“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
She is a quiet girl and I was concerned that her poor spelling was not being corrected. When she saw the progress Bella was making in such a short time, I enrolled her for Maths as well! It has transformed her thinking and she now has the self-esteem to ask questions in both numeracy and literacy.
Ms R Temple
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
I would like to thank you for the enthusiastic way in which you have helped Vicky gain confidence in her abilities to learn. She has been a different child since coming to you and has a more positive view now!
Vicky's Parents
Alex had been tested in Year 4 for dyslexia and he came out mildly dyslexic for spelling. He has a poor short term memory, and we were concerned about him going to Senior School with these problems.
Alex started off a bit ‘anti’, but now he agrees that his writing is better and the improvement has been commented on by teachers. We are so pleased he is getting professional help, and are especially pleased that he now see the benefit and is self-motivated.
He now is now asking for help with his Maths too!
Mrs D Wilson
Prezton has done really well and we are very proud of his achievement so thank you all again
Mrs A Laborde
Thank you both so much for all the support you have give our Darcey. she really has grown in her confidence with her maths and you have defo given her the foundations to grow. She is very excited about starting senior school in September and I am sure we will be back in the future for more support for her or her younger sister. Big, big hugs.
Heidi & Lee
We were super happy with your approach and B settled in so well. She looked forward to the tutoring and got a lot out of the sessions. Without a doubt her confidence has grown and I wouldn’t hesitate to use I Love to Learn again in the future.
Many thanks,
Cat
We are Super Happy!
Thank you very much for your help and support in helping Tomek achieve his goals in English
Monica (Tomek’s mum)
“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
11+ Mock Exam & Open Day at I Love to Learn Liphook
Date: Saturday 10th October 2026
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: I Love to Learn Tuition Centre, The Chase, Chiltlee Manor, Liphook
Following our recent guide to the 11+ and independent school admissions process around Liphook for 2027 entry, we’re inviting local families to our upcoming free 11+ Mock Exam & Open Day at Chiltlee Manor.
Preparing for the 11+ is about much more than just academic knowledge. For most children, the hardest part isn’t the questions themselves—it’s getting used to strict exam conditions and staying calm in a room full of unfamiliar faces.
Our goal is to provide a supportive, low-stress practice run. While the students tackle the papers, our experienced tutors will be right on hand to chat with parents, answer questions, and talk through the 11+ journey.
Why Attend?
A mock exam gives students the opportunity to:
Identify strengths and areas for improvement in a low-pressure environment.
Become familiar with common question styles used by selective and independent schools.
Reduce exam anxiety by making the assessment process feel more familiar.
For parents, the event offers insight into your child’s current level of preparation and confidence, together with practical guidance on the most beneficial next steps.
What to Expect on the Day
Students will have access to papers covering:
Mathematics
English & SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar)
Verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Assessments will reflect the range of formats used locally, including ISEB Common Pre-Test style questions and school-specific entrance papers.
Note: When you sign up, let us know which schools your child is aiming for. We‘ll do our absolute best to tailor the paper styles and question formats to match your target list.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, 10th October 2026
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: I Love to Learn Tuition Centre, Chiltlee Manor, Liphook
Who it’s for: Year 5 and Year 6 students preparing for 11+ and independent school entrance exams.
11+ Exams Around Liphook: A Parent’s Guide to 2027 Entry
Understanding 11+ exams in Liphook
There is no single, universal 11+ exam. As Liphook sits in Hampshire, a non-selective local authority with no state grammar schools, the term 11+ locally refers almost exclusively to independent school entrance assessments rather than local authority grammar testing.
Local state secondary schools (such as Bohunt School) follow Hampshire’s standard, non-selective coordinated admissions process. Meanwhile, nearby independent schools set their own entrance assessments, interview formats, and registration deadlines. Because each independent school sets its own entry criteria, your child’s preparation should change with your target school list.
Assessment Format
Assessment formats vary depending on the target school, but local independent assessments commonly evaluate English, mathematics, creative writing, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning.
Exams fall into two main categories:
Online Adaptive Pre-Tests: Several schools use the ISEB Common Pre-Test (CPT) or similar online adaptive tests covering English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. Candidates take these online tests once (often at their current primary/prep school or an approved test centre), and results are shared across participating schools, such as St Catherine’s, Bramley.
