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11 Plus costs and value

How Much Does 11 Plus Tutoring Cost in the UK?

A clear breakdown of hourly tuition, groups, mock exams, papers, subscriptions and total preparation budgets — with a sober guide to value and pressure.

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Editorial

  • Portrait of Robin GibbonsLead authorFounder & CEO·Latimer Tuition
  • Reviewed byHeather LatimerTutor Matching & Customer Service·Latimer Tuition
  • Published
  • Last reviewed

Current answer

How much does 11 Plus tutoring cost?

There is no single UK price for 11 Plus tutoring. A September 2025 report on a Parentkind-commissioned YouGov survey of 5,866 UK parents put the average private-tutoring rate at £37.50 an hour and 11 Plus preparation at about £41 an hour. Treat £41 as a dated budgeting benchmark, not a fixed tariff: the tutor, location, delivery format, session length and what is included can all change the quote.

A practical total-budget guide is:

  • £0 to around £100 for a materials-led start using suitable free familiarisation resources and, if useful, a small number of paid papers.
  • About £479 to £564 for the worked short-block examples on this page: ten one-hour sessions at the £41 benchmark, plus papers, a dated-style mock example and, at the upper end, one month of an exam-preparation subscription.
  • About £1,230 to £1,476 before extras for 30 to 36 weekly one-hour sessions at £41. Mocks, paper packs and software can take the total into the low thousands.

These are transparent examples, not a recommended spend or an estimate of what a particular child needs. Paying more cannot guarantee a qualifying score or a grammar-school place.

What makes up the total 11 Plus preparation cost?

The hourly rate is only one line of the budget. The figures below mix a dated survey benchmark, current Latimer guide bands, provider prices checked on 16 July 2026 and named mock-test examples reported in 2024. They should not be merged into one supposed national average.

A breakdown of tuition, group support, mock exams, papers, subscriptions and duration.

Cost itemCurrent evidence or exampleWhat changes the priceWhat to check

One-to-one tuition

The September 2025 survey report gave £41 an hour for 11 Plus tuition. Latimer Tuition currently publishes broad site-wide guide bands of usually £20–£30 and £25–£50 an hour by tutor background; tutors set their own rates.

Tutor experience, subject expertise, location, online or in-person delivery, session length and included work.

The live profile or written quote, exact lesson length, marking, materials, assessments and any extra charges.

Small-group tuition

No reliable current UK-wide private-market average was established. The Education Endowment Foundation defines its small-group evidence category as one tutor working with two to five pupils and rates it as low cost in school settings.

Number of pupils, session length, tutor contact, marking and how much individual feedback is included.

Maximum group size, the per-child fee, missed-session policy and whether the work matches your child’s actual gaps.

Mock exams

A September 2024 Guardian investigation reported named grammar-school-linked examples at £40 online and £45, £50, £60 and £70 for other sessions.

Online or venue-based sitting, marking detail, score reports, school specificity and the number booked.

The organiser’s current price and whether the mock is relevant to the actual local test. The 2024 examples are not a current national range.

Practice papers

GL Assessment provides about 10 hours of free familiarisation material. At the access date, its shop listed individual packs at £11.99, three-pack bundles at £31.99 and a complete 12-pack bundle at £99, including VAT.

Number of subjects, number of papers, whether answer sheets and parent guidance are included, and provider relevance.

Start with the correct free official material where available. Avoid buying papers that duplicate a tutor or subscription.

Learning subscriptions

At the access date, Atom Learning listed monthly tiers at £39.99, £59.99 and £69.99; corresponding annual prices were £383.90, £575.90 and £671.90. These are one provider’s prices, not a market average.

Subjects, adaptive practice, mock access, number of children, monthly or annual billing and included reports.

What the plan includes, renewal terms and whether it repeats papers, marking or mock access already paid for elsewhere.

Frequency and duration

At the £41 survey benchmark, 30 weekly hours cost £1,230 and 36 cost £1,476, before papers, mocks, subscriptions or travel.

Start date, weekly frequency, lesson length, school holidays, breaks and whether support continues without a review point.

Agree the specific gap, a short initial period and a date to review whether further lessons are still useful.

What different 11 Plus budgets can look like

These worked examples show the arithmetic behind the totals. They do not describe a minimum, a typical plan or the amount needed to pass. The mock figures are dated reported examples, while the paper and subscription prices were checked on 16 July 2026.

Illustrative budgets with each assumption shown.

Example approachAssumptionsIllustrative totalWhat this does not include or prove

Official-materials-led start

GL free familiarisation material, with an optional individual pack, subject bundle or complete bundle.

£0–£99 using the cited GL examples.

No tutor, paid mock or subscription; it also excludes the parent’s time and may not provide personalised feedback.

Short targeted block

10 × £41 tuition + one £45–£70 dated mock example + two £11.99 practice packs.

About £479–£504.

No subscription, travel or extra charges. Ten sessions are an illustration, not a recommended amount.

Short block plus one subscription month

The short targeted example above + one £59.99 month of Atom Exam Prep.

About £539–£564.

No assumption that the subscription is needed or that its materials do not overlap with tuition.

