This one comment BREAKS MY HEART when it comes to assessment preparation.

I’ve personally been supporting children with their assessment preparations for over 2 decades. The level of success that we’ve had in these last 20+ years truly blows my mind. The level of support that we provide our clients and students is truly out of this world. Through our deep experience of all top inner and outer schools we are able to honestly advise all of our clients about the schools that they are applying to and about the level of learning that their children need to be doing in order to be in with a chance to go in and perform at the level expected by each individual school.

We are true experts when it comes to assessment preparation. I don’t say this to boast at all. I say this because it is the truth. And parents who have the privilege of working with either myself or one of my Assessment Specialist Teachers will tell you the same.

When it comes to assessment preparation, there are different mindsets that the clients who I attract into this business have. The main mindset (and the one that suits working with someone like me) is that my clients are totally all in. They are ready to give it their all. They want the best of the best for their child and they have firmly decided that the best school is exactly what they want. The best education is exactly what they want. When they speak to either myself or to my Executive Consultant, they are totally determined and energised. They are truly ready to put in the work required to support their children.

But this one comment truly breaks my heart. It sounds so innocent. Perhaps even sweet. To me it is just a wishy washy statement and one that a parent must never say out loud in front of their child.

Here it is for you…

‘I doubt he/she will get in anyway.’

I have a lot to say about this comment but I will just say one thing. With that attitude and mindset, don’t even bother. Just send your child to a non-selective pre-prep then. There are many out there for you.

And one final note. We are definitely not the Company for you if you think like that.

We are looking to work only with parents who are willing to put in the work. Because you see, it’s not just up to your teacher. It is up to you. It is up to your child. It is a three way partnership.

If you would like our expert support and if you would like to give your child the best chances for success, join our Waiting List today.

You can also book your Assessment Consultation Discovery Call and speak to an expert and have all of your questions answered.

The biggest SHOCK parents can face after having invested 30+k per year on their child’s primary education.

If you make the choice to invest in a private school education for your child, you are looking to invest anywhere around 20 - 30+ k per year. Let me use the average figure that most of our clients spend annually on their child’s education for ease.

30k x 7 years of primary education from Reception to Year 6 = 210k (not taking into account fee increases most years).

That’s if you have 1 child. If you have 2-3 children, you know what to do!

You will all have different thoughts about that 210 k. I know my thoughts and your know yours!

What I do want to discuss is something that I’ve been hearing a lot about. It’s something that I hear about every single year and it is something that I’ve never really discussed openly until now. It is also genuinely something that parents do not openly discuss. I highly doubt that this would be dinner party discussion!

I think perhaps because we all have a lot of ego. And I think perhaps because we all obviously want the best of the best for our children. And I also think because some of us feel like failures if things don’t go exactly according to plan. Whatever the reason is, parents don’t discuss this openly.

I am going to now. And the reason for that is that I think it is something very important to understand.

Hundreds of parents each and every year make the choice to send their children to very expensive prep schools. Schools like Falkner House, Glendower and Ken Prep to name a few for you. Now, let me be very clear with you. The clients who work with us are clients who continue to teach their children at home themselves with our support regardless of the fact that their child or children have got into these schools. Learning at home does not stop just because their children have got into these schools.

The biggest shock that I’m hearing about is this.

Parents telling me that even though their child went to one of these schools that they were not offered a place at their school of choice. Perhaps they were keen to send their child to St Pauls. Perhaps Kings College. Perhaps Latymer. Perhaps Westminster. Perhaps Tiffin.

Parents telling me that around a year before the 11+ these schools simply told them that their child wouldn’t be ‘ready’ to sit that type of assessment and to perhaps choose another school.

Parents telling of their anger and fury at the fact that they were not told sooner.

It is a huge shock for them.

Because you see, for many of us where our children go to Secondary School is very important.

I take this very seriously.

To work with us, you will be looking to invest a fraction of what you are investing to send your child to a school like the ones I listed above. But your will have our full support and expert guidance. We support and prepare many, many boys and girls who go to top elite schools like Westminster, Glendower, Falkner House and Ken Prep to name a few. They continue with us all the way to Year 6 and sometimes even into their Secondary School education.

Not because they are behind but because our clients want their children to be more than ready for their 11+ assessments and they would never only rely on a school to do that for them.

Why on earth would a school care more than you do about the success of your child.

They will not.

Join our Waiting List today and secure your place with one of our amazing and beyond experienced teachers. If you truly want the best of the best school for your child, you will prepare them and not just rely on a school to do all of the heavy lifting for you. That is all.

3 Ways To Support Your Child To Expand Their Vocabulary from age 0-3.

0-3 is the most important time for Vocab Boosting. Yet it is the most overlooked.

Parents often say to me that their child is ‘too young’ or that their child is ‘not ready’ or that they will wait until ‘their child is older!’

I believe none of it.

When I tell parents who call me to find out about what we offer here at CMT that we support children from as early as they age of 18 months, they are often shocked. Some simply do not believe me. Others feel comparison stress. They feel bad that they ‘didn’t start’ earlier. They worry that their child won’t be as prepared as others who started earlier than them.

These are all legitimate concerns. But listen to me. There is nothing you can do to turn back time but what you can do is get started now!