School-Specific Written Exams & Activity Days: Many schools set their own entrance papers, creative writing tasks, interviews, or team experience days. For example, Churcher’s College publishes its own assessment covering creative writing, maths, English/SPaG, and verbal reasoning.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
If you intend to apply for academic, music, sports, or drama scholarships or bursaries, keep in mind that registration and application deadlines often fall 2–4 weeks earlier than the standard entry deadlines listed below.
It is easy to confuse the ISEB Common Pre-Test with standard Common Entrance. The ISEB Common Pre-Test is an online adaptive assessment taken in Year 6, used both for direct 11+ entry and as early screening for 13+ entry later on. Common Entrance is different — subject-specific written papers, usually sat in Year 8 for 13+ entry (occasionally at 11+, if a school specifically asks for it.)
How should families prepare?
Start by confirming the admissions route and deadline for each target school. Preparation can then focus on a mix of curriculum knowledge, reasoning, timed work and interview confidence. Preparation works best when it’s steady rather than rushed. We recommend focusing first on underlying accuracy across unfamiliar question types before introducing timed conditions.
Steps for parents
Shortlist destination schools before choosing an exam-preparation programme.
Confirm whether each school uses its own 11+ assessment, the ISEB Common Pre-Test, Common Entrance or a combination.
Record registration deadlines as well as assessment and interview dates.
Treat month-only dates and published windows as provisional until Admissions confirms the allocated day.
For 13+ entry, ask whether a Year 6 pre-test and later Year 8 Common Entrance are required.
At our Liphook I Love to Learn Professional Tuition centre, we can help families understand the likely assessment route and build a focused preparation plan across English, maths, and verbal/non-verbal reasoning. Contact us to discuss your child’s target schools, timescale and current confidence.
Note
School deadlines and entrance arrangements are accurate as of September 2026, but families should always verify dates directly with admissions teams.”
Summer School 8th -12th August 2022 Fareham Centre
Maths and English Fun in Fareham
Summer will soon be here and we are offering a Summer School in our Fareham Centre! Each student receives 10 hours of professional tuition with fully qualified teachers. Some children stay in the afternoon for sport activities at the John Pounds Centre in Portsmouth. Transport will be provided.
During the week our tutors are able to give each child a really good boost in maths or English. As they are not at school we can teach longer sessions each day (2hrs). This allows us to focus on a smaller number or skills to really work on. Summer School is always a really fun and positive experience with children getting lots of stamps and stickers and feeling they really have made a lot of progress! Many of our families enjoy it so much they come back year after year!
Some children will want to stay in the afternoon to do the sport programme. Children will be transported to and from the John Pounds Centre each afternoon. We are again collaborating with Michael Whitelock at Go Active Camps who we have worked with many times before.. The morning tutoring is run by our experienced tutors in the John Pounds Centre IT Suite. After that the children have a full programme of games and activities designed to boost their physical, social and cooperative skills.
Summer School 8th -12th AUGUST
Ages 6-16 years
*Early Bird Price for 9-3.30pm Tuition and Sport £300 £270 or Tuition only £235 £220*
Tuition: Maths & English 9-11am or 12-2pm Cost £235 £220 6-16yrs A full ten hours of professional tuition in reading, writing, spelling and maths to boost your child this summer. Individual plans and all abilities catered for. Classes in our Fareham Centre.
It’s good to learn together.
Tuition and Sport*: Maths & English Tuition + Sport & Games 9am-3.30pm Cost £300 £270.
Sport*: Sport & Games and other activities with fully qualified coaches from Go Active Camps at the John Pounds Centre, Portsmouth.
*Transport is available to take students from the Fareham Centre and back to John Pounds Centre for the sport activities.
*Early Bird Price £300 £270 pay by May 31st*
Gain Confidence
For children who have struggled in school, summer is an invaluable opportunity to catch-up on key skills and feel more confident when they return to class. For students who do well, it is an opportunity to keep their enthusiasm for learning high.
If your child needs help with reading, writing, spelling or maths call Howard or Linda for a free assessment on 023 93 96 86 26 now.
Summer School 15th -19th August 2022 John Pounds Centre
Maths and English Fun at Summer School
Summer will soon be here and Summer School 2022 is here by popular demand! Each student receives 10 hours of professional tuition with fully qualified teachers. The children stay in the afternoon for sport activities.
