'I'll wait until my child is 3!' is not a strategy for 4+ Assessment preparation.

‘I’m really against tuition!’

‘I just don’t agree with tuition!’

‘Oh, it just doesn’t sit right with me!’

‘I just don’t want my child to do tuition at such a young age!’

I don’t know why there’s so much trauma around the word ‘tuition’. It must be some deep childhood trauma, I’m not quite sure what it is. But I hear parents saying these things to me every single day.

And then comes the total and utter confusion.

These parents want their children to be offered a place at coveted schools like Westminster, Haberdashers and Highgate?

Oh the contradiction. Oh the total and utter confusion.

Wake up everyone!

It is nearly April!

Most of my clients have been preparing for the 4+ with myself and my team since September -December of last year.

If you keep waiting, how is that going to be helpful to any one?

You have a vast curriculum to cover to prepare your child for these prestigious schools.

Then comes the … ‘Well I’m not worried, she goes to a top Nursery/Pre- prep and x children got into x schools.’

Listen up, out of those x children, how many of them were in fact tutored - I promise you ALL OF THEM.

So please don’t wait. The time to start was 3 months ago! But if you’re just getting started now, just start.

Going to Nursery Full Time is not a strategy for 4+ Assessment Success.

Far too much confusion around this one.

So your child goes to a top Nursery or pre- prep. Perhaps they go to Bright Little Stars or to a Bright Horizons or to a Fountain Montessori. Or perhaps they go to a top pre prep like The Mulberry House School (This is where I worked for 3 years) or to Devonshire House. Please don’t for one moment think that sending your child to Nursery or a pre-prep is a strategy to help to support your child to be offered a place at a top Independent School.

This is not the case.

Now many of you will argue will me and say that you are paying nearly 30k per year to send your child to a top pre-prep so shouldn’t it be their job to prepare your child for their 4+ Assessment?

The answer is a harsh no.

It is not.

That is up to you.

You choose to send your child to a nearly 30k per year pre-prep. That is your choice. That is personal to everyone.

Believe me when I tell you that the majority of my students have a private tutor and attend a top pre-prep. How do I know this? Well, because I am that tutor!

The majority of our students attend top Nurseries or prestigious prep schools. That’s because our clients fully understand that it is up to them to ensure that their child is ready for their 4+ Assessments and not the nursery/pre- prep that they go to.

So when you call me and tell me that your child goes to an exceptional nursery or pre-prep, please remember that this is highly irrelevant and means very little.

Take responsibility for the success of your child.

No one else will ever care as much as you do.

Remember that.

Mastering fine motor skills for 4+ Assessment success!

Struggling with pencil grip, scissor skills, or buttoning up a coat? These little things make a BIG difference in the 4+ assessments!

Fine motor skills aren’t just about neat handwriting—they show dexterity, independence and school readiness. Many 4+ Assessment tasks require children to:

Hold a pencil correctly and form letters/shapes with accuracy and precision
Use scissors and build with small objects like lego
Fasten buttons and complete puzzles and beading

These are just a few examples.

Many students who start working me with less than 6-9 months to go before their 4+ Assessments struggle with their fine motor skills and fine motor control. It hasn’t been practised enough. Parents can sometimes underestimate the power of practising these skills every day and consistently from a very young age. I have personally been working on fine motor skills with my son from the moment he was able to pick up small objects. Every day, I provide him with tasks that help to strengthen his fine motor skills. He now has exceptional fine motor control. There are things we continue to work on such as cutting which is still very challenging for him - and that’s okay! It’s about consistency and doing things daily (even for just 5-10 minutes).

And by the way, the reason he struggles with cutting is because that is one task I do not do with him every day and I am not consistent with it.

3 fun ways to strengthen fine motor skills at home:

1. Play doh Fun – Rolling, pinching & shaping strengthens little fingers!
2. Tweezers & Pom-Poms – Picking up small objects builds grip strength.
3. Buttoning & Zipping Challenge – Encourages independence with dressing skills.

Strong fine motor skills = confident, independent learners!

