My child joined Marie Redmond in the summer term after her previous tuition company went bust. I had already been very unhappy with the standard of everything I could see there but was doubting my judgement as a first-time 11+ tuition parent.
As soon as we moved to Marie Redmond it was very clear I had been correct.
I have been unbelievably impressed with the teacher (Jacqueline), the coursework, the company specific workbooks and content and also now enjoy marking her work myself as I'm much more aware of what and how she's doing. I think above all else I have been impressed with the excellent level of professionalism they have shown us weekly through emails and texts. They are regular, accurate, timely and to the point yet full of the detailed information we need as busy working parents. I'm delighted we found Marie Redmond tuition in time.[From Google Review. The location of the parent/child has been excluded as their name is featured on Google]
Year 6 parent, Location Confidential (2023)
Preparing Your Child for the 11 Plus
Our 11 Plus Tuition Courses have been designed to prepare pupils for all aspects of the 11 Plus exams in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, London (Uxbridge) and South West Hertfordshire. GL Assessment provides the tests used by Buckinghamshire, the Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools and Kendrick School, as well as the Verbal Reasoning and Mathematics tests used by the the South West Herts Consortium. Future Stories Community Enterprise (formed by Reading School), produces the Reading School entrance test.
Our courses are relevant to students preparing for independent school entrance. Many of our past students have performed exceptionally well in their independent school entrance exams and Common Pre-Tests in preparation for Common Entrance.
What You Can Expect for Your Child on Our 11 Plus Tuition Courses
We develop pupils’ knowledge so they’re equipped to answer a broad range of challenging verbal, mathematical and non-verbal reasoning questions.
What Do the Courses Cover?
Verbal skills, i.e. English and Verbal Reasoning
Verbal reasoning: the production of words, relationships between words, letters and numbers (excluding Reading School exam)
Comprehension*
Vocabulary*
Spelling*
Grammar*
Punctuation*
Mathematical skills (numerical reasoning)
Basic skills (addition, multiplication, division and subtraction)
Mental maths development
Problem solving techniques
Extracting information from graphs and tables
Averages
Foundation algebra concepts
Fractions, decimals and percentages
Ratio and proportion
Area and volume
2d and 3d shapes
Non-verbal skills (excluding South West Herts and Reading School)
Spatial awareness
Logical deduction skills
Mathematical concepts such as symmetry, rotation and reflection
Identifying relationships, similarities and differences between figures
Identifying sequences between shapes
* Not included in South West Herts exam, however, excellent vocabulary and spelling skills are required to complete Verbal Reasoning questions proficiently.
Small Classes
We have small class sizes (less than half the size of most independent school lessons, with a maximum of 10 students), which means that your child will have valuable one-to-one attention with their fully qualified teacher.
When your child enrols on our 11 Plus tuition course, we will:
Ask them to complete an assessment to understand their current level of ability
Recommend key areas for improvement based on the assessment results
Provide you with a personalised Tuition Plan – detailing your child’s specific targets
Course Structure
Term-time lessons last for 2 and a half hours and the course is divided into three terms, each comprising approximately 11 lessons. If your child misses the start of a course, they are welcome to join at a later date (subject to availability).
Teaching Methods
Our 11 Plus Tuition Courses are expertly designed by Marie Redmond MEd and delivered by an outstanding team of fully qualified local primary teachers. By combining proven strategies with engaging teaching methods tailored to meet the latest 11 Plus requirements, we ensure every child feels confident, prepared, and fully supported throughout their journey.
Unlike approaches that focus solely on teaching students how to answer questions, we ensure a balanced and comprehensive approach. Our courses not only cover the full syllabus, ensuring students fully understand all areas of the 11+ curriculum, but also thoroughly teach pupils the techniques required to tackle exam questions effectively. In addition, we go further-training them in essential exam techniques that empower them to excel under real exam conditions. By mastering both the content of the syllabus and the strategies for success, students build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed not just to succeed in the exam but to manage the pressures and challenges it presents.
Guided by evidence-based insights, we recognise that children learn best when actively engaged, intrinsically motivated, and supported by positive emotions and social interaction. This philosophy is shaped by Marie’s Masters Degree in Education, specialising in child psychology and literacy development, and it influences every aspect of our work.