We are again colaborating with Michael Whitelock at Go Active Camps and the John Pounds Centre. The morning tutoring is run by our experienced tutors in the John Pounds Centre IT Suite. After that the children have a full programme of games and activities designed to boost their physical, social and cooperative skills.
During the week our tutors are able to give each child a really good boost in maths or English. As they are not at school we can teach longer sessions each day (2hrs). This allows us to focus on a smaller number or skills to really work on. Summer School is always a really fun and positive experience with children getting lots of stamps and stickers and feeling they really have made a lot of progress! Many of our families enjoy it so much they come back year after year!
Summer School 15th -19th AUGUST
Ages 6-12 years
*Early Bird Price for 9-3.30pm Tuition and Sport £300 £270*
Tuition & Sport
Maths & English 9-11am A full ten hours of professional tuition in reading, writing, spelling and maths to boost your child this summer. Individual plans and all abilities catered for.
Sport and Games and other activities with fully qualified coaches from Go Active summer camps until 3.30pm. Learn some new skills, cooperation and coordination.
Classes are held at the John Pounds Centre, Portsea.
*Early Bird Price £300 £270 pay by May 31st*
Many Children Fall Behind
‘Research shows as many as one in three children can fall behind as a result of a seven-week break from the classroom.’
For most children, summer is a time to leave classes and homework behind. While summer is a holiday from school, it does not have to be a holiday from learning. The summer holiday is great for recharging your children’s batteries, but if they are not using the skills and knowledge that was learned in the classroom, they will find themselves struggling when school starts up again.
Skills and knowledge gained throughout the school year fade during the summer months. Research shows that loss of content retention begins within 24 to 48 hours of learning unless the new information is reinforced or applied immediately. That is why, during summer holidays, even the best students forget lessons they have learned during the school year. After a month without reinforcement, approximately 80 percent of what a student has recently learned can be lost.
Gain Confidence
For children who have struggled in school, summer is an invaluable opportunity to catch-up on key skills and feel more confident when they return to class. For students who do well, it is an opportunity to keep their enthusiasm for learning high.
If your child needs help with reading, writing, spelling or maths call Howard or Linda for a free assessment on 023 93 96 86 26 now.
Teach your child Handwriting-getting started
In this video I explain how to write lower case letters. At I Love to Learn Professional Tuition we teach cursive (or joined up) writing right from the beginning. I start with writing letters that begin with vertical strokes e.g. i, t, l, p and m This is suitable for parents wishing to help their child with the basics of joining up ( cursive) handwriting. However, it can also be used by all those who would like to improve their handwriting style.
Teach Your Child Fractions-Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers
In this video I explain how to convert improper fractions into mixed numbers. This is a topic that can often cause confusion, mainly because of the terms being used. I suggest that it is usually helpful to draw a diagram of the improper fraction or mixed number that you are trying to convert.
This is suitable for parents wishing to help their child with topics they may have forgotten.
To find out more about how we teach maths click here.
Helping Your Child With Post Lockdown
Have a House Meeting
It is a good idea to ask your child to write a list of questions that concern them about returning to school. This is an opportunity to re-assure them that, thankfully, Covid 19 has actually harmed very few children. Write an agenda with the points you want to discuss, and allow the children to add to it.
Agree a Plan
Remember all those things you wished you hadn’t let go during lockdown? Now is the time to set up a new routine with regular meals, homework, chores and leisure time. Habits are essential to regulate our moods. This will help them feel more secure and in control.
Talk to the Teacher (especially if it is a transition year)
Take any opportunity to talk to the teacher or school about your child’s special needs, personality, strengths and weaknesses. This may be a challenge, due to Covid 19 restrictions, but not to be overlooked. Understanding a child usually helps teachers teach that child more effectively. It is a good idea to get the children on the teacher’s radar if you have major concerns. One of my own children experienced some ‘extra’ anxiety going up to secondary school. We made sure we spoke to the SEN (special educational needs) Coordinator and got them, some extra visits to the school, to familiarise himself. They then showed us around as if they owned it!
Many children have had very little contact with their friends. More introverted children may be exhausted from returning to school and many may take some time to adjust. I would expect a few ups and downs as children get used to meeting real people again and re-learn the social skills they may have forgotten.
Try Something New
Children will look to us to set the mood. We have all experienced stress and maybe loss during the lockdown. A positive ‘we can do this’ is the best attitude. This time will pass, and we will overcome together.
