assessments.
With Aquinas, we knew our son was in expert hands. Having a tutor with classroom experience at a top independent school made all the difference.
English assessments are a core component of many independent school admissions processes.
Examinations may assess:
Strong performance requires more than technical accuracy. Examiners often look for pupils who can express ideas clearly, think critically and communicate with maturity.
Our tutors help pupils strengthen their reading and writing skills while developing confidence in tackling more challenging and unfamiliar questions.
Support may include:
Lessons are tailored carefully to the age and stage of the pupil, ensuring preparation remains both challenging and appropriate.
Mathematics assessments often aim to evaluate both core knowledge and problem-solving ability.
While content varies between schools, examinations frequently assess:
Many independent school mathematics papers place significant emphasis on applying knowledge rather than simply recalling procedures.
Our tutors help pupils develop:
Lessons encourage genuine understanding rather than rote learning, helping pupils approach unfamiliar questions with greater confidence.
Some independent schools include reasoning assessments as part of their admissions process.
These assessments are designed to evaluate a pupil’s ability to recognise patterns, solve problems and think logically.
Areas that may be assessed include:
For many pupils, these question types feel unfamiliar because they are not always encountered regularly within the school curriculum.
Our tutors can help pupils become more comfortable with reasoning-style questions while developing strategies for approaching them methodically and confidently.
The interview stage is often one of the most important aspects of the admissions process.
Schools use interviews to assess far more than academic ability. Interviewers may be interested in a pupil’s curiosity, character, communication skills, interests and potential contribution to school life.
Questions may explore:
Many capable pupils find interviews daunting simply because they have limited experience speaking about themselves in a formal setting.
Our tutors help pupils develop confidence through structured discussion and age-appropriate interview preparation.
Support may include:
The aim is never to provide scripted answers but rather to help pupils communicate naturally, thoughtfully and confidently.
Some independent schools incorporate group tasks or assessment activities into their admissions process.
These exercises may be designed to assess:
Pupils who are academically strong sometimes underestimate the importance of these activities.
Where appropriate, tutors can help pupils develop greater confidence in discussion, collaboration and presenting ideas clearly within a group setting.
Preparation for Year 6 pupils applying for entry into secondary school often focuses on English, mathematics, reasoning and interview preparation.
At this stage, the emphasis is usually on developing strong academic foundations alongside confidence in assessment situations.
Pupils preparing for 13+ entry may face more demanding academic assessments and increasingly selective admissions criteria.
Tuition often focuses on strengthening subject knowledge, refining examination technique and developing more mature written and verbal communication.
Sixth-form admissions frequently place greater emphasis on academic performance, subject-specific aptitude and interview performance.
Support may include preparation for entrance assessments, academic interviews and discussions relating to future educational ambitions.
There are many tutoring companies offering admissions exam support, so choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.
At Aquinas Tuition, we believe the difference isn't simply in what we teach—it's in how we teach.
Every decision we make is guided by one simple belief:
Children learn best when they feel understood, supported and confident in their own abilities.
That's why we take the time to get to know every child as an individual. We don't believe in standard lesson plans or one-size-fits-all programmes. Instead, we build personalised learning experiences that reflect each child's strengths, challenges and aspirations.
Of course, academic progress matters. But we also know that lasting success comes from helping children enjoy learning, ask questions confidently and develop the resilience to tackle new challenges.
For many families, that's where the biggest transformation happens.
It's not unusual for parents to tell us that their child now looks forward to lessons, feels more confident at school or is willing to attempt tasks they would previously have avoided.
Those changes often become the foundation upon which academic success is built.
We believe the best outcomes are achieved when tutors and parents work together.
That's why we keep families informed throughout the tuition journey, providing regular progress updates, celebrating achievements and discussing the next steps in your child's learning.
Rather than wondering how lessons are going, you'll have a clear understanding of the progress your child is making and the areas we're continuing to develop.
