11 Plus Tutor in Forest Hill: Expert Preparation for Dulwich, Alleyn’s and Beths Grammar

Forest Hill puts Dulwich College and Alleyn’s within ten minutes by car and Beths Grammar within twenty. It is also one of the areas of South East London where both our Beckenham and Catford centres are accessible, giving families the option of either. SE23 children are in a genuinely strong position for some of the best schools in South East London, provided they are well prepared for the specific exams those schools use.

At Geek School Tutoring, we have been preparing children across South East London since 2013. Our founder Joycellyn Akuffo is a journalist and experienced 11 Plus tutor who sat the 11 Plus herself and put both her children through independent school entrance. She leads the English and creative writing teaching that gives Geek School children a consistent advantage in the extended writing papers that independent schools use to separate their top candidates.

Schools Forest Hill Families Target: What Each Exam Involves

Dulwich College, Alleyn’s and JAGS

Dulwich College uses written papers in English and mathematics with an extended writing component. Alleyn’s and JAGS use the ISEB Common Pre-Test as initial screening, followed by their own written papers. For all three schools, the extended English writing task is the most significant differentiator between well-prepared and outstanding candidates. Children who understand how to write with structure, precision, and a distinctive voice produce papers that stand out. This is exactly what Joycellyn’s journalism background allows her to teach.

Sydenham High School (GDST)

Sydenham High is a girls’ independent school around twelve minutes from Forest Hill. It uses its own entrance assessment, typically including English and mathematics components. Places are competitive, and the school looks for girls who read widely, write confidently, and engage thoughtfully with ideas. Many Forest Hill families target Sydenham High alongside Alleyn’s or JAGS.

Beths Grammar School

Beths Grammar in Bexley uses GL Assessment multiple-choice papers covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. For Forest Hill families also considering grammar schools, GL Assessment preparation is incorporated into the same programme. The VR and NVR elements are not taught in the primary school curriculum and require specific, timed practice.

Year 3: Getting Ahead of the Competition

We take children from Year 3. For Forest Hill families targeting Dulwich College, Alleyn’s, or JAGS, starting in Year 3 is the most effective approach. These schools’ extended writing papers reward a level of craft and control that develops over time. A child who starts building their writing ability in Year 3 arrives at Year 6 writing at a noticeably higher level than one who begins focused preparation in Year 5.

Year 3 sessions are relaxed: reading widely and thoughtfully, discussing what makes writing effective, beginning to write with intention. There are no timed exercises or mock exams at this stage. The goal is building a love of language and confident writing habits that carry through into Years 4 and 5 and ultimately into the exam room.

Year 4 and Year 5

Year 4 introduces the full programme: English comprehension and extended writing, maths reasoning, and systematic VR and NVR work alongside ISEB pre-test preparation. In Year 5, full mock exams for each school on your child’s list are introduced under timed conditions, with individual written feedback on every paper and the programme adjusted to each child’s needs.

Getting to Us

Our Catford centre is around fifteen minutes from Forest Hill by car via the South Circular. Our Beckenham centre is around the same distance via the A205 and A212. Both are also accessible by train from Forest Hill station: to Catford via Honor Oak Park and Crofton Park, or to Beckenham via Crystal Palace. Online sessions are available and achieve the same results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Geek School centre is closer to Forest Hill?

Both our Beckenham and Catford centres are around fifteen minutes from SE23. The best choice depends on your exact location in Forest Hill and which direction your regular journeys take. We can advise at the assessment stage. Many Forest Hill families choose our online sessions to avoid the journey altogether.

Do you take children from Year 3 in Forest Hill?

Yes. We take children from Year 3. For families targeting Dulwich, Alleyn’s, or JAGS, Year 3 is the ideal time to begin building the writing skills these schools’ exams test for. It is relaxed and exploratory at this stage, not pressured.

What is Sydenham High’s entrance exam?

Sydenham High School uses its own entrance assessment typically covering English and mathematics. The school looks for girls who read widely and write confidently. We prepare children for Sydenham High’s entrance alongside other independent school applications as part of the same programme.

Should we target grammar schools as well as independent schools from SE23?

Many Forest Hill families do both. Beths Grammar and Newstead Wood are within reach, and some families also consider Wilson’s in Sutton. The skill sets for grammar and independent school preparation overlap significantly. We cover both pathways in one programme without doubling the work.

How does your creative writing teaching help with Dulwich and Alleyn’s exams?

Our founder Joycellyn Akuffo spent more than twenty years as a journalist. She teaches children to write with precision, structure, and a distinctive voice, the same qualities professional writers are trained to produce. For Dulwich, Alleyn’s, and JAGS, where the extended writing component plays a significant role, this approach produces papers that examiners notice.

Related: 11 Plus Tutor Near Me | 11 Plus Tutor in Sydenham | 11 Plus Creative Writing Course | Grammar School Entrance Exam Tutors