The Consortium has also decided to change their exam schedule. This means that:

• if your child is entering Year 5 in September 2026, s/he will sit the FSCE entrance exam in September 2027.
• if your child is entering Year 4 in September 2026 (or later), s/he will sit the FSCE entrance exam in June or July 2027.

There are familiarisation papers available on the FSCE website. It is known that there will be comprehension, maths and vocabulary questions in the new entrance exam. It is not yet known whether creative writing will feature. The grammar schools are obliged to carry out a consultation before implementing their new style of entrance exam. They must publish their new admissions policies by 31st October 2026. If it has been decided to include creative writing, this will be stated in the draft admissions policies.

What is certain is that the FSCE examination will be particularly demanding in terms of the vocabulary requirements.

We are already familiar with the FSCE examinations, having prepared children for these exams in other areas. Contact us now to book your free trial session.

The post Trafford Consortium FSCE Entrance Exams: What do we know so far? appeared first on Better Tuition.

29^th March
26^th  April
17^th May
14^th June *
21^st June
12^th July *
19^th July
16^th August
6^th September

Catholic Grammar

5^th July
2^nd August *         
30^th August

* IN ASSOCIATION WITH STEP-UP TUITION, TIMPERLEY. VENUE TBA (ALTRINCHAM). ALL OTHER MOCK EXAMS TAKE PLACE IN URMSTON.

We will take online bookings from mid-September. If you wish to book before then, please call or text Paul or Christine on 0161 748 3912 or 07949 329996.

More information about our mock entrance exams can be found here on our website.

The post Mock Entrance Exams 2026 appeared first on Better Tuition.

The Trafford Consortium entrance exam will take place on Monday 15th September, 2025.

Trafford Consortium encompasses Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Sale Grammar, Stretford Grammar and Urmston Grammar.

Registration for the exam will open on Thursday, 24th April and will close at midday on Friday 20th June. You can register your child for the exam here.

To book tuition, summer school or a mock exam, contact Paul or Christine here at Better Tuition on 0161 748 3912.

The post Trafford Consortium Entrance Exam Dates Announced appeared first on Better Tuition.

Year five parents are invited to join our FREE Zoom Entrance Exam workshop on Monday, 18th May. Starting at 7.30 pm, we will help you plan your summer strategy as well as answering all your questions on anything entrance exam-related. Register for our workshop here.

You may think it’s rather early to be planning for summer, but the long summer break is the trickiest time for entrance exam preparation. Juggling childcare, work, holidays, playdates and sleepovers can all take their toll on your carefully-curated schedule. Whilst we wouldn’t suggest that your child should forego summer fun, it’s still important to keep up their entrance exam prep, since those big exams are looming in September.

Our workshop will cover:
– planning your summer strategy
– tips to keep your child motivated
– how to judge the ‘right amount’ of prep
– what Better Tuition can offer over the summer break
– Q & A session with Paul and Christine

Places are limited so please do not delay in booking. You can book our workshop here. If you have any queries about this or anything else, call Paul or Christine anytime on 0161 748 3912.

The post Free Entrance Exam Summer Strategy Workshop appeared first on Better Tuition.

FREE Mini Mocks

Our mini mocks are the ideal way to kickstart your child’s entrance exam journey. Running throughout September, these mocks cover:

• Maths
• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-Verbal Reasoning

These will give your child experience of sitting a test in a formal setting, as well as giving you a pretty good idea of his or her strengths and weaknesses. You will receive feedback and advice after your child’s mini-mock.

FREE Entrance Exam Information Evening

Our Zoom workshop will explain everything you need to know about Trafford’s grammar school entrance exams. From the format of the exams to strategies that will help you support your child, this is an invaluable experience for any Year 5 parent.

Call Paul or Christine on 0161 748 3912 to book.

Special Offer – Save 20% on Practice Entrance Exams

Book and pay for one or more practice entrance exams before 31st December 2024 and receive 20% off. Contact us for the discount code.

Learn more about our practice entrance exams.

Book your practice entrance exams.

The post Special Offers and FREE events for Year 5 children appeared first on Better Tuition.

