How is Physical Development Assessed in the 4+ Assessments?

As Physical Development is one of the 7 areas of learning in the EYFS, it is obvious that it will be assessed in your child’s 4+ Assessment. Do not neglect this part of 4+ Assessment preparation. It is just as important as the others. Probably more so, in fact. Because without excellent physical development your child will struggle with the other areas of learning.

Physical development in the early years refers to the growth of the body and brain from birth through early childhood. This includes:

Changes in body size

Muscle strength

Balance

Co-ordination

Sensory development

Movement and handling.

3 key skills of physical development will be assessed in your child’s 4+ Assessment. These are:

Gross - The use of the whole body - eg. crawling, walking and running.

Fine - Activities that involve the smaller muscles of the body - eg. pinching, grasping and handling.

Stability - controlled and coordinated movement using the strength of the core eg. balancing.

Physical development is closely linked to mark making which is another important area that is assessed in the 4+ Assessments. If your child hasn’t developed excellent fine motor skills, they will struggle with holding their pencil/pen and will therefore find it challenging to write.

When my clients think about physical development they usually think about the gross motor skills that will be assessed but I would like you think about all three motor skills being assessed.

Physical Development could be assessed in the following ways:

A sports activity - eg. A good kick around with a ball or throwing and catching a smaller ball.

A balance activity - Walking across a ribbon without touching the floor.

Mark making - making marks on a page, following carefully the lines with their pencil/pen.

Letter formation and number formation - Accurate letter formation and number formation will be assessed

Physical development is an amazing part of the early years and we need to ensure that our children are having countless opportunities to just move more. Be offered opportunities to handle small items/objects (with supervision obviously) and to develop and strengthen those little hands.

Preparing for the 4+ for 2026 entry?

Join our Waiting List Today.

Will your son pass the Habs' Boys' 4+ Assessment?

I’ve spoken to over 200 parents this year who have contacted me to ask about the Haberdashers’ Boys’ 4+ Assessment.

Oh my what a popular school this is!

If I had to guess how many boys will be sitting their 4+ Assessment next week at Habs’ Boys’, I would guess at least the very high hundreds.

With 40 places available, this is going to be a tough competition for these 3 and 4 year old boys!

Habs’ Boys’ have ‘very high expectations for their students’ and this is obvious in their 4+ selection process.

Will your son pass the Habs’ Boys’ 4+ Assessment?

Obviously we cannot answer this and we will have to wait and see but let me share some insights with you.

The boys who have passed both rounds at Habs’ Boys’ over the last 15 years that we have preparing them have always been those boys who have had at least 9 months of consistent Assessment preparation. Parents will say to me, ‘But Habs’ say not to tutor children in preparation for their 4+ Assessments.’

Ok, good luck with that! Let me know how you get on!

Parents will then ask me, ‘But why do they write that then or why did they tell us that then?’

Who cares?

Spend your time preparing your child rather than asking these sort of questions.

Some parents tell me that because their child has a sibling at the school that it will be easier to pass the 4+ Assessments - Nope. The school doesn’t have a strong sibling policy and this 100% not the case.

Some parents tell me that because they are alumni at the school that their child will have a better chance of getting in at 4+. Again, this is simply not the case.

Whether your son will pass their 4+ Assessment at Habs’ Boys’ will depend on the following factors.

Your son’s academic abilities and excellence

Your son’s ability to follow instructions to a very high level

Your son’s ability to demonstrate independence and team work

Your son’s listening skills

Your son’s ability to answer questions in a detailed way

Your son’s ability to show excellent social interaction with the adults and children in the assessment.

Will your son pass the Habs’ Boys’ 4+ Assessment?

Let’s see!

Preparing for 2026 entry? Join our Waiting List today.

3 signs your daughter is 'ready' for the Habs Girls' 4+ Assesssment.

With less than 7 days remaining until the first round at Habs Girls’ for the 4+ Assessments, many of my students are working incredibly hard preparing for this Assessment. Many of my girls are meeting with me as much as 4 times a week to prepare for this Assessment.

We are all working very hard.

Habs girls’ offer 40 places at 4+.

Let that sink in.

Hundreds and hundreds of girls will be applying for 40 places.

This school is very over subscribed.

Round 1 is a Group Activity session lasting 50 minutes.

Group 2 will be an ‘informal meeting’ with parents and children.

Here are the 3 signs your daughter is ‘ready’ the the Habs Girls’ 4+ Assessment (Round 1)

1.Your daughter is happy to leave your side and go into a room with adults and children that she doesn’t know. If your daughter cries when she leaves your side or is resistant to leaving your side she will not pass.