How is your child currently doing with their fine motor skills? How could you support them today to strengthen their fine motor skills?

Developing strong listening skills for 4+ Assessment success!

Did you know that in the 4+ assessments strong listening skills can make or break a child’s success.

It will be so clear to see which children are able to listen well and those that are not.

Many children struggle with following instructions—not because they don’t understand, but because they aren’t used to actively listening to someone. These top Independent Schools want to see children who can:

• Listen carefully to a story or task.

• Follow multi-step instructions without needing constant reminders.

• Children who can stay engaged, focused and respond appropriately.

Try these 3 simple ways to boost listening skills at home:

1.Play "Simon Says" – Helps with focus & following instructions!
2. Give Multi-Step Tasks – “First put your book away, then grab your teddy.”
3. Read & Ask Questions – "What happened first/last in the story?" Builds attention & recall!

The best 4+ candidates aren’t just intelligent and bright—they’re also great listeners!

Far too often I speak to parents who tell me things like, ‘My child didn’t pass because they did not listen well but they listen so well at Nursery!’ How is that even relevant? Your child HAS to listen well in their 4+ Assessments. And it’s up to you to ensure that they are able to do so by practising daily.

It takes time, effort and focus to support a 2/3 year old to develop their listening skills!

Are you up for the challenge?

Many of you seem to want to leave this up to your child’s Nursery or pre-prep. Why do you think they care about your child being able to listen well more than you do?

Book your Sample Lesson today!

Boosting independence and confidence for 4+ Assessment success!

"A confident child stands out in 4+ assessments—not just because they know the answers, but because they tackle challenges with independence and self-belief!" Maria Mazarese (Creative Minds Tutors Director)

Many parents focus only on academic abilities but top schools are also looking for children who can think for themselves. Independence and confidence are key! Do not neglect this aspect of 4+ Assessment preparation.

Try these 3 simple ways to build these essential skills at home:

1. Give Choices – Let your child pick between two activities (“Do you want to do puzzles or drawing?”). This fosters decision-making & independence.

My son will always pick both when given the choice. I find this cute but it wouldn’t go down well in a 4+ Assessment! If your child is asked to choose between an activity to go to, they will have to choose. So it is up to you to support your child to be able to do this. And to be able to do it well. Every day ask your child to choose and pick an option out of the ones you give them. This could be as simple as - ‘Which book would you like to read this evening?’ If that question is currently too vast for them, offer them two or three options.

2. Encourage Problem-Solving – Instead of jumping in to help, ask “What do you think we should do next?” This builds resilience & critical thinking.

Many parents that I work with initially jump in and try to answer for their children. This is not helpful. I’m not interested in what the parents have to say!

I’m interested in what my students have to say.

3. Build Responsibility – Small tasks like tidying up after playtime boost independence & confidence in following instructions—a crucial skill for assessments.

When I ask my nearly 3 year old to tidy up, he will always choose to say no and in fact he will even ask me to do it for him! He also asks me ‘Why?’ All I have to do is come down to eye level with him and explain to him WHY I would like him to tidy up and when I do this he will (nearly ) always tidy up.

Confident, independent children are the ones who will succeed in the 4+ Assessments.

Yes we are preparing for the 4+ Assessments but it goes far beyond this. We are preparing our students to be lifelong lovers of learning. Teaching these skills at such a young age is truly extraordinary in my opinion. A three year old who is already confident and fiercely independent? That’s exactly how I’m raising my son!

Story time for Success!

Did you know that story time isn’t just for bedtime? It’s actually one of the best ways to prepare your child for the 4+ assessments! Here’s how…
When your child listens to stories, they’re not just hearing words—they’re building focus, vocabulary, and comprehension (all essential for 4+ success!)

Want to make the most of story time? Try this 3-step technique to boost their learning:

1. Pause & Predict – Stop mid-story and ask, “What do you think happens next?” (Encourages critical thinking!)

I always ask my students ‘What do you think will happen next?’ when we are reading stories together. Students as young as two are asked this question every single week! Your child will 100% be asked to make predictions in their 4+ Assessment. So by exposing them to this questions frequently, your child will build the confidence that they need in order to be able to predict accurately based on the story that they are read.