Many of our youngest students are bilingual or even trilingual (my own son will be trilingual). So you cannot use this one as an excuse either!

We support children with diagnosed special needs.

We support children who develop their speech further down the line.

Of course, what I am speaking about does not apply to children with very specific learning difficulties that would delay their speech or delay their development of their vocabulary. So if you have a child with specific learning difficulties that could prevent them from having a broad and vast vocabulary by the age and 3, of course what I’m writing will not apply to your child.

And if you do have a child with specific learning needs, we are here to support you too. All of us who teach here at CMT have a total teaching experience of over 60 years! We all have extensive SEN training and in fact one of us is a qualified SENCO, two of my teachers are ex- head teachers and we are all highly qualified to support children with their learning acceleration and to make incredible progress.

My son has the vocabulary of a 6 year old. He is 4 years old tomorrow! And I am the reason for his broad and vast vocabulary.

Perhaps that sounds arrogant to you. I do not intend it to sound that way. The reason his vocabulary is so broad and vast is down to the sheer quantity of work that I did with him in those precious early years to intentionally and purposely support him with his vocabulary.

From 0-3 is a crucial time for vocabulary boosting and expansion. I am a firm believe that a child with a broad and vast vocabulary will outperform in so many ways their peers who do not have a broad and vast vocabulary. And although I never compare children, the world we live in is a competition. And it’s not a fair one either! So giving out children this edge is crucial.

3 Ways To Support Your Child To Expand Their Vocabulary from age 0-3.

1. Obsess with books

10 books a day from birth!

2. Question everything

From as early as birth, I questioned my son about everything. 

Obviously he wouldn’t reply! But by the time he could speak (which was very early on), he understood my questions so well. That’s because I had asked him these questions tens of thousands of times by this point.

3. 3.5 hours a week.

Spend 3.5 hours a week on your child’s learning. This is my minimum expectation when my own clients ask me how long they should spend each week learning with their children.

Boosting Vocabulary takes time. Boosting Vocabulary takes effort. Boosting Vocabulary takes perseverance. Boosting Vocabulary takes repetition. Boosting Vocabulary takes being organised. Boosting Vocabulary takes commitment. 

If you are truly committed, watch your child’s vocabulary explode!

Join us in my exceptional programme and support your child to have the success that they deserve to have in all areas of their learning.

Are your 4+ Confused or 4+ Committed?

I have been very busy these last few days making some very important changes to my business. I will be revealing all of these changes in the next few days and how they will benefit you as my client in so many ways that you most likely can’t even imagine right now.

The reason for these changes comes down to one thing and one thing only.

I want to attract clients who are 4+ committed.

I do not wish to attract clients who are 4+ confused.

There are many agencies and teachers out there for you if you are confused. There are many agencies and teachers who can work with your child one or two times and then you can disappear!

That’s not what I’m looking for.

Sorry but I work far too hard every day to have the patience to deal with those types of clients. I did it for years and years and now I choose not to do that anymore.

In this incredible business, I have the absolute privilege to work with the most amazing clients. They are my dream clients. The clients who truly understand my vision. Who truly understand my passion and enthusiasm for what I do. Who truly understand my deep dedication to each and every one of my students. Those are the clients I wish to attract into this amazing business.

Unfortunately, if you are confused, you will never be committed to this process. And ultimately it comes down to this. The confused will never, ever have the results that the committed will have, Just like anything else in life don’t you think?

And as the Company Director of this business, I am after results. I’m not after failures. Sorry but failures will never lead to the success that I wish to have as a business. And yes, children will fail their assessments. But in my vast experience, the children who are prepared properly and well will have a far higher chance for success than those who are not.

I want parents telling their friends about me and how I helped their children to get into top, elite schools like NLCS, Habs, St. Paul’s and Westminster. I want parents who are delighted with the service that we provide for them. I want parents who know that what we do works. I want parents who see their children build a love for learning that goes far beyond any 4+ assessment.

So are you 4+ Confused or 4+ Committed?

The 4+ needs 4 academic terms of assessment preparation. So once you are clear and have chosen your path, make a commitment and go all in.

No more of these wishy washy phone calls please. ‘Oh my husband is not sure!’, ‘Oh I don’t even know if he/she will be bright!’ , ‘Oh, I I just don’t know!’.

We are not the agency for you if you think in this way. Sorry. There are many other people far better suited to working with you.

If you are committed and ready to have incredible success, join our Waiting List today.

My child’s school is a ‘feeder school’ - This thought will block your assessment preparations.

I speak to many parents each week who contact either myself or my Executive Consultant, Emily to discuss assessment preparation. Each week, we speak to 10-15 parents preparing their children for their 4+, 7+, 11+ and anything in between.

I’ve had a many conversations with parents who have told me that their child goes to a ‘feeder school’ and that they’re not concerned about their child being offered a place. Why on earth they’re calling us in the first place is beyond me if this is what they truly think. 

Clearly they have a little doubt in their minds. 

Look, I get it. You want to believe everything this ‘feeder school’ is telling you. But I would honestly be very sceptical of everything that you are told. Sorry but maybe this is just me but do you know what I would be thinking?

I would be thinking this (I would be asking this question too just in case anyone is brave enough to ask!) 