2. Your daughter can focus for at least 50 minutes.

3. Your daughter can answer questions well and in detail.

That’s it.

If she can do all three of these, she will pass the first round.

Obviously, she will need to also complete all of the activities that she is asked to complete to the highest possible standard - eg. puzzles, play doh, drawing, cutting etc.

Please note that Habs’ Girls’ ‘strongly recommend against tutoring’ for the 4+ Assessment and I strongly recommend you read this and smile and carry on.

Preparing for Habs’ Girls’ for 2026 entry? Join our Waiting List today.

The ONLY way to pass the second Round at Highgate (4+)

We have all of the dates now for our students who have been invited to sit their Round 2 at Highgate (4+).

All of our students who had at least 9 months of Assessment preparation passed Round 1.

All of the students (apart from 2) who had less than 9 months of Assessment preparation did not pass round 1.

The reason the 2 children passed (who had less than 9 months of Assessment preparation) is because their parents had been preparing them. So when we started working with them, they were already at a good level and ability in terms of what they were able to do. They still had work to do and lessons did have to be more intensive however.

I have spoken to MANY parents who have called me to tell me that their child did not pass Round 1 at Highgate. Let me tell you that most of these parents are very surprised.

They did not think it would be so hard to pass the first round at Highgate.

Well it is.

And the second round is even harder to pass.

With 180 children having been invited back and only 60 places available - your child has a 1:3 chance of passing their Round 2 Assessment.

Still feeling super confident about it? That’s great. Keep going.

If you’re feeling worried about it, here is the ONLY way to pass the second Round at Highgate (4+)

THOROUGHLY PREPARE YOUR CHILD

And if you think you’re going to have a relaxed Christmas break and not touch learning for the next 3 weeks, I encourage you to reconsider.

And if you don’t know how to, work with someone who does.

If Highgate is your dream school, you want your child to have the highest possible chances for success.

7+ is even more challenging and with far fewer places available.

11+ is ok but you have to wait many years before this.

I’ve just launched an incredible course which will be open to only 3 students sitting their Round 2 Assessment at Highgate in January 2025.

This intensive 5 day course will take your child’s learning to the next level and give them the highest possible chances for success in their Highgate Round 2 Assessment.

Book your place today! I am only offering this to 3 very lucky students! Once the places are gone, they’re gone. My Habs Intensive course sold out in 48 hours!

BOOK TODAY.

3 do's and don'ts if you are preparing for the UCS 4+ Assessment.

Having prepared hundreds of boys to be very successful in their UCS 4+ Assessment over the last 15 years, I know a lot about this school. I still teach boys who go there and therefore I get quite a lovely insight into the school. UCS is an excellent school and my students are very happy and thriving there.

There are many misconceptions when it comes to preparing for UCS at 4+ so I am going to shed some light on a few of these.

Do this if you are preparing for the UCS 4+ Assessment (2026 entry)

• Be aware that there are only 32 places available at 4+

When I think about how many boys I’ve prepared over the years and how much success we’ve had as a company, it fills me with so much pride. With such few places and with so much competition, getting into UCS at 4+ is incredibly challenging.

• Visit the school

Book a tour of the school. It is vital that you visit the school and make sure that you love the school before applying your son for a place there.

• Be aware that UCS will tell you not to prepare for their ‘play date’ assessment and be prepared to completely ignore this.

If you’ve never prepared for a 4+ Assessment and you are told this, you are highly likely to just do what you are told. Do not do this.

Don’t do this if you are preparing for the UCS 4+ Assessment (2026 entry)

• Leave it until the last minute to start preparing for it.

I don’t know why but UCS is the one school that many of my clients leave way to late to start preparing for. This school needs 9-12 months of thorough Assessment preparation if you want your son to have the highest chances for success. Trust me on this.

• Believe that it will be a ‘playdate’ Assessment.

This is the biggest source of frustration in parents that I speak to after the fact. They believed this and sent their child in to ‘play’ and they were not successful.

It is NOT a PLAYDATE.

• Assume that your child can do everything that they are asked to do.

Don’t assume - check. Don’t assume - Practise with them every single day for a VERY… LONG. … TIME before their Assessment.

We will prepare your son to have the highest possible chances for success in his UCS 4+ Assessment.

Join our Waiting List today.

3 things you must stop doing today if you want to send your child to St. Pauls at 7+.

We have all of our results now from St Paul’s and all of our students have now sat their interview rounds.