2. Spot the Details – Point to pictures and say, “Can you find something red?” (Builds observation skills!)

In our lessons, we do picture analysis every single week. When I do picture analysis with my students, I simple start off by asking them, ‘What do you see?’ Done consistently every single week (and with their parents during the week) this activity alone strengthens and builds their vocabulary. Asking my students focused questions allows them to enhance their questioning skills and be able to answer more and more complex questions

3. Retell the Story – After reading, ask them to summarise in their own words. (Boosts memory & verbal expression!) Simply ask your child - ‘What happened in the story?’

Just 10 minutes a day can make a HUGE difference! Try this today & tell me—what book are you reading?

Consistently reading with your child every day for only 10 minutes equates to 70 minutes a week. In a month that’s nearly 5 hours of reading time!

It’s those little moments of time that count when it comes to 4+ Assessment preparation.

3 fun and interactive learning ideas to try today!

 Want to prepare your child for the 4+ assessments without countless and boring worksheets? 

Try these FUN & INTERACTIVE games at home! 

Learning through play is the secret to building confidence, focus & early learning skills! Here are 3 quick & easy games to get started:

Mystery Bag Challenge – Hide an object in a bag. Let your child feel & describe before guessing. (Boosts vocabulary & thinking!) 

Children adore an element of mystery. You can use any bag that you have and just place an object inside. I like to keep this themed. For example, I tell my son - 'This is something that you can find in the kitchen.' or 'This is a fruit.' etc. This is such a fun game with so much learning involved! If they correctly guess the item, they can reveal it and you can use the item to ask them lots of questions. Eg. What do you do with it? Why do you use it? Where else might you find it? 

Sound Hunt – Pick a sound (like “S”) & have your child find objects that start with it! (Builds phonics & listening skills!) It also encourages focus and concentration! Choose two or three objects that begin with that sound and hide them around the room. Give your child clues as to where they can find the items and have lots of fun with this! When your child finds the item, let them tell you what it is and then ask them what sound it begins with. 

 Action Simon Says – Add a two-step challenge: “Touch your toes, then spin!” (Strengthens memory & focus!) Great for the personal development aspect of the EYFS curriculum and also great for following instructions! 

The best part? They’re learning without even realising it!

Ready to take your child’s 4+ Assessment preparation to the next level?

Book your Sample Lesson today!

100% Success Rate at Chigwell (4+) 2025 Entry.

Chigwell is a very popular school that we prepare for every single year. It is one of the earlier Assessments so you must ensure that you start preparing a lot earlier. Chigwell have not yet published details about the 4+ Assessment this year but last year the Assessment was on the 23rd of September! So you would have only 6 months of Assessment preparation if you were to be starting now.

We prepare all of our students for their Chigwell 4+ Assessment to the highest standards. I know that all of our students are equipped with the skills to be able to answer any question that they are asked, to be able to complete any activity and to be able to go in and truly thrive.

We have such incredible success year after year after year because we do the following exceptionally well.

1. We teach our students HOW to answer questions well and we practise this skill every single week.

   Your child will need to communicate exceptionally well to be offered a place at Chigwell. I wouldn’t recommend sending your child in to this assessment if they are unable to do this.

2. We focus on listening skills.

   Your child will need to listen and engage with a story and demonstrate high levels of listening skills. Listening also includes how your child responds to what they have heard.

3. We cover all of the EYFS curriculum to a very high standard.

If you are preparing for the 4+ Assessment at Chigwell and you haven’t yet started Assessment preparation, the time to start is right now. I don’t personally think 6 months is enough time to prepare for Chigwell but you are better off starting now than continuing to wait.

The Chigwell 4+ Assessment is not easy.

Chigwell at 4+ is very over subscribed.

Chigwell will be looking for something specific in their students.

If you don’t know what they are looking for, work with someone who does.

We have supported hundreds of children to be very successful at this school.

Here is a testimonial from one of my clients whose son has started at Chigwell last year…

I would highly recommend Maria!!! SHE IS SIMPLY THE BEST!

