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3 September 2026

Investigation

£600 for practice tests creates ‘11-plus tutoring arms race’

Grammar school opponents criticise sale of materials to parents anxious to give children an advantage
11 min read
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Desperate parents paying hundreds of pounds a year for 11-plus practice papers are competing in a “tutoring arms race” to secure their children a grammar school place, experts fear.

A Schools Week investigation has found that some of the biggest entrance test providers are demanding that families fork out for preparation materials, with the most expensive costing an eye-watering £600 a year.

Opponents of the system believe the findings show the “11-plus has created an industry in which anxiety about a child’s future school can be monetised”.

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