There were three types of reactions from our clients.

1. Despair - This was the school that they dreamed of for their son and their son did not make it and did not pass Round 1.

2. Indifference - Our clients weren’t too bothered about the no and didn’t put all the effort needed to pass Round 1 in the first place.

3. Joy and delight - Our clients are delighted that their son has passed Round 1 and they know just how hard it was for them to be able to do so.

I speak to hundreds of parents every year who want to send their sons to St Paul’s at 7+. They have variety of reasons for wanting this particular school. Some have heard great things about St Paul’s from friends and family, some are very interested in the exit results, some love the facilities at the school and some are incredibly excited about the academic opportunities for their children if they are to be successful in passing their 7+ Assessment at this school.

Let me tell you one thing straight away.

St Paul’s is hard to get into at 7+.

If you do not have at least 1 year of intensive preparation, don’t for one moment think that your son will just go in and pass their first round. Absolutely not.

I recommend at least 2 years of Assessment preparation for St Paul’s at 7+ and many of our current clients are in fact following that exact instruction and are working hard towards their 7+ Assessment at St Paul’s.

3 things you must stop doing today if you want to send your child to St. Pauls at 7+.

1. Assuming that your son will be ‘fine’.

Your son will not be ‘fine’ unless he is prepared thoroughly.

2. Not having a clear pathway and plan

If you don’t have a clear plan, time will just pass you by and before your know it you will have 3 months left to prepare. This is not good enough.

3. Being confused about which school you’d like your son to go to.

Don’t be confused. Choose 6-7 schools that interest you and go and view them. Attend a school in action day and just choose. Then commit to preparing for these 6-7 schools and go all in to ensure your son has the highest possible chances for success.

Did your son pass Round 1?

Congratulations!

If you are preparing for St Paul’s for 2026 entry, join our Waiting List today!

7 signs your child is 'school ready'.

With ‘school readiness’ playing such an important role in whether your child will be ready or not to pass their 4+ Assessments and be able to demonstrate to the assessors that they are ‘school ready’, it is imperative that you know what ‘school readiness looks like’.

This what PHE (Public Health England) say a ‘school ready’ child is able to do.

• Able to recognise numbers and quantities (to 20)

• Participate in singing

• Ability to collaborate with others (adults and children)

• Ability to communicate their needs

• Have a good vocabulary

• Ability to socialise and make friends

• Have strong gross motor control and engage in a range of physical activities

If your child is able to do all 7 of the above, you are golden and there is a very high chance that your child will pass their 4+ Assessments. If your child is not able to do all of these, it is up to you to ensure that they can.

Otherwise there is absolutely no point sending them into any 4+ Assessment!

Let me give you an example of my son who is currently nearly 2 and a half. So he would be sitting his 4+ for 2026 entry (what the majority of my students for the 4+ are preparing for). Do exactly the same with your child and go all in to ensure that they are able to do all of these with confidence.

• Able to recognise numbers and quantities (to 20)

  Not currently able to do this.

  My son is not yet able to count to 10 - he misses out numbers or muddles them up. He is not able to recognise numbers 1-5 yet. He is able to count objects to 5.

  So this would be a clear focus for my son.

• Participate in singing

  He is amazing at singing and sings along to all popular songs and nursery rhymes with confidence and clarity. He would do very well if they had singing in his Assessments.

• Ability to collaborate with others (adults and children)

  This is hit and miss. When he feels like it, he collaborates well with adults (although at nursery, they tell me he can do this very well). He struggles to share with other children currently.

  So this would be another clear focus for my son.

• Ability to communicate their needs

  Very strong at this.

• Have a good vocabulary

  He has exceptional vocabulary.

• Ability to socialise and make friends

  He loves to socialise and make new friends. He can be shy at first however, which could be a potential problem in his 4+.

• Have strong gross motor control and engage in a range of physical activities

  He has amazing gross motor control and loves physical activities - his favourite currently being kicking his precious football around the park!

Is your child school ready?

Would they even be able to pass their 4+ Assessments?

Let me know! Email your answers to office@creativemindstutors.com

If you're a parent preparing your child for their 4+, this is WHY it is CRUCIAL that you understand 'School Readiness'.

‘School Readiness’ is a term that is bounced around a lot when schools describe their 4+ Assessment process.

These top schools are looking for ‘School Readiness’ when they are assessing the children at their 4+ Assessments.

If you don’t truly know what this means, you will be unable to fully prepare your child to actually go into any 4+ Assessment and demonstrate ‘School Readiness’.