One-term example

12 × £41 tuition + two £45–£70 dated mock examples + one £99 full paper bundle.

About £681–£731 before any subscription.

No travel, platform or cancellation charges. Twelve sessions are not a universal term length or recommendation.

Sustained weekly tuition

30 to 36 weekly one-hour sessions at the £41 survey benchmark.

About £1,230–£1,476 before extras.

Mocks, papers, software, travel and other charges are excluded. More weeks do not automatically mean better value.

Ways to keep the cost proportionate

Aim to buy the support that solves a defined problem, rather than collecting every available product.

Recommendation

Start with the correct free material

Use official familiarisation material for the relevant local test before buying broad paper bundles. This can reveal whether the main need is format familiarity, subject knowledge, timing or confidence.

Recommendation

Pay for a defined gap

A short block focused on one issue can be better value than open-ended weekly lessons. Ask the tutor to name the gap, the planned work and how progress will be reviewed.

Recommendation

Compare a suitable small group

Sharing tutor time can reduce the per-child cost. Check the maximum group size, individual feedback, marking and whether the pace suits your child.

Recommendation

Avoid paying twice for the same support

Before buying a subscription or paper pack, check whether the tutor fee already includes materials, marking, assessments or mock access.

Recommendation

Set a review point before adding more

Agree when you will review progress, wellbeing and value. Continue because the support is useful, not simply because the examination feels high stakes.

One-to-one, small-group or self-directed preparation?

One-to-one tuition means individual support for one pupil. Small-group tuition means one educator working with several pupils; the EEF evidence category covers two to five. Its findings concern tutoring generally, often in schools, and do not show that private 11 Plus coaching guarantees admission or a return on a particular spend.

A cost, fit and evidence comparison of common preparation approaches.

ApproachLikely cost patternMay suitWatch-outsEvidence note

One-to-one tuition

Usually the highest tutor cost per child, although live quotes vary widely.

A child with a specific gap, a need for individual feedback or a pace that differs from a group.

Open-ended duration, poor tutor-child fit and paying for work that duplicates school or existing resources.

The Education Endowment Foundation reports “five additional months’ progress” on average in its general one-to-one tuition evidence. This is not an 11 Plus pass-rate claim.

Small-group tuition

Tutor time is shared, so the fee per child can be lower; no reliable current UK-wide private-market average was established.

Structured practice, routine and feedback where a child does not need fully individual reteaching.

Large groups, limited individual feedback and a pace that is too fast or too slow.

The Education Endowment Foundation reports “four additional months’ progress” on average in its general small-group evidence and says impact falls noticeably above six or seven pupils.

Official materials and self-directed work

The lowest direct cost: suitable official familiarisation material may be free, with optional paid papers.

Families who can organise practice and children who mainly need familiarity with layout and question style.

Parent time, limited personalised feedback and buying the wrong material for the local test.

GL currently provides about ten hours of free familiarisation material and warns that tests vary by area.

Subscription or mixed plan

A predictable monthly or annual charge, sometimes combined with a short block of tutoring.

Families wanting structured independent practice with occasional targeted help.

Automatic renewal, unused features and duplication of papers or mock access.

Atom’s cited monthly examples were £39.99, £59.99 and £69.99 at the access date; other providers may differ.

Online or in-person tuition

Compare the actual quotes. The available evidence does not show that online tutoring is always cheaper.

Online can widen tutor choice and remove travel; in-person may suit children who engage better face to face.

Travel time or charges, technology needs, concentration and whether the format suits the child.

Treat delivery format as one price and fit factor, not as a guaranteed saving.

What to check before you pay for 11 Plus tuition

Use the same questions for every tutor or group so that you compare the full cost and the support offered, not only the headline hourly figure.

  • Live rate and lesson length

    Confirm the current hourly or session price, the exact number of minutes and whether the rate changes for evenings, weekends or in-person work.

  • What is included

    Ask whether marking, practice papers, initial assessment, progress feedback, platform access and mock tests are included or charged separately.

  • Group size and feedback

    For a group, confirm the maximum number of pupils, how much individual feedback each child receives and what happens when ability levels differ.

  • Other charges and terms

    Check travel, platform, cancellation and missed-lesson charges before booking. Ask for the answer in writing; do not assume the hourly rate is the whole bill.

  • A defined learning need

    Ask what specific gap the tutor will target, what work will be used and when progress and the need for further lessons will be reviewed.

  • Local-test relevance

    Confirm that the tutor and materials match the current arrangements for the relevant school, consortium or admissions authority.

  • Tutor background

    Ask about relevant experience, qualifications, subject knowledge and how the tutor adapts work for the child. A higher rate does not by itself prove a better fit.

  • Safeguarding evidence

    Current GOV.UK guidance says a private individual cannot apply for an eligible self-employed tutor’s DBS check on the tutor’s behalf, but can ask to see the appropriate certificate. Criminal-record systems differ across the UK, and a certificate is only one part of safe hiring.

  • What happens if the fit is wrong

    Agree how you can raise concerns, change the approach or stop lessons if the tutor-child fit is poor or the work is not helping.

