Gravesend Small-Group Classes 2025-26

The 11+ is a tricky and nuanced process, but we aim to help guide you towards the September deadline in a reassuring and calm way!

Lessons alternate between Maths/NVR/SR and English/VR, with all resources and activities prepared  in advance, around a theme.  We plan hands-on activities to help learners engage with their learningt; in the past this has included treasure hunts, walkabouts and even a panic room scenario.  As we near the September deadline, there is an increasing emphasis on exam technique, revision of tricky areas, practice papers and general confidence-building activities.  

If you would like to know more about preparing for your child for the 11+/selective secondary schools , do please get in touch and we will happily talk you through the process.

For children in Years 5 & 6, who need a little confidence book, these one-hour lesson includes a mental maths starter, interactive activities, paired, group and individual tasks - all around a specific theme/objective. All work is differentiated - by activity/targeted questioning/level of support - to provide sufficient challenge to each student.  When possible, a game or problem-solving element is used to help make the learning more interesting and more relevant to real life.  

By 'chunking' lessons into a range of varied activities, learners are given the opportunity to approach a subject from a number of different 'angles'. Not only does this stop boredom kicking-in, it also ensures children are challenged and actively encouraged to engage with their learning.  Every time a new activity starts, a different part of the brain is 'fired up' and new memories are made!

As with the UKS2 Maths Boosters these sessions are aimed at students in Year 5 and 6. Each hour includes a spelling test, followed by a SPaG activity linked directly to the Year 5-6 curriculum.  The main part of the lesson focuses on a reading or writing objective from the curriculum, and is tied in with the topic for that term.  In the past these topics have included: The Shang Dynasty, Italy, The Renaissance, Mexico, Poland, WW2 and Food! These ever-changing topics - chosen by the pupils themselves - allow for lots of immersive learning experiences, including eating, drinking and even dressing in ways related to our topic! We make use of targeted questions to challenge each and every child and a 'no hands up' policy keeps children on their toes and engaged; they never know when a question is going to come their way! 

Resources, a lesson plan and homework tasks are all printed off and ready when the children arrive.  If you are interested in boosting your child's reading, writing and SPaGs skills, do please get in touch.  

Aimed at students in Years 3-4, these unique, small-group sessions alternate between English one week, and Maths the next. They are differentiated to ensure every student can access the learning, with each session including a quick mental maths/spelling starter, followed by on-screen, practical, paired and independent work around the chosen topic/subject for that lesson.  

To consolidate the learning - and ensure each session is pacy and fun - each lesson contains an online/practical/puzzle/quiz/group game or activity.  In the past this has included cooking, measuring objects 'out-and-about', scavenger hunts and any number of paired puzzles and games!

Lessons are differentiated to provide sufficient challenge to each student; this is achieved through differing levels of support, and targeted questions.  

If you would like to find out more about Serena's Tuition, do please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you!