Public Heal England define ‘School readiness’ as ‘a measure of how prepared a child is to succeed in school cognitively, socially and emotionally.’

The good level of development (GLD) is used to assess school readiness (I discussed this in more detail in my previous Blog).

Children are defined as having reached a GLD at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage if they achieved at least the expected level in the early learning goals in the prime areas of learning (personal, social and emotional development, physical development and communication and language) and in the specific areas of mathematics and literacy. This is why the report from your child’s nursery is so important (I’ll talk about this in more detail in another blog)

So basically if your child has a good GLD they will have demonstrated school readiness in their 4+ Assessments.

So what does school readiness look like exactly?

Having worked in over 100 schools during my time as a full time teacher (3 schools were long term contracts and then I did a lot of Supply work- both state and private) I was able to see exactly what a ‘school ready’ child looks like

Here is how PHE defines a ‘School Ready’ child:

• Able to recognise numbers and quantities (to 20)

• Participate in singing

• Ability to collaborate with others (adults and children)

• Ability to communicate their needs

• Have a good vocabulary

• Ability to socialise and make friends

• Have strong gross motor control and engage in a range of physical activities

If your child can do all of the above, you are golden. If they cannot, then they will be unable to demonstrate ‘School Readiness’ and therefore it is highly unlikely that they will pass a 4+ Assessment.

That’s why working with us is so beneficial to all of our clients. Because we know EXACTLY what each school is specifically looking for in their 4+ Assessments, we are able to provide a very bespoke and highly tailored learning journey for our students. This supports them to have the highest chances for success. For this reason we have amazing results year after year after year.

This year will be no different.

Preparing for 2026 entry? Join our Waiting List today.

Why is education attainment one of the main markers of wellbeing through the course of someone’s life?

The main reason that I started Creative Minds Tutors 3 years ago was because I had a deep desire to ensure that more children had access to the highest quality education possible. Working full time in a variety of schools for over 13 years, I noticed that there were several things lacking. The main one being enough personalised attention to ensure that all children were able to achieve to the highest of their potential.

As a child myself, I feel that I had to work so hard to be noticed by my teachers. I don’t think that I received enough attention and I don’t think I was given the best opportunities by the schools that I went to. I don’t want this for any child. No matter the education chosen for a child, they deserve the highest quality that will enable them to go on and succeed later in life (whatever that means for them).

Ensuring all children have access the high highest quality education is vital. Not enough children are receiving the highest quality education and therefore there are way too many gaps in children’s knowledge and understanding as they continue through their educational journeys.

Educational attainment is one of the main markers for wellbeing through the life course and so it is important that no child is left behind.

PHE London published a report (2015), ‘Improving school readiness. Creating a better start for London’ which looks at the importance of school readiness.

Considering that ‘school readiness’ is one of the most important components of the 4+ Assessments, it’s imperative that you actually understand what this means.

‘School readiness’ is a measure of how prepared a child is to succeed cognitively, socially and emotionally.

Children who don’t receive a quality level of development by the age of 5 will struggle with:

Social skills

Reading

Maths

Physical skills

All of these will impact their future lives in terms of:

How well they will do with their education

How good their overall health will be

‘School readiness’ is measure using GLD (Good level of development)

A child with a GLD at the Early Years Foundation Stage will have reached the expected level in all the prime areas of learning. Evidence shows that those who do not reach a GLD by age five, will go on to struggle with key skills such as communication, language, literacy and mathematics.

I sadly witnessed this every single day working full time in the state and private education system for over 13 years.

Remember that teachers in schools have to look after 18-32 children so it is up to you to ensure that your child had an excellent GLD.

By having high quality support from parents in their early years, children will be able to acquire the social and emotional skills and deepen their knowledge in order to be ready to succeed later in life.

This is why myself and my clients firmly believe that investing in quality early care and education has a greater return on investment than many other parents can even imagine.

Top 3 reasons why myself and my clients are happy to spend thousands of pounds on the academic success of our children.

Is academic success really that important for the futures of our children?

100% yes it is.

Academic success is so important to myself and my clients.

Here are the Top 3 reasons why myself and my clients are happy to spend thousands of pounds on our children's academic success.

Reason 1

Adults who are academically successful and far more likely to have more employment opportunities than those with less education. Academically successful adults are more likely to have a higher earning potential than those who are less academically successful.

Reason 2

Academically successful adults are more likely to be more active citizens in our society and be generally happier and healthier.