By blending traditional teaching methods with premium resources and incorporating educational games and activities, we create lessons that are both effective and enjoyable. Mental preparation is a cornerstone of our philosophy, helping to build confidence and resilience, fostering academic success, and creating a deeply fulfilling learning experience.
Assessments and Progress Reports
Our term time students are assessed twice during each term - at half term and at the end of term. Based on the outcome of their initial assessment, we will create a tuition plan that sets their individual targets for each area they are preparing for (e.g. verbal, non-verbal and numerical reasoning). All lessons throughout the course are then designed to develop these areas. We continually monitor our student's progress; this means that we can check they've achieved their individual targets and revise their tuition plan to ensure that it suits their needs and challenges.
Parents are always welcome to get in touch with us at any time during their child's 11+ course, to gain feedback on their development. They can speak with their teacher after the lesson, or speak directly with Marie. Our size allows us to maintain that personal touch, ensuring families receive tailored guidance and support when they need it.
Homework Designed for Mastery and Confidence
At Marie Redmond Tuition, we believe in providing homework that is both meaningful and manageable. Our thoughtfully designed tasks reinforce the skills taught during each 11 Plus tuition lesson, ensuring pupils are fully prepared for success. Homework is set to be completed for the next lesson, where it is reviewed, giving students the opportunity to deepen their understanding and address any challenges.
With many years of experience and a history of successful outcomes, we’ve refined our approach to homework, striking a balance that encourages consistent progress without overwhelming students or families. Our longer lessons, compared to shorter ones offered by many other tutors, allow students to grasp key concepts in class-reducing reliance on excessive amounts of homework whilst ensuring it remains a valuable part of their learning.
Too little homework can leave students underprepared, whilst too much can lead to homework resistance, stress, and disengagement. The vast majority of parents say that we provide just the right amount of homework-carefully calibrated to meet students’ needs and prepare them thoroughly for the 11 Plus exams. Each task is purposeful, ensuring pupils work hard and make consistent progress whilst minimising unnecessary stress. Our balanced approach ensures that homework remains a valuable, manageable, and productive part of each pupil’s learning journey.
Additionally, we encourage parents to support their children by exploring a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. This helps build the critical comprehension and vocabulary skills essential for 11 Plus success.
Marie Redmond Tuition 'Bag of Knowledge®'
During your child's first term-time course lesson, they will receive a Bag of Knowledge®, carefully curated to support their learning journey. This exclusive collection includes Marie Redmond's Superbrain® resources and a selection of books from leading publishers—ensuring they have everything they need to excel.
For students attending virtually, we will arrange delivery by courier, so they receive their materials seamlessly and enjoy the full learning experience from day one.
Each student receives their materials in a premium Marie Redmond Tuition® rucksack, designed to reflect the exceptional quality of our tuition and resources. Inside, they'll find an electronic thesaurus, a tin of Marie Redmond's Superbrain® vocabulary flashcards and a dry erase whiteboard.
Students also receive notebooks dedicated to spellings, vocabulary and maths, as well as a plain notebook for additional notes. Completing the set is a pencil case stocked with essential stationery including HB pencils, an eraser, sharpener and a dry erase pen.
Best of all, the cost of the Bag of Knowledge® and all resources for the course is fully covered within the monthly course fees.
To further enhance the student experience, from September 2025 all students will receive our new purple rucksack, reinforcing our commitment to excellence.
Marie Redmond's Superbrain®
Students attending our Year 5 11+ Easter and 11+ summer holiday courses receive a Superbrain® English and verbal reasoning holiday course book for each week they attend, further reinforcing their skills. Plus, all term-time students receive Marie Redmond's Superbrain® 11 Plus Flash Cards upon joining—an interactive resource designed to supercharge their vocabulary and accelerate exam preparation.
Explore our full Superbrain® collection and discover how these exclusive resources support students on their journey to 11+ success.
The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club
Sharing our enjoyment of books is a fantastic way to encourage reading and therefore develop vocabulary and comprehension at home. The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club is an excellent platform for discussions about books, opportunities for creativity and promoting reading for pleasure. Discover our book of the month.
Creative Thinking Course
The virtual Creative Thinking Course is particularly useful for boys preparing for the revised Reading School 11+ exam in September 2025 but is open to all our term-time students.