I would be thinking that out of the 20-24 children in my son’s class, will all of them pass their assessment? 

Obviously the answer is no. 

How could that ever be possible? 

There are not enough places to have all of the children pass.The schools you will be applying to will choose the best of the best. It’s as simple as that.  

So obviously some will pass and some will not. 

Do you know who will pass? 

The ones who are thoroughly prepared. 

That is actually all I have to say on this matter. 

We are currently preparing many, many children from these ‘feeder schools’ and guess what? 

Our clients are not going to rely on a school to prepare their children. (I really do not care how good you think these schools are).  

Our clients will take full ownership themselves. 

That is a far more powerful position to be in do you not think? 

I mean what an awful position to be in to just rely on a school to support your child to be offered a place at your desired school and then not be offered a place? 

Oh and by the way, that does happen year after year after year. People just don’t speak about it publicly.

Preparing for an assessment? Now is the best time to join our Waiting List and secure your day/time for for weekly tuition to support your chid to have the highest possible chances for success in any assessment. Our teachers are the best of the best and cumulatively have over 60 years of experience!

5 TRUTHS about the Notting Hill and Ealing 4+ Assessment.

1. The school 100% expects your daughter to have formal knowledge and education in her 4+ Assessment.

Sorry, but what else do you think they are looking for?

The school writes that they are looking for ‘potential and readiness’ rather than formal knowledge. Actually they are looking for all three and they all go hand in hand with each other. How can your daughter show her true potential and readiness without having formal knowledge (which essentially just means knowledge of the curriculum that they will be assessing!)?

The girls we have prepared historically for Notting Hill and Ealing (over the last 13 years) have all gone in at a very high academic standard with a very high level of knowledge. Not really sure what the school is implying by using the word ‘formal’.

2. Preparation is needed.

Sorry but why would you assume that it wouldn’t be needed?

I think that it’s just very unfair to send a girl into an assessment unprepared.

‘Oh but she’s only 3/4!’

Ok, well if you think like that - then please just don’t send her in to a 4+ Assessment and expect to have a positive outcome! And if you think like that, you are really undermining your daughter’s potential. I personally would never refer to my son as ‘only 3!’.

3. If tell your daughter that she is going in ‘to play’ with other girls - guess what? That is what she will do!

How about all of the other things you should tell her?

Here are just a few for you!

I would like you to go in and listen perfectly to all of the teachers.

I would like you to go in and show how well you share with the other children.

I would like you to go in and follow all of the instructions immediately.

But no, just tell your daughter she is going in for a ‘play’ and have the expectation that she will just be offered a place at this incredibly competitive school!

‘Just go in and play darling - have fun!’

That is not what we tell our students - just as a side note.

4. Our girls preparing for this school will be taught numeracy and literacy skills to a very high academic level.

So many of you want to prove me wrong on this - and in nearly 2 decades of doing this no one ever has. And even if you do prove me wrong, who really cares? We prepare our students to be able to read, write and have a high level of maths regardless of whether or not it is assessed!

And I know what the school write on their website before you try to prove your point.

5. Your daughter WILL need to go in happily and calmly in order to pass this assessment.

They say that if your daughter is upset that they will invite her on another date. Sure, that does happen. But on that second occasion she WILL need to go in happily and calmly in order to pass this assessment.

Let’s not overthink this.

Final places remaining to work with the best teachers in the UK to prepare your daughter to go in and truly shine in this 4+ assessment and demonstrate the skills that this school actually want to see.

More Power To Your Glendower 4+ Assessment Preparation!

We are preparing 8 girls for their 4+ Assessment at Glendower this year (2027 entry). We are all working very hard to ensure that our girls are ready and able to go into their Glendower 4+ Assessment at SHINE.

Last week, one of my clients said to me, “It’s like a show isn’t it? They have to go in and perform!”

Obviously she was talking about the 4+ Assessments! And she was absolutely spot on.

If your child will be attending the Glendower 4+ Assessment is January 2026 for September 2027 entry, she’d better be ready to go in and give the performance of a lifetime! She’d better be ready to go in with energy, enthusiasm and focus. And it is my hope that you will be preparing her very well to be able to go in and do this.

In order to pass the Glendower 4+ Assessment, your daughter will demonstrate the following:

1. Social Maturity

This just means that she will go in calmly, follow the instructions perfectly, give eye contact to the several examiners observing her, not cry when you drop her off or at any point during the assessment and listen beautifully.

Not much expected! :)

We support and prepare our girls to be able to understand exactly how to go in and show the social maturity that will be expected of them.

2. Readiness to learn in a group situation

As your daughter will be 1/6 girls being assessed, it is obvious that she will be expected to work well as part of a group. This means listening well to others as they talk and responding accordingly, sharing, taking turns, being polite, showing authority but also letting others have a voice.

Our Curriculum Programmes support our girls to understand how to work beautifully as part of a group, we support our girls to develop their listening skills, and we support our girls to understand how to show independence too!

3. Cooperation

Your daughter will cooperate well as in she will listen to what is asked and do it. Simple.

4. Flexibility

In your daughter’s Glendower 4+ Assessment, she will be asked to move from one activity to another and it will be expected that she does this without resistance and without getting upset about it.