Reason 3

Academically successful adults have a higher self-esteem, lower levels of depression and anxiety and are less likely to abuse alcohol and engage in substance abuse.

With the advancements in technology and the fast moving pace in which our society is moving, as parents we must ensure that our children achieve academic success. Being 100% involved in your child’s education is going to have thousands of benefits to yourself and to your child. Academic success can also lead to more positive behaviour and better social interaction.

Children who become masters of their reading and mathematics are more likely to go onto earn more money than those who do not achieve mastery in these areas. This will open the doors to them to higher levels of earning and to further opportunities for their futures.

Some secondary effects of academic success are:

Better organisational skills

Better time management skills

Higher levels of motivation

Higher levels of concetration

Given the rapid advancement of the world that we are living in, let’s ensure that out children are ready to enter the world that they will be entering with the highest level of academic success.

Is there such a thing as a school which is highly academic and at the same time very nurturing?

I’ve been getting this question a lot in my Additional Consultations with parents applying to schools for their children.

As a mother myself, I know how important it is to make the ‘right’ decision when it comes to my child’s education.

Take away that pressure from yourself by knowing that there is no ‘right’ decision. There is merely a decision.

The majority of the parents that I speak to want the highest quality education for their children as a priority. At the same time they want a school that is highly nurturing.

These are the two most important factors when it comes to choosing the ‘right’ education for their children.

Highest quality education

Nurturing environment

With a myriad of schools out there to choose from, some of my clients feel completely overwhelmed when choosing their schools to apply to.

Many of my clients look at exit results to see the results the schools have achieved (11+, GCSA, A levels etc). They also look at the Universities children who have attended these schools have gone onto.

Of course, this is important especially if you want your child to be highly academic. However, don’t just look at the results. Don’t just look at the Ofsted report.

Actually go the schools. And don’t go just once. Go a few times. The only way to know if the schools are ‘right’ for your child is to see days in action at the schools. You will get a feel for the school. You will get to see what the calibre of students are like that go to these schools already.

What one person thinks of the school might be very different than what someone else thinks of the school. Disregard anyone else’s opinion. The only opinion that matters is yours.

‘Highly academic schools that are nurturing’ is a very subjective phrase.

There are also far too many variables to consider such as the teacher/ teachers your child will have. The types of children that will be in their class. The leadership in place at the time.

‘Nurturing’ means different things to different people. What is nurturing to me might not be nurturing to you.

Your child can be ‘highly academic’ at any school. I firmly believe this. I believe the education they receive at home is just as important as the education that they will receive at school.

So please don’t fixate on this. Choose 6-7 schools to apply to and then when you have all of the offers in your hand, you decide what you believe is ‘right’ for your child.

Oh and one more thing.

Don’t be scared to pivot. If for any reason it isn’t ‘right’ for your child, be ready to try again somewhere else. Nothing has gone wrong.

My honest thoughts about NLCS Round 2 (7+)

This year we have been busy preparing 3 girls for their 7+ at NLCS.

I always advise my clients to begin preparing for NLCS from the Autumn term of the Reception Year.

2 of our students started from September of their Reception year and they have made it through Round 1. Our other student started in Year 1 and she has also passed the first round.

The biggest difference though is that the two girls who started from Reception have had a much longer time preparing for the second round. I will of course publish our results once I have them.

With only 7-10 places on offer at 7+, competition will be fierce.

So don’t for one second think that because your daughter passed Round 1 that she will automatically pass Round 2. That is simply not how it works.

Of course, passing Round 1 is a HUGE achievement and your daughter has worked exceptionally hard to be able to pass the first round! In order to pass the first round, your daughter will have scored in line with the percentage pass mark expected by NLCS.

Where they scored will be important.

Here is a very simple example.

Let’s say the pass mark is 80%.

If your daughter just scored 80% and another girl scored 90%, the girl who scored 90% will be far more likely to pass the second round (depending on how she does of course!)

If your daughter scored 80%, she will need to score very highly in the second round.

My honest opinion is that NLCS have called back more girls than usual after the first round.

The second round will be a ‘day at school’.

Because of this, many parents think that they do not need to prepare for the second round.

This is 100% not the case.

You need thorough preparation for the second round. The second round should have been prepared in conjunction to the first round preparation that you did.

I am offering Curriculum Coaching to the first 3 parents who contact me today. I cannot offer any more than this.

If your daughter is sitting Round 2 at NLCS next week, I wish her tremendous success.

3 ways to prepare for 7+ Round 2 without getting overwhelmed.

