The irrational Habs 7+ parent

Sandy (names changed for confidentiality) contacted me in September 2025. She wanted to prepare her son for the 7+ at Habs.

She had less than 3 months left to prepare her son.

We had our consultation and she seemed really on it. She told me that she would do ‘everything in her power to support her son’ and she told me that she was committed to putting in the work.

I believed her. Why wouldn’t I have believed her?

She signed up to my 3-month intensive programme.

We got started with preparing her son.

The problem was this.

 He had too many gaps. 

And instead of preparing him for his Habs 7+ assessment, I had to spend time filling in the gaps. When I provided Sandy with learning for her son to do at home, she never gave me any feedback about it and her son rarely completed it. When I would ask him how the home learning went, he would often tell me that he hadn’t done it or that he didn’t know about it.

One evening, I sent Sandy a message and I asked her to send me a test that I had asked her son to complete. No reply.

After about 5 lessons, came a message telling me that she would no longer be continuing. She told me that her son ‘wasn’t making the progress she had expected’ and basically was rather annoyed with me. I explained to her that she had 7 lessons left to complete.

Let’s just say that she came up with every excuse in the book to try to stop. She was very aggressive in her tone with me. She basically blamed me for her son’s lack of progress. Now that I think about it, I truly see how irrational this was. And of course, at the time, I did take it personally. It had nothing to do with me however. It had everything to do with her.

Her son did complete his lessons (he was a lovely little boy).

She did tell me that he did not pass Habs. I knew that from the beginning sadly. I know exactly the boys who pass and what is expected from them - I’ve only been preparing boys for this school for more than 20 years.

She also applied for Highgate. He wouldn't have passed Highgate either. I'm assuming he did not. Sandy did not bother to contact me to let me know. 

And it’s the saddest thing ever because he really was a very sweet boy. He just wasn’t prepared correctly for this incredibly tough 7+ assessment. And of course I wish him nothing but success.

But the point of writing this is this…

Why on earth would you send your child to the Habs Boys 7+ assessment without thorough preparation? Why would you send your son to any 7+ assessment without thorough preparation?

I will never, ever understand this.

If you’ve not left enough time to complete the full 2 year programme, you can still join our Intensive 3 month programme and give your son the highest possible chances for success in this 7+ assessment. Is Habs a school that you would love your son to go to (2027 entry)? Then book your Emerald Curriculum 3-month Intensive Sample Lesson today.