Be Prepared
Practical preparations are important to help the child get ready mentally. A new uniform or bag might seem a small thing, but it can help your child imagine themselves into their return. It may also be a good opportunity to talk through their hopes and fears.
Be Realistic
Having 6 months of no school is not going to be corrected overnight! It may be quite some time before children have caught up with where they need to be. For some of the weaker students it may be necessary to seek out extra support.
All change is stressful even if it is ‘good’ change. I would encourage all parents and teachers to normalise the situation as much as possible, while being sensitive and thoughtful about the adjustments needed. A bit of extra down time, a good routine and a few extra hugs will go a long way.
These are the top 5 concerns for parents and children based on UCL research:
Top 5 Concerns for Parents
-Bullying
-Safety
-The amount of homework
-Adjusting to having lots of teachers
-Making new friends
Top 5 Concerns for Children
-Getting Lost
-Losing old friends
-Homework
-Discipline and -detentions
-Being bullied
Pupil and Parent Concerns
Many of our little superheroes will soon be pushing through to the next level at school. This may be a transition between Infant to Junior or Junior to Senior. Even changing year groups can be hard for younger children.
Do you remember the feeling of excitement and fear of going up to a new class or school? I certainly remember it being scary and stressful!
Now is a good time to talk to your children about these changes. Fear of the unknown is the worst thing, especially for imaginative, young minds.
Helping with Transition
It is a good idea to ask your child to write a list of questions themselves. Although you never know what their concerns might be, they may include some of the things listed above.
Take any opportunity to talk to the new teacher or school about your child’s needs, personality, strengths and weaknesses. Understanding a child usually helps teachers teach that child more effectively. It is a good idea to get the children on the teacher’s radar if you have any major concerns such as special needs.
Practical preparations are important to help the child get mentally ready. A new uniform or bag might seem a small thing, but it can help your child imagine themselves in their new role. The trip to purchase these items may be a good opportunity to talk through their hopes and fears.
Good News
The good news is that most of these fears reduce very quickly, and mostly go away, by the end of year 7. In fact only 3% of children are worried after a term at Secondary School (according to a University of London study). Most students are ready to develop new friends and their interest in their schoolwork increases.
What can we do to Help?
At I Love to Learn, we understand the concerns that children and parents experience when moving from one educational setting to another. It is not just the emotional journey but also it is an academic journey. We can provide children with the skills and knowledge they need to make this transition smooth and stress free. We can focus on developing personal organisation, time keeping alongside filling any gaps they might have in their maths and/or English.
We will be happy to help at our Fareham, Havant or Portsmouth centres. To find out more, call us or book a free assessment!
For further resources see: www.ucl.ac.uk/stars Stars Booklet for Pupils on Transition
www.ioe.ac.uk/projects/eppe
Is Maths Anxiety a Thing?
Did you hate maths at school? Do you feel you “can’t do maths?” You may not be alone.
Recently researchers claimed that “Maths Anxiety” is real. One in 10 children suffer from despair and rage when faced with the subject, according to new research from Cambridge University’s Faculty of Education and its Centre for Neuroscience. Click here to read more…..
Could this be just another made up term to excuse poor attainment or could working with numbers really be a cause of exceptional unhappiness for children?
As a tutor, I have certainly come across lots of students who ‘hate’ maths. Some of them seem to have genuine problems with remembering and manipulating numbers. Many of them, however, do seem to make remarkable progress when they realise they can do maths after all.
Tough maths
Why Maths?
Stress or anxiety about any subject is obviously an impediment to learning. Is maths so different? I suspect people learn to like or dislike maths for the same reasons. When you are leaning maths the answers you give are either right or they are wrong, unlike other subjects perhaps, so if you are getting it wrong the feedback is rather immediate. If students fear failure or ‘getting it wrong’ it could make early negative experiences particularly unpleasant and overwhelming. So, for example, finding fractions difficult in primary school may lead to enough wrong answers and unhappiness to convince some children that maths is something they ‘can’t do.’
I always say that maths is like a house, you have to build the foundation first, before you build the walls. If students have switched off at some point in their school careers, then they have not built a firm foundation. All the maths they are taught after that will become much harder because they have not learned the basic skills, such as times tables or place value. This can lead to students getting very stuck unless they find a way to fill in the gaps.
