Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tuition: Expert Preparation for Newstead Wood, St Olave’s and the Bexley and Kent Grammar Schools

Most grammar schools in South East London and Kent test verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Not a single one teaches it in the primary school curriculum. That is the gap we fill. A child who encounters VR and NVR question types for the first time in Year 5 is at a significant disadvantage compared to one who has been building fluency and speed with these skills since Year 3 or Year 4. The difference shows up directly in scores, and in a process where the qualifying threshold sits at a fixed point and hundreds of children cluster around it, the difference between a prepared and an unprepared child is often the difference between a place and a rejection.

At Geek School Tutoring, verbal and non-verbal reasoning preparation is built into every year of our 11 Plus programme from Year 3 onwards. We have been preparing children for the grammar schools in Bromley, Bexley, Kent, and Medway since 2013. More than 1,000 families have trusted us, and our 100% pass rate for Kent and Medway grammar schools is the result of a programme that treats VR and NVR as the central skills they are for most selective school exams, not an afterthought.

Which Schools Test VR and NVR, and How

Newstead Wood School

Newstead Wood uses GL Assessment papers covering only verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. There is no separate English or maths paper. This surprises many families: Newstead Wood is one of the most academically outstanding state schools in England, yet the entire entrance exam is VR and NVR. The minimum qualifying score is 210, and the school operates a nine-mile priority radius. Children who have not specifically prepared for GL Assessment VR and NVR question types frequently score below their potential, regardless of how strong their general academic ability is. Fluency with the specific question formats is the only way to score well on these papers.

St Olave’s Grammar School

St Olave’s Stage 1 Selective Eligibility Test covers English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning in a multiple-choice format. All applicants sit Stage 1, and only the top 450 scorers proceed to Stage 2. A child who underperforms on the VR and NVR elements of Stage 1 will not reach Stage 2, regardless of how strong they are in English and maths. VR and NVR preparation is therefore essential for any boy targeting St Olave’s, even though Stage 2 is the more famous element of the process.

Beths Grammar, Bexley Grammar, Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar, and Townley Grammar

All four Bexley grammar schools use GL Assessment multiple-choice papers covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. VR and NVR are the two elements that most consistently differentiate scores at the top of the distribution. Children who have systematic, timed VR and NVR practice built into their preparation from Year 4 score noticeably better on these papers than those who cover them briefly in the months before the exam. Because all four Bexley schools use the same GL Assessment format, preparation for one transfers directly to all of them.

Kent Grammar Schools: Dartford, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Invicta and Others

Kent grammar schools use the Kent Test, which includes verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, and spatial reasoning components alongside a writing element at some stages. The reasoning components require the same systematic preparation as GL Assessment VR and NVR: familiarity with specific question types, speed built through timed practice, and accuracy developed through detailed feedback on errors. For families in Orpington, West Wickham, Sidcup, and other areas near the Kent border, the Kent Test is a frequent target alongside or instead of the GL Assessment Bromley and Bexley schools.

Medway Grammar Schools: Rochester, Chatham Grammar, Rainham Mark and Others

The Medway Test similarly includes verbal and non-verbal reasoning components. Our 100% pass rate for Kent and Medway grammar schools reflects many years of preparing children for these exams specifically. The reasoning components of the Medway Test have a consistent format, and children who have worked through all the question types under timed conditions consistently outperform those who have not.

What Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning Actually Involve

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal reasoning tests the ability to work with words, language patterns, and logical relationships under time pressure. GL Assessment VR papers include a wide range of question types: completing word analogies, finding words with similar or opposite meanings, identifying codes, completing sequences, working with letter and number patterns, and drawing logical conclusions from short passages of text. Each question type has a specific approach, and children who have practised them systematically are significantly faster and more accurate than those who see them for the first time under exam conditions.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-verbal reasoning tests spatial and pattern-recognition ability using shapes, diagrams, and matrices rather than words or numbers. NVR papers include questions involving identifying the odd one out in a sequence of shapes, completing a matrix, finding a shape that belongs to a pattern, identifying reflections and rotations, and similar spatial tasks. Unlike English and maths, NVR is a skill that many children have genuinely never encountered before Year 5. First-time exposure to NVR question types under exam pressure is one of the most reliable ways to underperform. Building familiarity from Year 3 or Year 4 removes that disadvantage entirely.

How We Teach VR and NVR: From Year 3 to Year 6

Year 3: First Encounters

We introduce VR and NVR question types in Year 3 in a format that feels more like puzzles than exam preparation. The goal at this stage is not speed, it is familiarity. Children who meet these question types for the first time in Year 3 develop an instinctive understanding of how they work that children who encounter them first in Year 5 cannot replicate quickly. We take children from Year 3 onwards, and for families targeting Newstead Wood, Beths Grammar, or the Kent schools, starting at Year 3 is the preparation choice that most consistently produces strong results.

Year 4: Building All Question Types

In Year 4, we work systematically through all GL Assessment VR and NVR question types, covering each one in detail before introducing timed practice. By the end of Year 4, most children are comfortable with the full range of question types and beginning to build speed. This is also the stage where we identify which specific question types each child finds most challenging, so Year 5 preparation can focus precisely where it is most needed.

Year 5: Speed, Accuracy, and Mock Papers

In Year 5, the focus shifts to speed and accuracy under timed conditions. We introduce full-length GL Assessment VR and NVR mock papers and Kent Test reasoning practice for families targeting Kent schools. Every child receives individual written feedback on their mock results, identifying the specific question types causing the most errors and the strategies to improve them. By late Year 5 and into Year 6, most children are consistently scoring in the range their target schools require.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Newstead Wood really test only VR and NVR?

Yes. Newstead Wood School uses GL Assessment papers in verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning only. There is no separate English or maths paper. A child who is an outstanding reader and writer but has never practised GL Assessment VR and NVR question types will almost certainly underperform on these papers. Strong general academic ability does not transfer automatically to GL Assessment reasoning papers without specific preparation.

Do you take children from Year 3 for VR and NVR preparation?

Yes. We introduce VR and NVR question types from Year 3 in a relaxed, puzzle-style format. Starting in Year 3 is the single most effective approach for families targeting Newstead Wood, the Bexley grammar schools, or the Kent Test. By the time the exam arrives, the question types feel completely familiar rather than new and daunting.

What is the difference between GL Assessment and the Kent Test?

GL Assessment papers are used by Newstead Wood, the Bexley grammar schools (Beths, Bexley Grammar, Chislehurst and Sidcup, Townley), and many other grammar schools. They are multiple-choice and typically cover English, maths, VR, and NVR. The Kent Test uses a different format with verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, and spatial reasoning components, plus a writing element at some stages. Both test reasoning ability, but the question styles and timing differ. For families in areas near the Kent border targeting both types of school, we prepare children for both formats within the same programme.

My child is strong in English and maths. Will they be fine without VR and NVR preparation?

Unfortunately, no. Strong English and maths ability does not automatically produce strong VR and NVR scores. These are distinct skills that require specific practice. We see this regularly: children with excellent school reports and strong comprehension scores underperform on their first GL Assessment mock because the VR and NVR question types are unfamiliar. The good news is that VR and NVR skills respond well to practice, and children who start from a good general academic base typically make rapid progress once they begin working with the specific formats.

Can we prepare for VR and NVR at the same time as English, maths, and creative writing?

Yes, and this is exactly how our programme works. VR and NVR are built into the preparation alongside English and maths from Year 3 or Year 4. For families targeting St Olave’s, where Stage 2 requires strong written English as well as strong Stage 1 VR and NVR scores, we cover all four elements within the same weekly sessions. No subject is treated in isolation.

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