Our girls develop their focus skills over the course of 12-18 months learning with us in our exceptional Curriculum Programmes.

5. A ‘can do’ approach

Your daughter will show that she wants to do everything that she is asked to do. There will be no resistance shown.

6. Communication

Your daughter will show that she is able to communicate well with the examiners in the room and with the other children in the room. She will answer all of the questions being asked to a very high standard. She will give a full sentence and extend her ideas. She doesn’t need to be overly loud or extroverted. Quiet and introverted children can also demonstrate superb communication.

7. Numeracy skills

Your daughter will have excellent numeracy skills and will have covered a broad and vast maths curriculum before setting foot in the Glendower 4+ Assessment.

8. Letter recognition

Your daughter will know all of her single sounds and will be blending before her Glendower 4+ Assessment. She may also identify certain digraphs. Your daughter will be able to write all the letters of the alphabet correctly with correct letter formation and appropriate sizing. We don’t know which letters will come up so we prepare for all of them!

9. Ability to follow instructions

Your daughter will follow instructions perfectly - basically she will do everything that she is asked to do straight away!

Remember that there are only 40 places available at Glendower!

Remember that your daughter will be 1 of hundreds and hundreds of girls whose parents desperately want them to attend this school.

Preparing for the 4+ at Glendower? Book your Sample Lesson and Sample Week today and see how we can support you to support your daughter to the best of your ability to have the success that she deserves to have in this 4+ assessment.

If the times above don’t work for you, join our Curriculum Acceleration Programme.

Don't cry about the 4+ at Putney High - Get prepared!

A very popular school that we prepare for in Putney.

It is a GDST Independent Day school for girls.

My clients who visit this school are drawn to it because of its vibrant nature. They often comment that the girls who show them around are so confident, bright and highly articulate.

We continue to teach several girls who we supported to gain entry to this school at 4+ and who are currently studying at Putney High. I can honestly say that these girls are the most amazing girls to teach. They are genuinely kind, loving and caring girls who just want to learn more and more. Truthfully - a delight to teach and to learn with.

Class sizes are not exceptionally small to be completely honest with you and if this is something that you value for your daughter than it is worth keeping this in mind.

22 girls in each Reception class - Year 2.

24 girls from Year 3 - Year 6.

Be crystal clear that there are only 44 places available into Reception and there will be hundreds of girls applying for Putney High at 4+. As it is such a highly sought after school - let’s assume that 440 girls will apply for a place at Putney High.

Your daughter therefore has a 1:10 chance of being successful in this 4+ assessment.

Another school that will tell you that there is ‘no need to prepare’. I’ve personally never heard of a girl passing an assessment at Putney High without being thoroughly prepared. Obviously I have not spoken to the whole of London and I do not know everyone applying here but I’m speaking based on the parents that I have spoken to historically (over the last 20 years).

Whatever your reason is for wanting this school for your daughter, do make sure that you prepare her to the best of your ability to have the highest possible chances of being successful in this 4+ assessment. With only 4 places available at the 7+ entry point, this might be your only chance to support your daughter to study at Putney High. Occasional places do arise but these are incredibly rare.

One more thing. Just because Putney High says that they take age into account, I really wouldn’t make this mean something that it doesn’t. I won’t go on about it here - I’ve spoken extensively about my views about summer and autumn born babies! Search for my blogs!

Our Waiting List is now open for our new cohort of students joining us from September 2026. This will be for assessments for 2028 entry and beyond. Join our Waiting List today and secure your day/time for weekly tuition and ongoing access to your teacher to have the support your truly need to support your child to be wildly successful in any assessment. This will form your Registration fee and once. you have joined our Company Director Maria Mazarese will be in direct contact to see which days/times could work well for your child.

We look forward to supporting your child to have the success they deserve to have in any assessment.

Is your child ready for his/her 4+ assessments?

We are already having enquiries for 2029 entry - which is fabulous. It shows that my hard work is paying off. It shows that my message is spreading. It shows that parents all over the country are taking this 4+ assessment process seriously.

Some of you have children who are preparing for 2027 entry. How do you feel? My hope is that you are feeling calm and relaxed. My hope is that you have been doing everything in your power to support your child to prepare for their 4+ assessments in these last 12-18 months that you’ve had.

Many of you have jumped on Consultations with us in these last few weeks and have asked us this question.

Is my child ready for his/her 4+ assessment/s?

Obviously we cannot answer that question fully and comprehensively for you - not without meeting your child and seeing what they can do in each of the 7 areas of learning that these 4+ assessments will be assessing!

If you seriously want that one question answered for you then book your Sample Lesson and Sample Week today or book onto my Ultimate Curriculum Acceleration Programme.

I’m going to provide you with 7 questions to answer truthfully. Obviously these are not tailored to a specific school. If you want questions tailored to a specific school, join my programmes above.

If your answer to any of these questions is no then you have more work to do.

Communication and Language

Can your child answer up to Level 4 questions confidently?

Questions like…

Why?

How do you know?

What might that mean?

What will happen next?

Personal Social Emotional Development

Is your child happy to be left in a new and unfamiliar setting?

Basically will your child go into the 4+ assessment with joy, confidence and happiness?

