London-based 8 Plus (8+) Exam Tutors
What is the 8+?
8+ exams are admissions assessments for entry into Year 4 of private prep schools. The exams are sat in Year 3 when children are 7-8 years old, with the intention of starting the new school the following September.
8+ vs 7+?
7+ admissions is by far the more common pathway for prep schools in England, however some schools, such as Sussex House, do run 8+ exams as their primary route for onboarding new students.
For other schools, 8+ is offered as one of the “occasional places” admissions routes; these places will be available ad hoc and will be based on the expected cohort size of the school’s year groups the following academic year. For example, if some students have withdrawn in Year 3/4, the school may permit some students to sit the 8+ exams to compete for the available places. One would have to enquire with the school directly in order to find out if they are offering occasional places 8+ assessments.
Typically, the 8+ format is very similar to 7+, only it will stretch further into Key Stage 2 material to reflect the extra year of learning your child will have done.
8+ exams can be sat even if the child has sat and failed a 7+ exam.
English (comprehension and creative writing), Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning are what will be assessed, followed by an interview (and possibly a group assessment for schools with larger 8+ intakes.)
Which schools offer 8+ entry?
How can we help?
- Content teaching – Tutors provide your child with all the academic raw materials and conceptual understanding needed to tackle the entrance exams.
- Exam technique practice – This is about being able to deploy the content knowledge your child has in a way to maximise the exam scores on the day. This involves familiarisation with the exam format, time management, and exposure to the various question types. Practice makes perfect!
- Interview preparation – For most children, they aren’t used to an interview setting, so getting them exposed to this scenario reduces the chance they feel out of their comfort zone on the day. The more relaxed they can feel, the more fluidly they’ll be able to converse. On top of this, our tutors work with children to help them develop interview skills and provide the confidence boost needed to really shine on the day.
- Work scheduling and routine – Our tutors can work with parents to devise an appropriate mid-long-term strategy, establishing a routine that can lift the student to where they need to be in time for their assessment.
- The more consistent the student is with his/her practice between classes, the faster the rate of progress will be.
- An awareness of areas of weakness and bringing these up in the next class can enable these problem areas to be troubleshot before moving onto new areas, leaving no loose ends behind.
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Routine can help children to be more engaged and work more effectively.
- There is no single key to success; every aspect of your child’s learning will be attended to in order to optimise their learning trajectory.
- In-person tuition is most common for the 8+, but we can provide online tuition, too.
- If you have any queries or concerns, our team is available alongside the tutor to help resolve them.
- For more information about our process, please visit our How it Works page.
Reports
When should I start 8+ tutoring?
Get in touch!
Please fill out the contact form below to make an enquiry or call us on 0208 133 6284 to speak to our friendly team, who can arrange your tutoring or answer any questions.
Resources
View our 7 Plus Tutors page for more information on the 7 Plus Assessments.