There is a lot of confusion around the Round 2 process amongst many parents that I speak to on a daily basis.

The lack of understanding about the Round 2 process leads to results that parents do not want.

The last thing anyone wants is for their child to have passed Round 1 and then go into their Round 2 Assessment completely unprepared.

Imagine working so hard to then send your child unprepared into their second Round. It makes no sense.

To me.

Many parents I speak to are preparing their children for multiple schools for their 7+ and they have so many unanswered questions…

How is this school different to that school?

What will my child be asked?

What shall I do to prepare them?

How much should we be doing?

How do I know if I’m doing the ‘right’ thing?

All of these questions can lead parents to becoming totally and utterly overwhelmed.

Don’t do this.

You need a clear and calm strategy. That’s all.

One more thing before I give you the 3 ways.

Just because your child has passed Round 1, absolutely does not mean that they will pass round 2.

Just be super clear about that and manage your expectations!

3 ways to prepare for 7+ Round 2 without getting overwhelmed.

1. Know what the school is expecting of your child.

If you don’t know this, how on earth can you prepare them?

2. Make sure your child knows what is expected of them.

If they don’t know this, how will they show the school what they are looking for?

3. Start preparing as soon as you start preparing for the first round.

Don’t wait until your child has passed their first round.

The 7+ Assessments need 2 years of focused, bespoke tuition by a teacher who has actual experience with the schools that you are applying to. I recommend my clients start preparing from Reception - Autumn 1.

Join our Waiting List today (January/February 2025 start)

3 harsh truths about the Merchant Taylors' 3+ Assessment.

Results for Merchant Taylors’ Prep School are out.

There is a lot of disappointment.

This school is HARD to get into at any stage (3+, 4+, 7+)

There are many reasons for this and I am going to share a few of them here with you. If you do want to discuss further, please book an Additional Consultation with me.

If this is a dream school for you, I highly recommend that you get in touch with me at least one year before the Assessment and commit to meeting with me weekly for the full year. For some of you, this will mean that your son will only be just over one year of age. Of course, I do not expect a one year old to have 30 minutes of weekly tuition with me. But I do expect you to meet with me weekly and receive coaching about what exactly you should be doing every day to support your son.

If you truly desire to send your son to Merchant Taylors’ Prep School, take it seriously and prepare them appropriately for the Assessment.

Here are 3 harsh truths for you.

1. Not understanding the expectations at MTs’ for the 3+

‘It’s just a ‘playdate’ - Absolutely not!

‘My child is only 2, I can’t prepare them’ - Of course you can. The other parents whose children passed 100% prepared them - trust me.

‘My son will just go in and play’ - NO!

2. Overestimating what your son is actually able to do.

No disrespect at all, I also think my son is amazing. But I know for a fact that he would not have passed the MTs’ 3+ (He would have been 2 years and 4 months had I sat him). What you think your son can do and what he will actually do in the MTs’ 3+ are 2 different things!

Parents have said to me ‘You don’t need to do puzzles/lego/play doh, he can do that already!’ Please don’t be so arrogant. Come down off that high horse and be humble to learning from someone who has been doing this for over 15 years.

3. Not understanding the statistics.

I’ve heard different numbers but in my opinion over 100 boys applied to MTs’ for their 3+ Assessment. 32 offers were made. MTs’ say that 18 boys were placed on the reserve list but I believe at least 32 boys were placed there. None of the boys that I heard of were offered a place after having been on the reserve list.

4+ is even harder with only 7-8 places available.

So if you are serious about preparing for Merchant Taylors’ 3+, join our Waiting List today!

How do I know which school is 'right' for my child?

I get this question about 100 times in one month from parents who contact me.

As a parent, the one thing that we all have in common is that we want the best for our precious children. Many of my clients invest hundreds of thousands of pounds on their children’s education. Spending money on their child’s learning is something they happily do each and every month because they know that they are investing into the person that they love most in this world.

When I spend money on my son, I want to make sure that it is the ‘best’ investment for him. I want to make sure that he is getting the most out of the learning he is receiving. I also love to spend money on my son’s development and learning. There are no limits. I will do everything in my power to ensure that he has the best of the best when it comes to his education.

But this mindset and way of thinking presents itself with a myriad of problems.

We will never know what is ‘right’ for our child.

Until we have tried it of course.

Perhaps you have a dream school in mind for your child and perhaps they actually pass their Assessment and are offered a place at your dream school. Only after this point can we have a proper conversation about whether or not the school is ‘right’ for your child. Before that point, we are merely speculating.

