The 11+ Stretch and Challenge Masterclass – May Half Term
Cultivating the thinking behaviours that the most academically selective schools are seeking in successful candidates.
Most holiday courses focus on more practice.
This one focuses on how selective schools actually identify exceptional candidates.
These schools do not just test knowledge. They test:
- how precisely a child understands language
- how confidently they reason through unfamiliar problems
- how well they form, evaluate and express original ideas
This course is the layer of preparation for all stages of the 11+ assessments that even the strongest students rarely receive.
Most strong candidates prepare content.
The very best prepare how they think.
To reflect this depth of focus, the course is intentionally small, intensive, expert-led and specifically designed for year 5 students applying for academically selective schools at 11+.
Dates: 26–29 May
Format: 4 days | 3 sessions per day | 12 hours total
Group size: Maximum of 5 students
Each day is structured to develop different layers of thinking:
- 9–10am Critical & Creative Thinking Under Pressure with Adam D’Souza
Thinking beyond the obvious: argument, insight and originality - 11–12pm How selective schools assess reasoning with Bonnie Newton
Articulating their mathematical understanding and solving complex problems. - 1–2pm How selective schools use language to separate strong from exceptional candidates with Ilana King
Idea formation, evaluation and expressive clarity in writing and discussion.
At the end of the course, each student receives a Personal Profile, including:
- a clear summary of strengths across the three strands
- practical next steps to guide future preparation
- targeted activities to reinforce learning
Course Fee: £800
With over 15 years of experience preparing pupils for highly selective independent school entrance, Ilana brings a deep understanding of how schools assess ability beyond syllabus knowledge. She works primarily with high-attaining students, developing the reasoning, language precision and intellectual confidence required across written papers, interviews and group tasks. Her approach draws on long-term work with families, schools and education professionals operating at the most competitive end of the admissions landscape.
Ilana – Language Precision & Analysis
How selective schools use language to separate strong from exceptional candidates
Selective schools assess far more than reading ability. They determine whether a child can:
- detect nuance and implication
- distinguish between approximate and precise meaning
- use vocabulary as a thinking tool, not a memorisation exercise
Focus areas include:
- vocabulary as conceptual leverage (choosing the right word, not just a good one)
- inference, tone and implied meaning in complex texts
- verbal reasoning as logic expressed through language
Outcome:
Students become more exact with their language, better analytical readers, and able to justify interpretations rather than guess them.
Adam D’Souza is a full-time professional entrance tutor specialising in 11+ and 13+ admissions, and an educational consultant to families navigating highly selective school pathways internationally. After teaching English and History in academically selective London independent schools, and working as part of the founding team of an international schools group, he established his own practice in 2019. Adam’s work focuses on reasoning, problem-solving and supporting students with neurodivergent or ‘spiky’ profiles, an area in which he brings particular depth and sensitivity.
Adam – Critical & Creative Thinking Under Pressure
Thinking beyond the obvious: argument, insight and originality
At the highest levels, schools are looking for students who can:
- interpret both sides of a debate
- evaluate arguments rather than accept them
- produce original responses
Focus areas include:
- analysing and evaluating ideas
- responding creatively under pressure
- developing originality that stands out
Outcome:
Students learn how to think independently, respond with good judgement to a wide range of stimulus material, and express their ideas confidently.
Educated at Godolphin and Latymer School, Bonnie possesses first-hand insight into the demands of entrance examinations for highly selective schools. She is a fully qualified primary teacher with 12 years of classroom experience prior to specialising in entrance-exam tutoring. In her role as Stretch and Challenge Coordinator at Bristol Grammar School, Bonnie mentored high-attaining pupils across Key Stage 2, bringing this expertise to the course.
Bonnie – Mathematical Reasoning Beyond The Method
How selective schools assess reasoning
Selective schools increasingly use questions where:
- there is no clear starting point
- more than one solution may be possible
- the quality of reasoning matters as much as the final answer
By working on open-ended logic problems, students will learn to:
- approach unfamiliar problems and complex tasks
- work systematically
- explain, convince and prove their reasoning
- explore and notice patterns
Outcome:
Students gain confidence in clearly articulating their mathematical understanding and selecting the most appropriate methods to solve complex problems.
To book, please fill out this form:
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