Physical Development

Is your child strong physically (gross and fine) ?

Literacy (this will be different for each individual school - it’s up to you to know what these differences are and prepare your child accordingly) This question is the bare minimum expectation.

Does your child know all of their phase 2 and phase 3 single sounds?

Maths (this will be different for each individual school - it’s up to you to know what these differences are and prepare your child accordingly) This question is the bare minimum expectation.

Can your child identify and write numbers to 10?

Understanding of the world

Does your child have a hunger for learning about the world around them?

And will they be able to demonstrate this in their 4+ assessment? Do they even know how they would demonstrate this and what the expectation of them would be?

Art and Design

Can your child follow simple instructions to draw whatever he/she is asked to draw with precision and accuracy?

If you answered a confident yes to all of the above - congrats! You still have work to do however!

If you answered no, please don’t worry - you still have time to take massive action to support your child to be in with the best possible chances for success.

Book your FREE Assessment Consultation Discovery Call today and find out how we can support your child to have tremendous success in all of their 4+ assessments.

My child is too young for the 4+/7+/11+ assessments.

I mean truthfully insert any assessment you want.

Your child is not too young. Your mindset needs some work.

It is what it is. We live in a country where children are placed into year groups according to their age. You know this already. Accept it. Understand it.

Your August born child will be in the same year group as a September born child.

To some of you this is unbelievably unfair. To me it’s just information. It’s just a fact.

And if your child is summer born and you wish for them to attend an assessment to gain entry into your desired school of choice, you’d better clearly understand that you will need to start preparing them earlier than someone who has a September born child will.

It’s obvious no?

But what happens instead?

Summer born children start working with us later than their autumn born peers!

Parents will simply say things like…

‘They were too young to start!’

‘They were just not ready!’

I believe none of it!

Sorry.

My son is July born. I will never let his age be the reason that he is not ready for an assessment should we decide to send him to one in the future.

He will be just as ready - if not more ready than his autumn born peers. Isn’t that a far better mindset to have?

How is that possible? I hear your sceptical minds asking me!

It simply is.

If you ever have the pleasure of meeting my nearly 4 year old, you will comment how ‘advanced’ he is and how ‘ahead’ he is and how you just cannot ‘believe he is summer born!’

Well, believe it!

I just started his Curriculum Programme with him at 18 months of age and not at 3 years of age.

That’s how my son is in the position he is in right now and will continue to be in the future.

I know fully well that this world we live in is a competition. And it’s not a fair one either. It is my duty and my responsibility (and his father too!) to give our son the edge he needs to be in with a chance in this world I will need to eventually throw him into!

Preparing your child for an assessment in the near future?

Be sure to join our Waiting List! Places are filling up quickly already! Once we are at capacity, we will exclusively be offering my Curriculum Acceleration Programme only. The Waiting List is only for assessments for 2028 entry and beyond.

3 Ways to Know your Ken Prep Assessment Prep is Actually Working…

Currently we are preparing 6 girls for their 4+ assessment at Kensington Prep.

It is a fiercely competitive school and one that must be prepared for thoroughly. 

All the girls preparing for this specific school  have been with us for nearly a year. 

A few important dates for you to keep in mind if you are applying for the 4+ at Ken Prep (2027 entry) 

• You can apply from birth and up until 23rd October 2026 (for 2027 entry) 

• Only parents of registered girls can attend their open day. 

• The assessment will take place in January 2027. They call it a ‘play based’ assessment. You can be sure that your daughter is not going to Ken Prep to be just observed ‘playing’. 

Being successful at Ken prep means preparing your daughter to be able to go in and answer questions well, focus, show confidence and independence, be able to interact well with the other girls and adults and have the stamina to complete the full 60 minute assessment and complete it well! You are 100% not preparing her to go in and have a fun play! There is so much else involved!

3 Ways to Know your Ken Prep Assessment Prep is Actually Working…

1. Your daughter is developing the ability to interact beautifully with others. This includes children and adults.

2. Your daughter is already very curious and hungry to explore the world around her. And if she isn’t quite there yet, you will be doing everything in your power to provide her with learning that will encourage this curiosity and hunger for learning.

3. Your daughter is excited to learn.

Perhaps you might find this surprising but this is exactly what we prepare our girls who are applying for Ken Prep to be able to go in and demonstrate.

Because you see - we are laser sharp aware that with only 40 places on offer that our girls will need to go in and really shine. And believe me - they do!

I can picture our girls who we have historically prepared for Ken Prep - many of them are still our students.

They are confident girls. Not necessarily extrovert. In fact most of our girls who have passed this assessment are introverts who exude an inner confidence when you meet and interact with them. They are girls who are such a delight to teach. They are girls who when you teach them, they fully engage. They are kind, polite and caring. But what truly stands them apart from others is this. Their hunger and thirst for learning.

This does not happen naturally just FYI. This is nurtured and encouraged from as early as possible.

Preparing your daughter for Ken Prep (2027 entry)? We will support you every single step of the way to have the success that your daughter deserves to have.

Book your Sample Lesson today (final lessons remaining).

Join my Curriculum Acceleration Programme to work with me (8 places remaining)

Don't be delusional about the Forest 4+ Assessment.

With 16 children in each of their 3 Reception classes, this is very appealing to many parents who consider Forest as their school of choice for their children.

For many of our clients, it is simply their school of choice because of its location and vicinity to their home!

Whatever your reason for applying to Forest, it is important that you understand one thing very well.

You must prepare your child for this 4+ assessment.

And yes, I do know that Forest ‘request’ that you do not prepare your child for this assessment. Sorry but I don’t request anything of anyone! Do as you please. You can listen to whatever you want.

Don't be delusional about the Forest 4+ Assessment. Preparation is key.

The incredibly high expectations that Forest have of their students should be a key indication to you that without thorough, tailored and bespoke 4+ assessment prep your child will not have the chance that our students who have been thoroughly prepared will have.

We know exactly how to prepare your child for the 4+ at Forest. We have been preparing students for their 4+ at Forest for over 2 decades. We know exactly the type of child Forest is looking for and we support our clients to understand what this is so that they can support their child to go in and truly shine.

Want your child to have the highest possible chances for success in this 4+ assessment?

Final places to work with us.

If you are preparing for 2028 entry and beyond, join our Waiting List to guarantee your day/time.

Is your child really ready for the Chigwell 4+ Assessment?

We’ve prepared over 50 children to be wildly successful at Chigwell in their 4+ assessments over these last 20 years.

We know the exact expectations Chigwell have for their potential new students and we prepare our students to such a high level so that they can go in and truly show what is expected of them.

Our students know exactly what is expected from them the second they set foot into the Chigwell 4+ assessment (yes - at the age of 3!)

We also know exactly what our clients think of the Chigwell 4+ assessment process! And we will of course share this with you if you become clients of ours! It is important that you know exactly what to expect too.

Chigwell write very accurately about what this assessment is all about. But they are very brief about it! So what they write really doesn’t give much away at all. If you’re completely new to the 4+ assessment process at Chigwell, it really won’t tell you very much at all.

Here’s what it does tell you:

The 4+ assessment consists of pupil participation in a range of activities centred on the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. Briefly, these activities comprise number and literacy games, physical games, playing with other children, listening and responding to a story and joining in with singing or rhymes. The assessment usually takes place in the Pre Prep library, lasts approximately 1½ hours and is carefully designed to ensure children feel happy and settled.

A 90 minute assessment! Says it all really!

This is an intense assessment and one that needs to be thoroughly prepared for.

This is your final chance to join my Intensive 3 month programme and give your child the highest possible chances for success in the Chigwell 4+ assessment.

If the timings do not work for you, join my Curriculum Acceleration Programme and see your child’s learning acceleration truly go to the next level!

The highly competitive Manor Lodge 4+ assessment and the BS comments you will read online.

Just some stupid, nonsensical and BS comments that you will read online…

Up to you if you believe these comments and up to you if you prep your child or not. We are here to support parents who will take this 4+ process seriously. If you won’t, then we are not the teachers for you anyway!

‘For assessments, they don’t like if a child has been prepped or tutored.’

What a ridiculous, ignorant thing to say. That is all.

‘It is clear to them which kids are tutored and which are not.’

Yeh! And the tutored ones will be the ones who will pass. I’m not speculating here. I know this as a FACT having prepared boys and girls for Manor Lodge for 2 decades.

‘What will be, will be’

This is not the Que Sera, Sera song! With that kind of attitude, don’t even bother.

Do what you please but please do not send a 3 year old unprepared to this assessment. Its just not the right thing to do.

‘What they expect from an autumn born child is different to what they expect from a summer born child!’

Oh really? Oh please. Never in my 2 decades of doing this have I ever heard that my summer born students have been assessed any differently to my autumn born students. My son is a July baby. He is miles ahead of most autumn born children in his cohort (in all areas of learning). The month you’re born in should not determine your academic capacity. But how you are taught and prepared will.

‘All I did was tell her it would be a playdate and to go in and be herself.’

I imagine this parent typing this and doing an evil laugh.

Why on earth would you send your child into any assessment without thoroughly preparing them?

I will never, ever understand this.

And nope, sending them to nursery/pre-school every day is not 4+ assessment preparation.

Preparing for Manor Lodge for 2027 entry? You have two options:

1. My Signature Intensive 3 month Programme with Helen (listed times only)

2. My Curriculum Acceleration Programme

If you want to know more, book your FREE Assessment Consultation Discovery Call today.

What does the word 'Education' mean to you?

I’ve been speaking to so many of you these last few weeks and one thing is crystal clear to me.

There seems to be a lot of conflict with what we value and what education means to us.

A conflict between our values and the education of our children.

You see the word ‘education’ does not mean the same thing to all of us. In fact it will mean very different things to each and every one of us.

In fact, if you look up the words ‘Education’ in the dictionary, it has severals meanings.

Merriem Webster puts it simply for us.

the action or process of teaching or of being or becoming educated.

the knowledge and development resulting from the process of learning or being taught.

Formal education is simply where you receive certificates following the education you have received.

Non formal education is simply where you choose to learn outside of the traditional formal education. Eg. My Life Coach School Certification and my Personal Training Qualification etc.

Informal education is simply our own daily education through reading and our own self study.

Here is where education and our own personal values can be in conflict. Let me give you a couple of examples.

If you value spending more than 4-5 hours a day with your child then there will be a conflict with sending your child to school for 7-8 hours a day (I count the whole wake up routine, drop offs etc as part of this time).

If you value going away on holiday whenever you please, there will be a conflict.

If you value having full ownership over your child’s learning, there will be a conflict.

So why on earth am I writing all of this?

Honestly, it’s because we are at a crossroads currently with figuring out how on earth we will educate our son at home and both continue to work full time and really honouring our core values as a family. And also because, as I wrote above, I am hearing of a lot of conflicting views with regards to the education of our little ones.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong. Whatever we decide to do, our experience will be 50/50. But it’s truly about honouring our values. What we believe in. What we truly want for our families. It’s about drowning out the noise and doing our best for our children.

I value education so much. My son will be raised to be very academic (whatever that will eventually mean for him).

I want my son to love learning. I want him to love his education and to have a deep love for his learning. These were both missing for me growing up (which is heartbreaking). It will not be missing for him.

If you are preparing your child for assessments in the next few years, join my Waiting List and give your child the highest possible chances for success in any assessment. We have supported thousands of children to have tremendous success in their assessments and we know exactly how to prepare them and how to support them and our clients.

When parents start assessment prep is the most infuriating thing to me (and to them too!)

There are two types of parents that I encounter on a daily basis. 

Type 1. 

The calm, relaxed, go with the flow parents. The parents who say things like, ‘Oh Maria! But we don’t need to prepare them for that assessment!’

‘It’s not as competitive as the other schools you prepare for!’

‘I’m so sure that they will just take him/her!’

Type 2. 

The focused, determined and fully aware parents. 

The parents who say things like, ‘Right Maria, let’s go! We have 18 months left and we have work to do!’

‘When can we get started?’

‘What can we do to support him/her to have the highest possible chances for success?’

You know the type that I wish to talk to. 

There is a huge problem with when parents start assessment preparation for their children. The problem is this…

I will truly never understand why anyone would consciously choose to send their child to an assessment unprepared. And I honestly don’t care what school it is that their child goes to. 

Any school. Is there really such a thing as a ‘feeder school’? Because I teach many, many children from these ‘feeder schools’ so really some of their results are mine too! (they do not publish that though do they?)

Keep in mind that these schools will cost these parents 8k-11k per term for their children to go there. So why on earth would they not invest a fraction of that to prepare their children for these schools? 

Everyone’s answer will be different and really that is a rhetorical question because I’m not too interested in the answer to that question. 

But what I am interested in is when parents call me up to tell me about the fact that their child was unsuccessful in this or that assessment and when I ask them if they prepared, they say no. Or they say that their child went to nursery or school. Yeh, that is not assessment preparation - and I do not care which school your child attends. Doesn’t matter. At all. 

You see, parents will not advertise the fact that their child did not pass their assessment at schools like Westminster, Habs, NLCS or South Hampstead. Perhaps they won’t even tell you that they applied. They will keep it their little secret. So how are you to ever know that children are unsuccessful at these schools’ assessments?

Well, of course children are unsuccessful.

That is why they are called assessments. 

So if you’re new to this. Great. Listen to me very carefully. 

Preparing for entrance exams takes time, patience, resilience and dedication. And do not ever forget that this is a competition. And these schools will have their choice of who they want to attend their schools. 

Who will they choose? 

The prepared or the unprepared? 

It’s so incredibly obvious to me!

Preparing for 2028 entry and beyond. I have added a few brand new times to my Waiting List. Join today and secure that time as soon as it becomes available. Your Waiting List fee covers your Registration fee.

Upper case or lower case when teaching reading?

There are many studies completed about this. You can read these for yourselves if you wish. 

I disagree with many of these studies. I sometimes wonder if teachers themselves have conducted these studies or if they have been conducted by people who don’t even work with children. 

I’m here to share with you my insights and my beliefs based on the thousands of children that I have taught over the last 20 years. I’ m here to share with you what I’ve seen to work very well and what I’ve seen that has not worked very well. Remember that we teach hundreds of children every single year here at CMT. We see what works. We see what does not. 

When teaching very early reading, knowledge of the alphabet is obviously fundamental. 

But it is also highly complex (surprising huh?). 

Do you teach the letter sounds or the letter names or do you teach both? 

Here at CMT, we teach our students the letter sounds first. 

We do not mention the letter names for a very long time. 

When teaching early reading, children need to know the pure sounds first. No one cares about the letter names when it comes to reading. In fact it will slow your child’s reading progress significantly if you are teaching the letter names first. And it will be so confusing for your child. This will lead to frustration and delay their reading progress. 

There are times children join me perhaps late in the year and with only a few months left to prepare for their 4+ and sadly because they have been taught the letter names of the alphabet first, they have not been able to learn how to read before their 4+ assessments. And for some 4+ assessments, children need to demonstrate that they know how to read - whether they tell you that this is the case or not. 

Do you teach upper case or lower case letters individually or do you teach them simultaneously?

Here at CMT, we teach lower case first. We focus on lower case because when children read, 95% of the words on the page will be lower case (perhaps slightly less but you know what I mean). We laser focus on teaching the lower case sounds first. Only when children have mastered every single sound do we introduce capital letters. 

Reading progress is accelerated significantly using this process. 

Yes, it’s a little frustrating that my proficient 3 year old reader sometimes stumbles on the capital letters - especially the ones that don’t look like the lower case letters. However, it will take me a couple of weeks of targeted a focused learning to support him with learning his capital letters and honestly, each day that I read with him, he is identifying them more and more confidently. 

Need support with teaching your little one how to read? 

My Curriculum Acceleration Programme will be perfect for you.

Why wouldn’t my child pass the 4+ at Westminster?

I was asked this question earlier this week by a father who called me to find out more about my 4+ programme.

I loved the equal mix of confidence and delusion. 

I turned the question around and asked him…

Well, tell me why he would pass this assessment? 

He gave me a huge list of reasons which I really don’t have time to write about. But here are a few for you. 

His son is so amazing 

Yes, yours and all of the other 500 applicants! 

His son knows all of his phonics (single sounds) 

Well I should think so by this point given that the assessment is in less than 5 months time (at the point of writing this). 

His son is so good at maths! 

Yes, yours and most likely all of the other 500 applicants! 

Listen up, we all believe that our children are the best of the best and that a school like Westminster would be the lucky ones to have them! 

So, let me break it down for you very simply and tell you some of the reasons why your child won’t pass the 4+ at Westminster. 

• They don’t go into the assessment the way that is expected. 

• They don’t follow the instructions the way that is expected. 

• They don’t interact with adults the way that is expected. 

• They don’t demonstrate all of the skills needed to be demonstrated. 

• They don’t perform academically at the level that the ones who will pass perform. 

It’s not a playdate and do not tell your child that it is. 

I don’t lie to my child. 

Your child is not there to relax and have fun so do not tell your child that that is what they are going there to do. 

If your child doesn’t know what to expect don’t expect them to do what they need to do in order to pass.

Seems so obvious to me. Is it obvious to you?

Book your FREE Assessment Consultation Discovery Call today and discover how we can support your child to have the best possible chances for success in this incredibly challenging 4+ assessment.

Some clients' values will never align with mine - and that's just fine!

Running a business is something that I never dreamed I would be doing. Running a successful business is definitely something that I never dreamed I would be doing. But here I am. I took many, many risks, left the ‘stability’ of my full time teaching career and created a beautiful business that has been running for nearly 6 years now.

When I first started Creative Minds Tutors, I knew one thing for certain. What I wanted was to build a business that really cared about each and every single client. What I wanted was to build a business that really cared about each and every student. You see, I felt that this was really lacking in the schools that I worked in for nearly 20 years.

Building relationships with parents isn’t easy when you work in a school (any school). As a teacher, your main role is to support your students. You don’t have much time interacting with parents and when you do it would usually be to deal with a complaint of some sort. Parents didn’t really take the time to get to know the teachers as individuals because there simply would be no time for this. Parents would often be in a rush at collection and it would be a simple nod and good bye.

I wanted to create a business where I could really develop those relationships with my clients. Now, hear me carefully. I know I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to provide the best service possible and I do that extremely well. The service that we provide to each and every one of our clients is out of this world extraordinary. We offer something that no other Tutoring Business out there offers - ongoing access to your teachers. Anything our clients need, we are there to support them every single step of the way.

A relationship built on mutual respect, kindness and trust is very, very important to me.

Sometimes this mutual respect, kindness and trust is either not there from the start or it breaks down from the part of the client. This is where values do not align. And I’ve worked on this so much and I’ve come to terms with it. But the way I see it is this. If you want your child to be respectful, kind and trustworthy, you need to model these values to your child.

I will always show the highest amount of respect and kindness to all of my clients. I will always show them that they can trust me and that we have nothing but the highest of expectations for their children.

But I need to accept that I will come across parents who simply will not uphold my values. And that’s okay.

And do you know what makes it all worthwhile?

The hundreds and hundreds of beautiful relationships that we have created over the last 6 years in business at CMT and the last 20 years of teaching thousands of students and working with thousands of clients. A few negative encounters will always be erased by the beautiful relationships that we have with the majority of our clients and will continue to have!

The Reality of the South Hampstead 7+ Assessment.

Only 24 girls are typically invited to join the school in Year 3. 

Not many at all considering that hundreds and hundreds of girls will be applying for a place at South Hampstead at 7+. 

On Tuesday 24th November, they will be holding an ‘Optional’ Taster session for all girls who have applied. If you would like your daughter to be considered for a place at South Hampstead at 7+, you will attend this session. 

On Tuesday 5th January 2027, your daughter will be invited to attend her assessment. It will be half a day at school. Here is what they write about it, ‘The girls will be divided into small groups and sit tests in maths, writing and comprehension; we do not provide past papers. There will also be a round table discussion for which no preparation is required’.

Preparation is of course required for all aspects of this 7+ assessment. 

We have prepared many girls over the last 20 years for their 7+ assessment at South Hampstead.

We know exactly the calibre of girls who have passed and our bespoke curriculum programmes will prepare your daughters every step of the way to have tremendous success in their 7+ assessments at South Hampstead. 

Preparing for 2027 entry into South Hampstead? Our Ultimate Curriculum Acceleration Programme will be perfect for you.