We knew we wanted to send our son to a school that required him to sit the 4+ assessments. I did not know what was needed to prep him. I searched online and came across creative mind tutors. After having read their blog posts on their website, i had a discovery call with Maria. During this call she listened to me and I instantly knew she would be right for us. Her knowledge of the curriculum is outstanding.

We started with her curriculum sprints and then embarked on weekly tutuion sessions online. Maria was kind, patient and structured. She knew exactly what needed to be done and was aware of the timeline we had.

Our son got offers from all the schools we applied to and I am so grateful to Maria for making the whole experience fun and enjoyable for little children.

Thank you so much Maria!

Book your Sample Lesson today.

Confusion is the thief of 4+ Assessment Success

These last few days I’ve spoken to 15 parents preparing their children for the 4+ Assessments.

There seems to be quite a lot of confusion going around.

Rather than focusing your thoughts on this confusion, please direct that energy to ensuring that your child is best prepared for their Assessments.

A lot of parents that I’ve spoken to have attended open days at the schools that they would love to send their child to at 4+. There have been many mixed messages. Or at least this is how the parents I have spoken to have interpreted what they have been told. Many of these parents have said things to me like, ‘My husband has said no to any tuition!’ and ‘I just don’t think my 3 year old should be doing assessment preparation!’

Confusion will rob you of 4+ Assessment success. Confusion will leave you blocked. Confusion will keep you stuck.

And here is what I have to say about it.

If you are preparing your child for the 4+ , please ensure that they are best prepared in ALL of the areas of the EYFS curriculum. At the end of the day, regardless of what your child is asked, at least you know that you have covered all bases.

Please don’t neglect certain areas.

Cover everything! And more!

Children at this age LOVE to learn. They are like sponges. Absorbing everything and remembering so much. It is incredible to see.

So to those of you who tell me that you don’t want your child to suffer because they have to prepare for their Assessments, challenge that thinking. Why would they suffer? I do not understand that at all. Children adore learning! To those of you who think that a 4+ Assessment can’t be as difficult as I say it will be, challenge that thinking. Why do you think I’ve had students start with me from as early as 18 months of age preparing for their 4+ Assessments? Why do you think all of my clients are currently taking massive action every single day preparing their children for their 4+ Assessments.

There is a reason.

Children are capable of learning everything that you teach them. Trust me, children at this age love to learn. So teach them. Have fun with it. Laugh. Joke. Enjoy it. And if your child absorbs it all, that is the cherry on top!

If you need further support with 4+ Assessment preparation, book your Sample Lesson today. We will be delighted to support you every step of the way.

3 character traits of OUR students who passed their 4+ Assessment at Highgate (2025 Entry)

We have prepared hundreds of children for their Highgate 4+ Assessment over the last 16 years. We know exactly what this exceptional school is looking for and we prepare our students to the highest possible standards to be able to go into the Highgate 4+ Assessment and shine. Despite there being 60 places available each year at Highgate at 4+, this is an incredibly competitive school to get into. It is so competitive that this is the only school at 4+ that has a ballot system for children to even be offered a chance to go the this 4+ Assessment!

Think over a thousand children applying for 60 places. Last year, we prepared 5 children for Highgate at 4+. 4 have been offered a place to study at this school from September 2025. This is exceptional.

Here are the 3 character traits of OUR students who passed their 4+ Assessment at Highgate (2025 Entry)

1. Strong physically

All 4 students were very strong physically. They had very strong gross and fine motor skills. They were all able to hold their pencil pretty much perfectly and they could all write their numbers and letters of the alphabet with accuracy and precision. All 4 students could cut to a very high standard. They were all able to complete complex puzzles and demonstrate a variety of strategies to complete the puzzles.

2. Excellent listeners

All 4 students were excellent listeners. When they showed up to meet with me weekly, they were always actively engaged and listening to every single word that I would say. In the 4+ Assessment at Highgate they listened to every single thing that they were asked to do and they did it to a very high standard.

3. Superb focus and concentration

All 4 students were able to focus for long periods of time.