Students attend one creative thinking lesson per week on Zoom, which lasts for 45 minutes. Students are taught to use innovation and problem solving. They will become adept at approaching situations in different ways, using diverse strategies.
Every lesson includes a fun thinking skills warm-up activity followed by the main focus of the lesson. Strategies like group discussions, questioning, mind mapping, and thinking 'outside the box' are employed to encourage creative learning approaches. Students learn various writing techniques and how to draft, review, and edit their work.
Homework is assigned weekly to consolidate the skills taught during the lesson. Homework is submitted via email, and the creative thinking teacher annotates the text and writes a short report. General points about the texts are reviewed at the start of the next lesson.
Course Details:
One lesson per week on Zoom, lasting 45 minutes
Fee, including books: £25 per lesson
For further information, including fees, term dates and FAQ's, please visit our Creative Thinking Course page.
Creative Writing Course
Enrol your child in our virtual creative writing course, open to all our term-time students. This offers a fantastic opportunity for your child to enhance their spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary skills, whilst also fostering their creative writing abilities. If your child is preparing for Reading School, we recommend that you select the Creative Thinking Course instead of creative writing.
Students attend one creative writing lesson per week on Zoom, which lasts for 45 minutes. During every lesson they participate in a fun writing skills warm-up activity which might focus on grammar or a literary device, they might read and analyse a writing example or use a story prompt, and then work on creating their own text.
Every week there is a focus which can include story settings, characters, openings, events / problems and resolutions. Students practise writing in a variety of formats such as stories, plays, newspaper articles and letters. They are taught to use a variety of literary techniques and we show them how to draft their work, as well as reviewing and editing.
Homework is set every week. Students build upon the tasks in their lesson to create their own text. The texts are then reviewed at the start of the next lesson.
Course Details:
One lesson per week on Zoom, lasting 45 minutes
Fee, including books: £25 per lesson
For further information, including fees, term dates and FAQ's, please visit our Creative Writing Course page.
Save 20% with Tax-Free Childcare
As we're registered with Ofsted, we accept payment by Tax-Free Childcare and Childcare Vouchers for all our classroom-based courses. If your employer has a Childcare Vouchers scheme and you did not join it (these closed to new entrants on 4th October 2018), you may be eligible for the replacement scheme, Tax-Free Childcare.
With Tax-Free Childcare, you can save 20% on the cost of your child's course. For every £8 you pay into the scheme, the government will pay in £2, up to a maximum top-up of £2000 per year. Many of our students' parents take advantage of this scheme and you can find out here if you are eligible. You can select this payment method when you enrol, or you can switch to it at anytime.
Days and Times
There are a selection of 11 Plus Tuition Courses to choose from at our centres in Amersham, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Bushey, Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Milton Keynes, Stoke Poges, Windsor, Winnersh and Uxbridge.
We currently accept registrations for students starting up to and including the 2031-32 academic year. New students are welcome to join a course at any point, not just at the start of the year (subject to availability). If your child joins after the start of term, we will provide a personalised payment plan so that you only pay from their first lesson.
We offer a straightforward monthly payment plan for our term-time course, which you can see on our fees pages. Many parents take advantage of the government's Tax-Free Childcare scheme to save 20% on their fees.
Our term-time course fees include all books and resources to support your child's learning. Unlike some providers, we don’t bundle intensive holiday course fees into our term-time pricing, so parents only pay for the tuition their child truly needs.
Some providers embed extra courses within their fees, meaning families may contribute to a holiday course their child never attends. Our approach is fair, flexible, and transparent, giving parents control over their child’s education. Before committing to intensive holiday tuition, we recommend assessing your child's progress-ensuring that any extra support is genuinely beneficial, rather than included by default.
Holiday Courses
Our 4-day 11 Plus Intensive Easter Course for Year 5 students takes place in Amersham, Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross, Stoke Poges and Winnersh. Our 11 Plus Intensive Summer Courses consist of 4-day courses for Year 4 students or 5-day courses for Year 5 students and take place in Amersham, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Bushey (from 2025), Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe, Stoke Poges and Winnersh. The holiday courses concentrate on exam techniques and skills gaps, with educational games playing an integral part so that children remain engaged throughout. The 11 Plus Summer Courses for Year 5 students include a mock exam on the final day.