Message to a prospective 11 Plus tutor

Questions to ask before booking

When this applies

Use this wording to request a comparable full-cost quote and agree a review point before the first paid lesson. You have found a possible tutor or group but want the price, inclusions, focus and safeguards in writing before committing.

Suggested wording

Before we book, could you confirm your current hourly rate and session length; whether marking, materials, assessments or platform costs are included; any cancellation or travel charges; the group size if this is not one-to-one; the specific areas you would target; your safeguarding checks; and when we would review whether further lessons are still useful?

Why this helps

It turns a headline hourly rate into a comparable total-cost discussion and builds in a natural point to review value, fit and workload.

Sources and further reading

Prices and service details were checked on 16 July 2026. Survey and mock-exam figures are labelled with their evidence dates because they may change.

  • The Times — Parentkind/YouGov tutoring-cost survey report

    Published 13 September 2025. Supports the £37.50 general rate, £41 11 Plus benchmark and £1,287 annual-spend context.

    Open source

  • Latimer Tuition — How Online Tutoring Works

    Accessed 16 July 2026. Supports current guide bands, tutor-set rates and pay-as-you-go wording.

    Open source

  • Latimer Tuition — Online Tutoring FAQs

    Accessed 16 July 2026. Supports profile-rate, billing and Latimer safeguarding statements.

    Open source

  • GL Assessment — Free Familiarisation Materials

    Accessed 16 July 2026. Supports free material availability and local-test variation.

    Open source

  • GL Assessment — Practice Papers

    Accessed 16 July 2026. Supports current individual practice-pack examples.

    Open source

  • GL Assessment — Multi-pack Bundles

    Accessed 16 July 2026. Supports current bundle-price examples.

    Open source

  • Atom Learning — Subscription Prices

    Accessed 16 July 2026. Supports one provider’s current monthly and annual subscription examples.

    Open source

  • The Guardian — grammar-school mock-exam charges

    Published 6 September 2024; modified 2 April 2025. Supports named dated mock-test examples.

    Open source

  • Education Endowment Foundation — One to one tuition

    Review last updated July 2021. General evidence on one-to-one tutoring, not 11 Plus admission outcomes.

    Open source

  • Education Endowment Foundation — Small group tuition

    Review last updated July 2021. General evidence on group size, impact and cost-effectiveness.

    Open source

  • NHS — Help your child beat exam stress

    Page last reviewed 8 March 2023. Supports stress signs and proportionate parent support.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK — School Admissions Code 2021

    In force from 1 September 2021. Applies to England and supports the admissions and accessibility caveats.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK — private individuals employing self-employed workers

    Published 16 January 2026 and updated 23 January 2026. Supports the scoped DBS process explanation.

    Open source

Related guidance

More guidance from this section

More guidance from this part of the Ed Centre that may help with the same decision, stage or next step.

Related guidance

11 Plus Exam Guide for Parents

Understand what the 11 plus exam is, what may be tested, how registration works, and what to check locally before you plan preparation.

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

How much does an 11 Plus tutor cost per hour?

A September 2025 report on a Parentkind-commissioned YouGov survey gave about £41 an hour for 11 Plus tutoring. Use that as a dated benchmark, not a fixed UK price. Latimer currently publishes broader site-wide guide bands of usually £20–£30 and £25–£50 by tutor background, with each tutor’s live rate shown on the profile.

What is a realistic total 11 Plus preparation budget?

It can be £0 or very little when a family starts with suitable free familiarisation material; several hundred pounds for a short targeted block with papers or a mock; or low thousands for weekly tuition over many months with extras. At the £41 benchmark, 30 to 36 weekly one-hour lessons alone would be about £1,230 to £1,476.

Are 11 Plus tuition groups cheaper than one-to-one tutoring?

They can cost less per child because tutor time is shared, but no reliable current UK-wide private-market average was established. Compare the maximum group size, lesson length, marking and individual feedback. EEF defines small-group tuition as two to five pupils and says impact drops noticeably above six or seven.

Can a child prepare for the 11 Plus without paid tutoring?

Yes. GL Assessment currently provides about ten hours of free familiarisation materials. The correct material depends on the local test, and paid papers, software or tutoring can be added only where they address a defined need.

How long should 11 Plus tutoring last?

There is no source-backed universal duration. A sensible buying approach is to define the gap, begin with a limited period and agree when progress, fit and wellbeing will be reviewed. EEF’s general evidence supports focused, regular tuition, but it does not set a private 11 Plus timetable.

Is 11 Plus tutoring worth the cost?

It can be worthwhile when it targets a real gap, provides useful feedback and suits the child. EEF reports positive average effects for one-to-one and small-group tuition generally, but this does not prove a grammar-school place or a return on a particular spend. Value should include workload, sleep and pressure as well as progress.

Do all areas use the same 11 Plus test?

No. Test provider, format, timings, question count and admissions arrangements can vary by school or area. Use the current information published by the relevant school, consortium or local authority before buying test-specific resources.

Sources and references

Sources and references

Official guidance

Peer-reviewed research

News and analysis

Internal pages

Other sources