What is ‘right’ for one child, will be completely ‘wrong’ for another.

You will not ‘know’ which school is ‘right’ for your child.

You will have your options in terms of your child’s education and you must of course plan and prepare well for them.

Then all you can do is try. Don’t just assume that all will go dreamily. At the same time, don’t just assume that it will all go badly. Try and if you need to pivot and go in a different direction, don’t be afraid to try again.

Nothing has gone wrong.

I love that my clients want the absolute best for their children.

It’s why I do what I do. I also want the absolute best for each and every one of my students.

Whatever that may be for them.

3 signs your child is READY for their 4+ Assessment.

Many of you have already been very busy with the 4+ Assessments so far this year. Some of you have had amazing success and some of you haven’t. Incredible success in the 4+ Assessment comes from thorough preparation. By thorough, I mean consistent daily practise of all of the key skills that will be assessed in your child’s 4+ Assessment. The 4+ Assessment at each individual school will be different so it is not enough to just ‘prepare’ your child generically and expect that they will go in and be successful at each individual school. It does not work that way.

I’ve spoken to many of you who tell me that your child is ‘ready’ but when I meet them or when you tell me more about their skills and abilities, it is clear to me that they are not.

If you have never experienced this process, it will be very challenging for you to know what being ‘ready’ even looks like. I have been doing this for over 15 years. I know exactly what it looks like. I have experienced actual 4+ Assessments - as in I have been invited to observe 4+ Assessments at top Inner London schools. I have seen exactly what these top schools are looking for.

Here are the 3 signs your child is READY for their 4+ Assessments. If your child isn’t, you still have one months to get them ready. The time to start is now. My 4+ Assessment Accelerator Course will be a great place to start.

1. Your child can follow instructions (95% of the time)

Yes, this is the expectation. And if your child doesn’t do what they are asked to do in the Assessment, they will not pass it.

2. Your child is confident speaking to teachers and other children.

You can be shy and still demonstrate confidence - try not to get this confused.

3. Your child can listen well and respond to questions.

It really is very simple.

Can your child do those three things?

If they can’t, you still have some work to do!

I am at capacity for 2025 entry but I am still offering Curriculum Coaching to new clients.

The #1 secret to sending your child into their 4+ Assessment successfully.

This is the most overlooked part of the 4+ Assessment. Yet it is the most important part of the 4+ Assessment.

How your child goes into their 4+ Assessment will crucial.

I’ve never heard anyone saying to me that their child went in crying and passed. Never. And if you have heard of someone whose child went in crying and passed - then they are the exception.

If your child goes in crying, upset or doesn’t want to leave your side, they will not pass.

Who will the school be more likely to choose?

The child who was crying and didn’t want to go in or the child who said bye bye beautifully to their mummy or daddy and waltzed in happily? It’s obvious.

The #secret to sending your child into their 4+ Assessment successfully is to talk to them about it.

A lot.

Not just for a few days before the Assessment but for months and months and months before the Assessment.

Even though you might think your child isn’t paying attention to you, they are absorbing what you are saying. The more your talk about it. they more they might start to ask you questions about the Assessment. This is great! Your child must know exactly what will happen on the day of their Assessment.

And it is up to you to ensure that they know exactly what will happen.

At the ages of 3 and 4, your child will not know what an Assessment is so don’t use this word. Tell them that they are going to a beautiful school, tell them they will meet new teachers, tell them that they will meet new children. And then tell them exactly what they will do and exactly what your expectations of them are.

This is the #1 secret to sending your child into their 4+ Assessment successfully.

Be completely open and honest with them.

Do not tell them it’s a play date. It isn’t.

Preparing for the 4+ for 2026 entry? Join our Waiting List today. The £50 will go towards your Registration fee when you receive the first invoice for your chosen package.

The 4+ Assessment is like a Ballet.

Yesterday I went to the Royal Opera House to watch Maddaddam. It was exceptional.

As I was watching this masterpiece I started thinking about my dear clients and my beautiful students who are currently going through their 4+ Assessments. As I was watching the ballet, I started to think about how much the 4+ is like a ballet.

The 4+ Assessment is a performance. The 4+ Assessment is a beautiful performance and the show your child puts on will determine how successful they will be.

The dancers on the stage were so incredibly talented and as I was watching them I imagined how many hours/ days/ weeks/ months they had been practising together for this performance. It was obvious that they had been practising for months and months and months. Meeting every single day to practise and perfect every single turn, plie and lift. No way were they able to do that with just a few days/weeks practise. The performance that they gave was 100% something that they had been rehearsing every single tedious day for a very… long… time. That’s when I started having visions of my little students who meet with me every single week for 12-15 months. My little students who wake up every morning and do some practise. Just like those incredible dancers.