This is a serious problem as STEM (science technology engineering and maths) careers rely on high levels of maths fluency and attract higher than average salaries.
Stress Reduction
Mostimproved
Learning anything while being anxious is not helpful. Increased levels of anxiety use up working memory and stop learning from taking place. Most people find it much harder to remember appointments if they have an exceptionally stressed day at home or the office.
As a tutor, I always give students work that they can do (i.e. easy enough for them but not too easy) so that they get most of their answers right. When they begin to feel relaxed, I can then start introducing new topics strengthening their weaker areas.
In addition, learning times table by rote, may seem old fashioned, but it makes maths so much easier. Try reading a new language when you don’t know all the alphabet and have to look them up each time. Much slower and much less fluent. We try to do activities, such as lots of number bonds and tables, that don’t require much working memory and are highly repetitive.
The third approach is to change the mindset of anxious learners. Maths is actually a subject that requires a lot of practice and repetition, but if people put in the hours almost everyone can improve. A bit like jogging, everyone can do it, rather than fine art when you need a high level innate skill. So rather than having a ‘fixed mindset’, i.e. some people can do maths and some people just can’t; students need to adopt a ‘growth mindset’ i.e. “I can do it if I try.”
Finally, parents can make maths more fun by putting away the study books and getting out some games. Card games and dice games (yes the dreaded Monopoly) can make numbers relevant and fun. At a younger age, using blocks such as lego can help with number, fractions, counting and shapes. The abacus is an ancient tool which is still helpful today.
Learning to Love Maths
Anxiety about maths is certainly a problem for many people, but it can be overcome. The more people worry about it, the bigger it can grow. Sometimes a few deep breathes and a chance to express themselves, then reframe these fears, can make a big difference.
Many people have found that when they have come back to maths learning later in life they have actually enjoyed it! Making maths fun can be a good way for both fearful parents and children to help each other overcome anxiety.
Summer will soon be here and Summer School 2019 is here by popular demand! Each student receives 10 hours of professional tuition in a week. Some children stay in the afternoon for sport activities.
Summer School 19th -23rd AUG
*Special Early Bird Discount, £250 for Tuition and Sport if booked by end of June.*
Tuition: Maths & English 9-11am or 12-2pm Cost £205 6-16yrs A full ten hours of professional tuition in reading, writing, spelling and maths to boost your child this summer. Individual plans and all abilities catered for. Classes in our Portsmouth and Fareham Centres.
It’s good to learn together.
Tuition and Sport*: Maths & English Tuition + Trampolining/Gymnastics 9am-3pm
Sport*: Trampolining, Gymnastics and other activities with fully qualified coaches from PSTGC Learn some new moves and gain a badge and certificate at the end of the week! (Usually £90)
*Transport is available to take students from the Fareham Centre and back to Priory Tennis for the sport activities.
-Save £35 by booking both Sport and Tuition-
Cost was £295 only £260 6-12yrs
*Special Early Bird Discount, £250 for Tuition and Sport if booked by end of June.*
Many Children Fall Behind
‘Research shows as many as one in three children can fall behind as a result of a seven-week break from the classroom.’
For most children, summer is a time to leave classes and homework behind. While summer is a holiday from school, it does not have to be a holiday from learning. The summer holiday is great for recharging your children’s batteries, but if they are not using the skills and knowledge that was learned in the classroom, they will find themselves struggling when school starts up again.
Skills and knowledge gained throughout the school year fade during the summer months. Research shows that loss of content retention begins within 24 to 48 hours of learning unless the new information is reinforced or applied immediately. That is why, during summer holidays, even the best students forget lessons they have learned during the school year. After a month without reinforcement, approximately 80 percent of what a student has recently learned can be lost.
Gain Confidence
For children who have struggled in school, summer is an invaluable opportunity to catch-up on key skills and feel more confident when they return to class. For students who do well, it is an opportunity to keep their enthusiasm for learning high.
If your child needs help with reading, writing, spelling or maths call Howard or Linda for a free assessment on 023 93 96 86 26 now.
FREE Assessment
Simply complete our form to book your FREE assessment.
Summer will soon be here and we are offering a Summer School in our Fareham Centre! Each student receives 10 hours of professional tuition with fully qualified teachers. Some children stay in the afternoon for sport activities at the John Pounds Centre in Portsmouth. Transport will be provided.
Be Prepared
Be Prepared