Year five parents are invited to join our FREE Zoom Entrance Exam workshop on Monday, 20th May. Starting at 7.30 pm, we will help you plan your summer strategy as well as answering all your questions on anything entrance exam-related. Register for our workshop here.

You may think it’s rather early to be planning for summer, but the long summer break is the trickiest time for entrance exam preparation. Juggling childcare, work, holidays, playdates and sleepovers can all take their toll on your carefully-curated schedule. Whilst we wouldn’t suggest that your child should forego summer fun, it’s still important to keep up their entrance exam prep, since those big exams are looming in September.

Our workshop will cover:
– planning your summer strategy
– tips to keep your child motivated
– how to judge the ‘right amount’ of prep
– what Better Tuition can offer over the summer break
– Q & A session with Paul and Christine

Places are limited so please do not delay in booking. You can book our workshop here. If you have any queries about this or anything else, call Paul or Christine anytime on 0161 748 3912.

The post FREE Entrance Exam Workshop appeared first on Better Tuition.

If you need some extra help, why not give Paul or Christine a call on 0161 748 3912? You can have a chat, book a free assessment and find out why we are worthy of our name!

The post Try our revision tips to rev up your exam preparation appeared first on Better Tuition.

Can you get help with childcare?

Many parents of school-aged children are entitled to help to cover the cost of childcare. Use this government calculator to find out what help you could get. The main routes to extra help with childcare are tax-free childcare, tax credits, Universal Credit and Childcare Grant Payments. You can also use childcare vouchers if you are already registered for these (the scheme has now closed, so you cannot register if you have not already done so).

Tax-free Childcare

Tax-free childcare is a government scheme designed to help parents of children aged 11 and under with childcare costs. Check whether you are eligible here on the gov.uk website. To use the scheme, you will need to set up an online childcare account. For every £8 you pay in, the government will pay in £2, which you must use to pay your provider. It’s an easy way to save money on tuition at Better Tuition, so why not find out more here and start saving today?

Tax Credits

Tax credits have been replaced by Universal Credit, so you can only get help with childcare via this route if you are already claiming tax credits. If you already claim tax credits, you can add an extra amount of Working Tax Credit, to cover the cost of childcare. You can use this to pay for tuition at Better Tuition. If you are already receiving Working Tax Credits, you can claim Childcare Tax Credits. This can be worth over £3000, so it’s well worth checking out. Find out more here on the gov.uk website.

Universal Credit

If you are entitled to Universal Credit, you can get substantial help with childcare, which you can use to pay for lessons at Better Tuition. You can claim up to £951 per month for one child and from £1,108 to £1,630 for two children. Find out if you’re eligible for Universal Credit here on the gov.uk website.

Childcare Grant Payments

You may be eligible for help with childcare if you are a student. You can get 85% of your childcare costs or a fixed maximum amount, whichever is less. You have to pay any remaining costs.The maximum you can get is up to £188.90 a week for 1 child and up to £323.85 a week for 2 or more children.

Check if you are eligible to receive Childcare Grant Payments.

The post Get help with paying for lessons at Better Tuition appeared first on Better Tuition.

Paul and Christine would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2024. We have lots to look forward to over the coming months and we intend to go from strength to strength.

People sometimes ask how we arrived at the name ‘Better Tuition’. You might assume that we chose the name to portray the idea that we are better than other tuition centres. Whilst we certainly hope that we offer the highest standards of bespoke tuition, ‘Better Tuition’ is more than that. We aim to continually improve: we constantly consider how we can tutor your children more effectively.

We want to end each year knowing that we are providing a better service than ever. 2024 is no exception to this: we want this to be our best ever year, so bring it on! We’re ready.

Customer feedback is so important to us. We love the five star reviews and glowing Facebook recommendations so, please, keep them coming! We all enjoy fantastic feedback. However, we love constructive criticism even more. Constructive criticism or suggestions for improvement really help us to live up to our name. We are never offended and we always welcome your feedback, so don’t be shy: get in touch and let us know your thoughts.

If your child needs help with maths, English or entrance exam preparation, please call Paul Syrett or Christine McLaughlin today on 0161 748 3912 or click the ‘FREE ASSESSMENT’ button at the top right of this post. 2024 is YOUR year and we want to be a part of it.

The post Happy New Year 2024 appeared first on Better Tuition.

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