You don’t have any sort of success overnight. It takes time, resilience and dedication.

Then there was the part where one of the ballerinas didn’t land ever so perfectly and I could see the look of despair in her eyes. It wasn’t what she wanted. Those dancers on that stage are there to give the performance of their lives. And any little error will be noticed by someone. Just like the 4+. An error could cost my students their chance of passing their 4+ Assessments. For example - not following the instruction or refusing to do something that they were asked to do.

Think on the 4+ Assessment like a ballet. You want your child to be successful then they need to show up every single day for a very… long … time and not just for a few months before their Assessment. They need to show up and give the performance of their lifetime. Not just show up and do what is expected.

Are you sick and tired of not understanding the 4+ Assessment process?

The biggest problem with 4+ Assessment preparation is the huge lack of understanding around the actual 4+ Assessment process.

Because most parents don’t fully understand what is involved, they cannot prepare their children to be 100% ready to go in and have the highest chances of passing their 4+ Assessments.

This is definitely not your fault.

I can the 4+ Assessments ‘The Secret Society’.

Schools are secretive about it, other parents who have already been through the process are secretive about it, teachers are secretive about it and even children who complete these Assessments are secretive about it!

So let’s go back to basics.

What is the 4+ Assessment?

Your child will sit their 4+ Assessment at the age of 3 or 4 to be in with the chance of going to a top Independent School. 4+ Assessments will be different at each and every school but in general they will be assessing the following:

Cognition

Communication

Practical Skills

There will be a variety of activities such as identifying shapes, counting, phonics, following instructions, listening to a story, problem solving, team work and independence.

What is the purpose of a 4+ Assessment?

The main purpose of a 4+ Assessment is for the Assessors to observe your child to know if they want your child to come to their school!

These top Independent schools will literally have their choice of who they want to come to their school!

What is even being observed?

Social skills

Emotional maturity

Independence

Ability to work well as a team

Schools want to know if your child will be able to socialise well within their school setting, how able they are to adapt to a new and unfamiliar environment and just how ready your child is for formal education.

So this is a very simplistic explanation of the 4+ Assessment process.

You don’t need to over complicate it but you do need to understand it. If you don’t understand it, you won’t be able to prepare your child for it.

Start preparing with at least 9-12 months of time before the Assessment. This is needed because of the vast curriculum that needs to be covered.

Bool your FREE 15 minute Assessment Consultation Discovery Call today.

2 things you must stop doing today if you want your toddler to become an independent writer.

Parents often tell me this…

‘My child refuses to write!’

and parents often ask me this…

‘How do I get them to write?’

You don’t ‘get’ a child to write. So get that out of your head for starters!

Here’s what you should be asking me…

‘How do I help to create a love for writing?’

That question I can spend hours answering!

When I worked full time in primary schools, this was something that I had to work very hard to get rid of in my classrooms. This ‘enforced writing’ time. Especially in the earlier years (Reception- Years 2). Some children just don’t want to write for whatever reason they have and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m sure that there are many things that you don’t like to do too!

Yet we continue to ‘force’ our children to write and then we wonder why some children don’t want to write?

If you want your child to become an independent writer, here are two things you must stop doing today.

1.Telling them to do it.

My son is 28 months old. To this day, I have never told him to write. Not once. Every morning, I leave paper out for him. I leave colouring pencils/felts out for him. But I don’t tell him to write. If he gravitates towards that activity - that’s great! He’s always asking me for pencil and paper. He calls pencils ‘papers’! Perhaps because he sees me writing all the time and he copies everything I do, perhaps he sees that I myself love writing and am writing at various points in the day. Perhaps this is why he loves to write.

It is a problem if you keep telling your child to write because if they don’t want to do it and you tell them to do it, they will associate it with something negative. And once it becomes negative - that’s it - Game over.

We want writing to always be associated as something very positive. Very relaxed and calm. This is not what I’ve seen on many occasions in my nearly 20 years as an educator.

2. Telling them that what they have written is not good enough.

Don’t do this.

If you are trying to encourage your child to become an independent writer, just let them write. What they do is good enough. Don’t tell them otherwise. If you do want to comment on something, be specific. Eg. I love your letter o but let’s try forming it the other way.

You want your child to become an independent writer then avoid these two things to have the greatest chance for success!