The Amersham 11 Plus Tuition Centre is conveniently located for residents of Amersham, Chenies, Chesham, Little Missenden, Great Missenden, Little Chalfont, Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter.
The Aylesbury 11 Plus Tuition Centre is conveniently located for residents of Aylesbury, Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Weston Turville, Aston Clinton, Stone, Waddesdon, Quainton, Haddenham, Tring and Luton.
The Beaconsfield 11 Plus Tuition Centre is conveniently located for residents of Seer Green, Jordans, Tylers Green, Penn, Wooburn Green, Bourne End and Cookham.
The Bushey 11 Plus Tuition Centre is conveniently located for residents of Borehamwood, Bushey, Edgware, Hatch End, Harrow, Northwood (including Moor Park), Radlett, Rickmansworth (including Croxley Green) and Watford.
The Gerrards Cross 11 Plus Tuition Centre is conveniently located for residents of Gerrards Cross, Fulmer, Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles and Denham.
The Reading 11 Plus Tuition Centre (Winnersh) conveniently located for residents of Woodley, Earley, Shinfield, Sonning, Wokingham, Twyford, Caversham, Bracknell, Theale, Calcot, Tilehurst and Henley-on-Thames.
The Stoke Poges 11 Plus Tuition Centre is conveniently located for residents of Stoke Poges, Hedgerley, Fulmer, Slough, Farnham Common, Farnham Royal, Iver, Denham, Uxbridge, Hayes, Harrow and Windsor.
11+ Mock Exams With Marie Redmond 11+ Intelligent Video Learning®
Get exam ready with Marie Redmond Tuition® 11 Plus Mock Exams for the Buckinghamshire, Kendrick, Slough and Kendrick exams.
Students who sat our mock exams in 2023 said they were very similar to the actual tests, which made them feel prepared and confident when sitting the exam.
The Sir John Madejski Scholarship
Our 11 Plus Tuition Courses Prepare Students for Entrance to These Schools
Ready to give your child a helping hand in the 11 Plus?
Competition for grammar school places is fierce, which is why more children than ever are having tuition before sitting the 11 Plus exam. We’ll give your child the best possible chance of securing a place, by taking the time to get to know them and understand the learning techniques that work best for them.
It depends on their current ability and how much support you feel they need. Most children start preparing for the 11 Plus in Year 5 – but some parents choose to start in Year 4. If you’re not sure when your child should start, please get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to advise.
Marie and her team of first-class, fully qualified primary teachers deliver lessons that are interactive and challenging, with an element of fun to keep your child engaged in the right way. We believe strongly that preparing your child mentally for sitting the exam is also a key part of their success – which is why we also work hard to build confidence and exposure to exam conditions.
With extensive experience of preparing children for the 11 Plus and teaching the curriculum in local schools, as well as preparing your child for exam conditions, we offer a winning combination.
Our classes are limited to ten pupils (nearly half the size of most independent school classes). This ensures that our pupils receive valuable one-to-one attention with the teacher.
We welcome all levels of abilities – because we believe every child should have the same opportunities and can benefit from 11 Plus tuition.
All children complete an assessment when they first join one of our courses to give us an understanding of their current ability and the appropriate level of challenge they need. We then assess them twice each term – at half term and at the end of term. This means that we can check they’ve achieved their individual targets and devise a Tuition Plan that suits their needs and challenges.
We will create a Tuition Plan based on the outcome of your child’s assessment. This sets their individual targets for verbal, non-verbal and numerical reasoning (key topics of the test). All lessons throughout the course are then designed to develop these areas.
We continually monitor their progress and reassess at half term and at the end of term. You are also welcome to get in touch with us at any time during your child’s tuition, to gain feedback on their development.
As reading comprehension and vocabulary are such important parts of the exam (verbal reasoning accounts for up to 50% of marks), we recommend that you encourage your child to read as wide a range of fiction and non-fiction books as possible.
Ensure that your child completes the homework provided to them at the end of their lesson – we review it in the following session, which gives them an opportunity to go through areas they may have struggled with.
During your child’s first lesson, they will receive a Bag of Knowledge®, packed with everything they need to excel. This carefully curated collection includes Marie Redmond’s Superbrain® resources and a selection of books from leading publishers.