To be successful in the Highgate 4+ Assessment, your child will need at least 12 months of tailored and bespoke 4+ Assessment preparation. Round 1 at Highgate is in November. So as of today, you have 8 months of 4+ Assessment preparation.

Do not procrastinate getting started. You want your child to even have a chance of passing this 4+ Assessment, take the process seriously and put in the work.

It takes time, effort and dedication on your part for your child to be able to into their 4+ Assessment and pass.

Book your Sample Lesson Today.

Can a 3 year old REALLY focus for 60-90 minutes?

Obviously the answer is… yes!

They REALLY can!

Yet so many of you are so sceptical about this.

Why?

You don’t believe that your 3 year old can focus for 60-90 minutes?

You’ve never seen them focus for 60-90 minutes before?

Well, if you are planning to send your child for a 4+ Assessment at a top inner or outer London school, you’d better change your way of thinking.

Because in order for your child to even be in with a chance of passing their 4+ Assessment, your child is going to have to be able to develop the skill of being able to focus for long and extended periods of time.

Parents will say to me that it is ‘impossible’ and that their child just ‘can’t do it’.

This is lazy thinking.

Of course your child can do it.

You just need to put in the work each and every day to support them to be able to do this.

Most of you are not willing to do this.

You want someone else to do it for you. Your child’s nursery/tutor/nanny.

Listen, the only person truly invested in your child’s success is you.

A 3 year old REALLY can focus for 60-90 minutes. How do I know this?

I know this because I see it year after year after year (I’ve personally been preparing children for their 4+ Assessments for over 16 years!)

It is an expectation in these 4+ Assessments. Some will be shorter of course but you want to see your child focusing for extended periods of time over the course of their 4+ Assessment preparation.

So throw your hands up in the air and tell me this is not possible or do the work and support your child to be able to do it.

Book your Sample Lesson today.

If your child can’t follow instructions, do not send them to a 4+ Assessment.

Go to a group class where you have a variety of different children of similar age and just observe quietly.

It will become so clear to you.

Who can follow instructions and who cannot.

If this were at a 4+ Assessment and you were the assessor, who would you invite back to the second round and who would you say bye bye to?

The weekly class that I take my son to currently is Stagecoach (he is nearly 3 years old). He is in a group of about 6-8 children. There are 3 types of children in his group.

Group 1

The overachievers

These children are the ones who always put their hands up. They are so eager and keen. They want to answer everything that they are asked. ‘Me, me, me, pick me!’ They listen to everything the teacher says as though everything she says is just amazing. They focus.

Group 2

The distracted

These children are the ones who have their eye gaze everywhere else but on the teacher. They listen to her reading the story for a few minutes and then look over at the toys in the corner. They never raise their hands because they are too distracted to even be fully listening to what the teacher is saying.

Group 3

The ‘I’d rather not be here’

These children clearly have no desire to be in the Stagecoach room. They are attached to their mother or father and they cry frequently. They definitely are not listening to a single word the teacher is saying and they do not take part in the activities.

Which group does your child fall under?

Mine falls under group 2.

If your child doesn’t fall under group 1, do not send them to a 4+ Assessment. What would be the point?

Summer born v Autumn born children in the 4+ Assessment

So your child is summer born and they are going to be doing their 4+ Assessment in the next 6-10 months. You breathe in a sigh of relief because the school you desperately want to send your child to has told you that your child will be grouped in terms of age. You imagine that this means that your child will be assessed differently to their winter born peers and you would be wrong about this.

Children are grouped into age groups (at most 4+ Assessments) but please don’t take this to mean that they will be assessed differently to their peers who are older than them.

I’ve never spoken to one single parent who has ever told me that their child was assessed differently compared to a child who is winter born.

The Assessments will not be different for your child just because they are summer born.

Why would they be?

Do you really think that these top independent schools have the time to differentiate their Assessment procedure for summer born children? No they do not.

Prepare your child in the exact same way as a child who is nearly a year older than them will be prepared.

If you don’t, it is highly likely that they will not be ready for their 4+ Assessments and it is very likely that they will not pass.