It's one of the first questions many parents ask—and understandably so.
Can a child really stay engaged through an online lesson? Will they concentrate? Can they build a relationship with their tutor through a screen?
The simple answer is yes—provided online tuition is delivered well and your child is matched with the right tutor.
In fact, many of our pupils thrive online.
Online tuition allows us to match your child with the tutor who best suits their learning style, personality and academic needs, rather than simply the tutor who happens to live nearby. This means your child benefits from specialist teaching and a personalised learning experience, wherever you are in the UK.
Lessons are fully interactive, with tutors using digital whiteboards, shared resources and live problem-solving to keep pupils engaged throughout each session. Because lessons are delivered one-to-one, your child receives the tutor's full attention, allowing misconceptions to be addressed immediately and learning to progress at a pace that's right for them.
Many parents are surprised by how quickly children adapt. For today's generation, learning online feels completely natural, and after the first lesson it quickly becomes "how they meet their tutor."
Of course, online tuition isn't the right choice for every child. Some younger pupils, or children who find it particularly difficult to concentrate on a screen, may benefit more from face-to-face support. That's one of the reasons we begin with a free consultation and introductory assessment—to ensure we're recommending the approach that will genuinely benefit your child.
Our goal isn't simply to provide online tuition.
It's to provide the type of tuition that will help your child flourish.
Every tutor we represent is a qualified teacher or a specialist from a leading university, chosen for this subject and matched to your child after a free consultation.
For many pupils, one lesson per week provides a consistent and manageable pace of learning.
As examinations approach, some families choose to increase lesson frequency or arrange additional sessions during school holidays.
During your consultation, we’ll recommend a schedule that reflects your child’s needs, targets and timeline.
Yes—provided it’s delivered well and your child is matched with the right tutor.
Our lessons are fully interactive and carefully planned to keep pupils engaged. Many parents are surprised by how naturally children adapt to learning online, and one-to-one tuition allows every lesson to be tailored to your child’s individual needs.
We don’t simply assign the next available tutor.
We begin with a free consultation to understand your child’s strengths, personality, learning style and goals. This allows us to carefully match them with a tutor who is best suited to support their learning and help them grow in confidence. For further information about our tuition process you can read more here.
Building a positive relationship between tutor and pupil is incredibly important.
We take great care when matching children with tutors, but if we ever feel a different tutor would better meet your child’s needs, we’ll work with you to find the right solution.
Our priority is always ensuring your child feels comfortable, supported and confident in their learning.
You’ll receive regular monthly progress reports outlining what your child has been working on, the progress they’ve made and the next steps in their learning journey.
We also encourage open communication, so you’ll always have the opportunity to discuss your child’s development with us.
Absolutely.
In fact, many families contact us because their child has the ability to succeed but lacks confidence in their own skills.
Building confidence is central to our approach. As children begin to understand concepts and content more deeply and experience regular success, their confidence naturally grows alongside their academic ability.
No tutor can honestly guarantee absolute success, and we believe it’s important to be transparent about that.
Many factors influence outcomes, including the child’s starting point, the teaching they receive within school and their commitment to learning out of school.
What we can promise is personalised teaching, expert guidance and a structured programme designed to help your child reach their full potential.
The consultation is an opportunity for us to get to know your child and understand what you’re hoping to achieve.
We’ll discuss your child’s strengths, areas where they may need support, their targets and answer any questions you have about our tuition process.
Following the consultation, we’ll recommend the most appropriate next steps, with no obligation to book tuition.
Whatever your child’s support needs are, Aquinas provides personalised tuition designed to help pupils achieve their potential. Our experienced tutors support pupils across the English and Scottish education systems, combining academic expertise with a commitment to developing confidence, independence and a genuine appreciation for the subject.
If you are interested in Aquinas’ approach to tuition, we would be happy to arrange a free consultation call with Alice, our founder, or a member of the office team.
During your free, no-obligation consultation, we’ll discuss:
