What parents say...

GCSE Maths
Alex says ” I learned more in three months than my whole time in the maths classroom at school. I went from dreading it to feeling much better about being there.” This Summer he was overjoyed to find that he had gone from a Grade 2 in his mocks up to a Grade 4 (C) pass in his final exam.  
Alex
Firstly, I would like to thank yourselves and your staff for all your help and dedication to helping my daughter Saoirse with her maths.  She has shown an improvement with her confidence at attempting to handle the mathematics she is give by her school.  And I feel this is due to the staff at your centre, she had a very rough year in Year 4, with her very unsympathetic teacher and you all helped her through that.  For that I’m very grateful.
Mrs R Wall
Private maths tutoring in Portsmouth , I Love To Learn is a professional education centre for 6-16 year olds. Great for SATs, 11+ or GCSE and all abilities.

“The GCSE Maths Tutors Are Great.”

T’anna came to us as her mum had seen us on Facebook and decided to call.  T’anna, now in year 10, had always struggled with her maths.   In four short months however, she has improved so much that, the school want to put her up for the Higher GCSE paper!!  Kerry, T’anna’s mum says ” She has come on leaps and bounds, I am so pleased with the progress. The tutors are great! It’s a convenient location and the assessment is easy to arrange.”

Kerry RobertsonParents
Albie
Albie had been diagnosed with mild dyslexia and his reading age was around 2 years behind!  The standard in private school is often higher, so we were worried about the Entrance Exams.  Soon after he enrolled he started making rapid progress.  The school say he is now Level  5 in literacy and the teacher can see a lot of difference.  His reading age has shot up and the gaps in maths have been filled in and he has caught up amazingly quickly. It has definitely, definitely made a difference and I have recommended the centre to my friends.
Jilly (Albie’s Mum)
“I Love to Learn really helped me prepare for my entrance exam.  I give I Love to Learn 10/10.  I Love to Learn helped me understand pie charts, algebra and story writing.  I enjoyed coming to I Love to Learn and would love to come back in the future.”
-Ollie, Student in Portsmouth
Dylan had always struggled with very poor handwriting.  After only a few months teachers can now read his writing and he feels more confident.  His coordination problems have been recognised “Thanks to your suggestion,” and this has helped at school.   It has made a big difference to his schooling as he enjoys it much more now.  
Samantha WildingParentPortsmouth
“Thanks for all your hard work with Rebecca Kivlin. She has started Milton Cross this week. Rebecca is in the top set for maths and science, and the second group for everything else. Without coming to Love to Learn she would never have achieved this.  Thanks”    
Julie Powell
Thank you for all your support with our son, Thomas. His hand writing, spelling, maths and reading is progressing beautifully. I would highly recommend your setting to anyone who wishes to give their child a boost or to work on specific learning goals. It has been invaluable. All your tutors are warm, welcoming and professional and Thomas is always made to feel valued. Positive praise and lots of stickers, stamps, rewards, prizes and certificates give that extra special touch to reward and recognise the children’s efforts. Thomas is certainly always proud of his achievements from your centre.
Laura (Thomas’s mum)
“We also had a parent’s meeting at his school earlier this week.  I am pleased to say that his maths teacher was very impressed with not only his work, but also his attitude toward it.  I can only say that this is because of the wonderful service you and your colleagues have given.  Thank you so much for this.  Ellis is really enjoying his time with you and also seeing how well he is doing and this has resulted in a positive attitude towards learning.” James (parent) 2021
James Hannon
“Dear Howard Thank you so much for all these lessons you’ve been giving me!  They really have improved my work at school and now I can put all your help to good use with my SATs.  Thank you so much for everything! From Lewis”
Lewis (student)

11+ Entrance Assessments 2025/26

Independent Schools in Portsmouth, Fareham & Havant

Greetings, parents! In the Portsmouth area, you’ll find a variety of independent schools, each offering its own unique blend of educational ethos and environment, ranging from the grand to the intimate, and spanning a spectrum of academic rigour. We take great pleasure in assisting children with their preparation for the 11+ common entrance assessments, recognising the significance of this milestone. Additionally, we recognise the importance of ensuring everyone is well-informed regarding relevant dates and schedules. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on that front.

Scholarships

Academic Scholarships may be awarded to the top achievers based on the results of the school’s 11+ assessment. The criteria for this will vary from school to school, so you must apply directly to them.

Additionally, some schools offer scholarships for excellence in Art, Drama, Music, and Sport at 11+, 13+, and Sixth Form. These need to be applied for, and applications are usually submitted by the end of November preceding the September of entry. You can apply for more than one scholarship.LovingIt

Financial Assistance

Some schools may offer financial assistance (means tested on income and exam performance) for Year 7 and Year 9 entry, and the deadline for applying is normally the end of November (September in the case of Portsmouth Grammar School), prior to the year of entry. Often, financial assistance is allocated first and foremost based on the child’s exceptional performance in the Entrance Assessments; the financial information you provide is then considered.

N.B. Please note that advice given here may vary between individual schools. It is important that you get in touch with individual schools to find out their exact criteria for entry requirements, scholarships, and financial assistance.

Common Entrance Assessment or 11+

This exam is so called as it is taken at the age of 11 years at the beginning of secondary education. Not all independent schools are selective, but almost all schools will want students to take an entrance assessment exam of some kind.

The entrance exams always cover maths and English to a high level. Children are also usually tested on their verbal and nonverbal reasoning. These tests are designed to be more difficult to prepare for as they are not school subjects. Verbal reasoning is concerned with language and word problems, while non-verbal reasoning includes logic, shape, and number patterns.

The 11+ Assessments typically consist of the following: Maths (50 mins); English (45 mins); Reading Comprehension (30 mins); Non-verbal Reasoning (30 mins); plus an Interview (20 mins).

Full Bursary

Student“We are so pleased that Mahera has got a FULL BURSARY for the local girl’s high school in Portsmouth. She has been to your centre before for tuition, but we came back in November so she could get ready for the exams. She has worked so hard and Linda has really encouraged her in her writing! Thanks so much!”

Click here to read more about our success…..

 

Portsmouth Grammar School

11+ and 13+ Entrance Assessment

Saturday 8th November 2025

(Deadline for registering is Friday, 26th September 2025)

Mayville High School

All Candidates Sit Exam

Saturday 15th November 2025

Portsmouth High School for Girls

Music, Art, Drama & Sport Scholarship Day

Monday 5th January 2026

11+ Assessment Day

Tuesday 6th January 2026

The Gregg School

11+ Entrance Assessment

Saturday 24th January 2026

Meoncross School

Open Week:  22- 26th September 10.45am 2025

Open Morning November Friday 21th November 10.45am 2025

Boundary Oak School

Assessment can be booked all year

Are you considering entering your child for an independent school?  Then book a Free Assessment today!

NOW IS THE TIME

If your child is currently in Year 5, then NOW is the time to start preparing for the entrance assessment exam in January.

Experienced 11+ Tutors

During your child’s free forty-five-minute assessment we will:

  • Test your child’s reading age, spelling age and maths ability.
  • Give you honest feedback on your child’s ability to pass the entrance exams for each school.
  • Discuss our previous experience preparing students for entrance exams for local independent schools.
  • Give you a breakdown of the topics your child needs to cover to prepare for the entrance exam.
  • Explain our materials and teaching methods to you.
  • Give you the chance to ask any questions and to tap into our expertise.

 

Click here to find out more about tutoring for Entrance Exams …

 

English Student

FREE Assessment

Simply complete our form to book your FREE assessment.

Book a Free Assessment Now


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