Their percentage will be adjusted to give them their final mark but only ever so slightly.

At the end of the day, if your child is unable to fulfil the criteria of the school assessing them, they will not pass - regardless of their age.

Book your Sample Lesson today.

How 'easy' is your child to teach?

Would you say that your child is ‘easy’ to teach?

Have you observed them in a group environment with other children?

Have you seen how they are as part of the group?

I invite you to just spend some time observing. Being the silent witness.

I invite you to not just listen to your child’s nursery teachers telling you that they are ‘doing great!’ or ‘They had a great day!’ What does that even mean anyway?

Take responsibility and take the time to just go and watch your child in a group setting. I promise you it will be eye opening.

Most Sundays, I take my son to Stage coach. I just sit and observe him and it is fascinating.

He is not as ‘easy to teach’ as other children in the group and let me explain to you how I know this.

He doesn’t actively listen to the teacher all the time. He does switch off if he gets bored or if he loses interest. I observe other children literally glued to the teacher and listening to every single word that she says.

He doesn’t raise his hand to answer the questions without my encouragement. Other children have their hands up the whole time and patiently wait for the opportunity to be called upon in order to be able to answer the questions. Even if their answer is wrong, you can see how proud they are of themselves!

When he is asked to answer and put on the spot, he will most often withdraw and not answer. I observe other children saying the answers with confidence and delight.

When my son is asked to do something like tidy away a toy that was used, sometimes he does it but there are also times where he literally just refuses. Other children follow the instruction immediately.

My son is not ‘easy to teach’ compared to the other children in his group.

If it was a 4+ Assessment, you can see why this would be a problem for my son.

Remember that these top schools will have their pick of the children that they want to come to their schools. Teachability is very important. They want children who will be ‘easy to teach’.

So if your child ‘easy to teach’?

And I don’t mean ‘easy for you to teach’! I mean ‘easy for others to teach’.

Answer this question with honestly and sincerity like I just did and then get to work with supporting your child to develop the skills needed in order to demonstrate teachability in their Assessments.

That’s what we do here at Creative Minds Tutors. We support all of our students to go into their Assessments and show exactly what the assessors are looking for. After all, your child will be one of hundreds and hundreds of children being assessed.

Why would these top schools want to choose your child?

3 Character Traits of Girls Who Passed the Glendower 4+ Assessment.

Glendower is a popular school amongst our clients at CMT preparing their girls for their 4+ Assessments. We have prepared many girls to be very successful at being offered a place at Glendower at 4+.

We have observed that the girls who historically pass the 4+ Assessment at Glendower have these 3 character traits…

Does your daughter have them?

If not, don’t worry, you can support her to develop these character traits with the best Assessment preparation.

1. Girls who are willing to have a go at most things.

Even if it is challenging. Even if they don’t feel like doing it. Even if they don’t know the answer. These girls have the confidence to just have a go. To try anyway.

2. Girls who are not afraid to get things wrong.

Girls who have the confidence to try anyway. They are not afraid of getting it wrong. They have the courage to have a go anyway.

3. Girls who are calm and exude a quiet confidence.

I’ve noticed that it’s usually the quietly confident girls who are successful.

So confidence is key at this school. Not loud confidence. Quiet confidence.

Confidence is what we work on every single week in our lessons with our girls who are preparing for their 4+ at Glendower.

We know exactly what this school is looking for in their prospective new students and that is how we have the incredible success that we have year after year after year.

Book your Sample week today.

5 ways to know if your child is not ready for their 4+ Assessments?

1.     Your child has no desire to be left somewhere new and unfamiliar to them.  

 When you take your child somewhere new, they do not want to leave your side. They cry and make a fuss. You’ve tried several new activities and still your child doesn’t want to leave your side and still they refuse to go in without you.

Your child is not ready to go to a 4+ Assessment.

 2.     Your child doesn’t listen well.

 When you ask your child a simple yes or no questions, they ignore you. When you read them a story, they don’t listen and they run off. When other children talk to your child, they have no interest in what they are saying.