Each student receives their materials in a premium Marie Redmond Tuition® rucksack, designed to reflect the exceptional quality of our tuition and resources. Inside, they’ll find an electronic thesaurus, a tin of Marie Redmond’s Superbrain® vocabulary flashcards and a dry erase whiteboard.
Students also receive notebooks dedicated to spellings, vocabulary and maths, as well as a plain notebook for additional notes. Completing the set is a pencil case stocked with essential stationery including HB pencils, an eraser, sharpener and a dry erase pen.
Best of all, the cost of the Bag of Knowledge® and all resources for the course is fully covered within the monthly course fees.
To further enhance the student experience, from September 2025 all students will receive our new purple rucksack, reinforcing our commitment to excellence.
All 11 Plus course fees are paid by Direct Debit, Childcare Vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare but the method depends on whether your child attends classroom-based or virtual courses.
For classroom-based courses (avaiable during term time and the Easter and summer holidays), we accept payment of fees by Direct Debit, Childcare Vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare. We’ll send you specific payment details when your child enrols.
For the virtual courses (available only during the Easter and summer holidays), the government does not permit you to use Childcare Vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare to pay for lessons, therefore we accept only Direct Debit for our virtual courses. For a full explanation, please see this article on why we cannot accept Childcare Vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare for virtual courses.
Yes, for all classroom-based courses, you can pay your deposit with Childcare Vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare. When you select the option on the registration form to pay your fees with either Childcare Vouchers or Tax Free Childcare, you will be asked either ‘Would you like to pay your deposit with Childcare Vouchers?’ or ‘Would you like to pay your deposit with Tax-Free Childcare?’. Select yes and the form will explain the process.
The Government closed the Childcare Vouchers scheme to new entrants on 4th October 2018. If you joined the scheme on or before 4th October 2018 and are still eligible for Childcare Vouchers, you can continue to use them – like many thousands of parents across the UK. You remain eligible for Childcare Vouchers if you stay with the same employer, they continue to run the scheme and you do not take an unpaid career break of longer than a year. You can find out more on the Government website. If you did not join the Childcare Voucher scheme, or are no longer eligible, you can use the new scheme, which is called Tax-Free Childcare.
Our 11 Plus Tuition Courses are expertly designed by Marie Redmond MEd and delivered by an outstanding team of fully qualified local primary teachers. By combining proven strategies with engaging teaching methods tailored to meet the latest 11 Plus requirements, we ensure every child feels confident, prepared, and fully supported throughout their journey.
Our term time students are assessed twice during each term - at half term and at the end of term. Based on the outcome of their initial assessment, we will create a tuition plan that sets their individual targets for each area they are preparing for (e.g. verbal, non-verbal and numerical reasoning). All lessons throughout the course are then designed to develop these areas. We continually monitor our student's progress; this means that we can check they've achieved their individual targets and revise their tuition plan to ensure that it suits their needs and challenges.
With many years of experience and a history of successful outcomes, we’ve refined our approach to homework, striking a balance that encourages consistent progress without overwhelming students or families. Our longer lessons, compared to shorter ones offered by many other tutors, allow students to grasp key concepts in class-reducing reliance on excessive amounts of homework whilst ensuring it remains a valuable part of their learning.
Students attending our Year 5 11+ Easter and 11+ summer holiday courses receive a Superbrain® English and verbal reasoning holiday course book for each week they attend, further reinforcing their skills. Plus, all term-time students receive Marie Redmond's Superbrain® 11 Plus Flash Cards upon joining—an interactive resource designed to supercharge their vocabulary and accelerate exam preparation.
Sharing our enjoyment of books is a fantastic way to encourage reading and therefore develop vocabulary and comprehension at home. The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club is an excellent platform for discussions about books, opportunities for creativity and promoting reading for pleasure. Discover our book of the month.
Students practise writing in a variety of formats such as stories, plays, newspaper articles and letters. They are taught to use a variety of literary techniques and we show them how to draft their work, as well as reviewing and editing.
Get exam ready with Marie Redmond Tuition® 11 Plus Mock Exams for the Buckinghamshire, Kendrick, Slough and Kendrick exams.
Yes.