 If your child doesn’t listen well, they are not ready for a 4+ Assessment.

 3.     Your child doesn’t focus for long periods of time and they lose concentration quickly.

By long periods of time, I mean for at least 10 minutes. If you observe them listening to a story at their nursery and they are looking everywhere else but at the book being read to them, they are not ready for a 4+ Assessment. If you ask your child to complete a 6 piece puzzle and they put two pieces together and quickly lose interest in the rest of the puzzle, they are not ready for a 4+ Assessment

 4.     Your child doesn’t work well independently and they give up quickly.

Does your child constantly ask for your help rather than having a go? Is your child able to sit and complete some learning independently and not have to seek approval? Does your child give up quickly when something is a little challenging for them? If so, they are not ready for a 4+ Assessment.

 5.     Your child needs work on teamwork.

 If your child hasn’t developed excellent team working skills, they are not ready for a 4+ Assessment. This will be of course something that your child’s nursery will need to support them with as this will be where your child will most likely be with other children.

 All of these skill can be worked on with a focused and dedicated approach so please don’t worry if your child is not quite there yet.

 We support all of our students to be able to accomplish each and every one of these skills.

Book your Sample Week today.

5 ways to know if your child is ready for their 4+

Please note that I am talking about ‘ready to go into their 4+’ and not ‘ready right now’. Your child may absolutely not be ready right now but may be ready in a few months time with the right preparation and support.

1.     Your child is happy to be left alone somewhere new and unfamiliar to them.

 As in when you take them somewhere new that you’ve never taken them before, they happily leave your side and go in. Remember that you do not want your child to be upset when you leave them at their 4+ Assessment. Obviously, this is not really fully in your control. We don’t know how your child will react. However, you can 100% prepare your child to go in happily and calmly. We have many strategies available which we share with our clients to work on with their children in the lead up to their 4+ Assessments.

2.     Your child is an excellent listener.

I am fully aware that children can behave differently with their parents compared to other people. I see it every day with my own son. The way he listens to me is certainly different to the way that he listens to his teachers. But for the most part, when I do learning with him, he is aware of my expectations and that when we are doing structured learning that I do expect him to listen to me. It works both ways doesn’t it? I listen to him so he also listens to me. He really doesn’t like it when I don’t listen to him! Your child will need to listen perfectly to the assessors and also to the other children in the 4+ Assessment. They might be expected to listen to a story in its entirety. They might be expected to listen to questions being asked. They might be expected to listen and respond to the opinions of other children being assessed with them.

3.     Your child demonstrates excellent focus and concentration skills.

 Some of these assessments are as long as 90 minutes but most are between 40 and 60 minutes and the expectation will be that you child is able to focus for the whole time. That is up to you to prepare them so that they are able to do this. We have many strategies that we use with our students to support them to have the best focus and concentration skills.

 4.     Your child works well independently and demonstrates resilience.

 Can you leave your child to sit and study independently for at least 10 minutes? Your child will be observed completing their learning independently. You child will need to demonstrate resilience and not ask for help immediately if they get stuck on a task.

 5.     Your child works well as part of a group and demonstrates excellent team working skills.

How does your child work as part of a group? Your child will need to demonstrate excellent team working skills. They will need to be able to share well, show kindness and patience towards others and be able to listen well to the opinions of others. This is a big expectation at this age but certainly one that can be practised either at home or at their nursery setting. If your child goes to nursery, ask their key worker for regular feedback and updates about how your child does when faced with a group task. Never just assume that your child does this well. Also, ask them to support your child in preparation for this aspect of the 4+ Assessment.

Please don’t worry if your child doesn’t fulfil all 5… yet. That’s up to you to ensure that they are. With the right support and guidance, this will be easy to achieve.

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Why is Merchant Taylors so hard to pass at 4+?

Expectations are high and places are low.

And also because most places are offered to boys already in the Nursery (those who got in at 3+)

Your son will have to be one of the ‘strongest applicants’ in order to even be considered for a place at Merchant Taylors. It is a group assessment with 10-15 other boys however your son will also be assessed on a 1:1 basis.

MT’s write that their assessments are not challenging but I firmly disagree. They are challenging and a lot will be expected of your son.

MT’s are looking for ‘teachability’ and ‘sociability’ so basically how easy your son will be to teach and how they are socially (with both adults and children). MT’s are looking for children who are focused and alert and who have the capacity to answer all questions asked to a very high standard. The nursery report will be very important for this assessment too.

I personally think MT’s is very hard to pass because most parents do not understand that they need to start preparing their children at least 12 months before the assessment. By leaving it too late, you simply will not have time to cover all of the curriculum that needs to be covered. Therefore it will be very hard for your son to pass. Remember that they will be given an overall percentage based on the assessment criteria. You need to know what the criteria will be in order to be in with a chance of them passing. If you don’t know the criteria, it’s up to you to either educate yourself and learn the criteria or to work with someone who knows it like the back of their hand!

If you are preparing for MT’s, we have incredible success. Each year we prepare at least 1-2 students and each year at least one of our students is offered a place to study at this school.

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10 things you need to know about the 4+ Assessments at UCS

1. There are only 32 places available to start Reception at UCS. At least 500 boys will apply to sit their Assessment at UCS every single year.

2. It is encouraged that you book a tour of the school via the school office. I encourage all parents to always visit the schools that they intend to send their children to. This seems obvious but I’ve spoken to many parents who send their nannies or assistants on the school tours.

3. Assessments for UCS are held in January (the year of your child starting Reception)

4. Your child will be assessed using 3 criteria

• How ready they are for school

• Sibling already at the school (note that just because there is a sibling already at the school, that you child is not guaranteed a place). They still need to pass the assessments! Again, seems obvious but many of you think that the sibling policy is strong at UCS and that’s not the case.

• Nursery report requested

  5. Application deadline is Friday 10th October 2025. Registering early makes no difference.

  6. UCS will tell you that ‘preparation is not needed.’ This is not the case.

  7. UCS will tell you that it is a ‘playdate assessment’. It’s up to you what you make this mean. Your child will go in and ‘play’ sure but they will most definitely not be going on a playdate.

  8. You have a registration fee of £180 to pay to apply for the UCS 4+ Assessment.

  9. Boys who demonstrate calm and maturity are the boys who are usually successful.

  10. Boys who have strong fine motor control, are able to write and colour in and have a strong mathematical foundation are usually successful.

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Prepare for South Hampstead like an expert in 3 easy steps

With only 24 places available at South Hampstead High School, you really don’t want to leave it up to chance or good luck if you desire to send you daughter to this school at 4+. However if your daughter is unsuccessful at 7+, you do have the opportunity to try again at 7+ and the school also has 24 places available at this entry point. If I personally had a daughter and I wanted her to go to South Hampstead however, I would do everything in my power and in my control to support her to pass her 4+ Assessments. 7+ is far harder with a lot more preparation needed.

We had 100% success this year. We prepared 2 girls for their 4+ Assessment at South Hampstead and both girls passed. One girl was offered a place immediately and one girl was waitlisted and offered a place a week later. So 2/24 girls going to South Hampstead this year were prepared by us!

Here is how you can start to prepare for South Hampstead like an expert in 3 easy steps.

1. Understand that being grouped by birth month really means nothing.

Your daughter will be grouped with peers of the same or similar age but this really doesn’t mean anything. Summer born girls are assessed in the exact same way as their Autumn/Winter born peers.

2. You will be told that your daughter will not be asked to read and write and you will ignore this.

If you want your daughter to pass her assessment at South Hampstead, you will prepare her to read and write.

3. You will prepare her to be at a very high standard mathematically

Whether you invest into your own math scheme of learning or you invest in high quality tuition, if you want your daughter to pass her 4+ Assessment at South Hampstead, you will prepare her to be very academically strong mathematically.

This does not mean just covering place value by the way. This means covering addition and subtraction, geometry and positional language to name a few.

Hundreds and hundreds of girls will be applying for 24 places. I would safely assume that 400 girls will be applying. You do the math!

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