11+ Stretch and Challenge Masterclass
Cultivating the thinking behaviours that the most academically selective schools are seeking in successful candidates.
Dates: 26–29 May 2026
Format: 4 days | 3 sessions per day | 12 hours total
Group size: Maximum of 5 students
Course fee: £800
Most holiday courses focus on more practice. This one focuses on how selective schools actually identify exceptional candidates. These schools do not just test knowledge in their entrance assessments. They test:
how precisely a child understands language
how confidently they reason through unfamiliar problems
how well they form, evaluate and express original ideas
This course is the layer of preparation for all stages of the 11+ assessments that even the strongest students rarely receive.
Most strong candidates prepare content.
The very best prepare how they think.
To reflect this depth of focus, the course is intentionally small, intensive, expert-led and specifically designed for current Year 5 students applying in the Autumn/Winter 2026 cycle for academically selective schools at 11+ (or 13+ pre-testing).
Each day is structured to develop different layers of thinking
Critical and creative thinking under pressure with Adam D’Souza
— Thinking beyond the obvious: argument, insight and originality
How selective schools assess reasoning with Bonnie Newton
— Articulating their mathematical understanding and solving complex problems
How selective schools use language to separate strong from exceptional candidates with Ilana King
— Idea formation, evaluation and expressive clarity in writing and discussion
At the end of the course, each student will receive a personal profile, including:
a clear summary of strengths across the three strands
practical next steps to guide future preparation
targeted activities to reinforce learning
Equipping your child with a thinking toolkit that opens doors to the leading academically selective schools
Critical and creative thinking under pressure
Thinking beyond the obvious: argument, insight and originality
At the highest levels, schools are looking for students who can:
interpret both sides of a debate
evaluate arguments rather than accept them
produce original responses
Focus areas include:
analysing and evaluating ideas
responding creatively under pressure
developing originality that stands out
Outcome:
Students learn how to think independently, respond with good judgement to a wide range of stimulus material, and express their ideas confidently.
Mathematical reasoning beyond the method
How selective schools assess reasoning
Selective schools increasingly use questions where:
there is no clear starting point
more than one solution may be possible
the quality of reasoning matters as much as the final answer
By working on open-ended logic problems, students will learn to:
approach unfamiliar problems and complex tasks
work systematically
explain, convince and prove their reasoning
explore and notice patterns
Outcome:
Students gain confidence in clearly articulating their mathematical understanding and selecting the most appropriate methods to solve complex problems.
Language precision and analysis
How selective schools use language to separate strong from exceptional candidates
Selective schools assess far more than reading ability. They determine whether a child can:
detect nuance and implication
distinguish between approximate and precise meaning
use vocabulary as a thinking tool, not a memorisation exercise
Focus areas include:
vocabulary as conceptual leverage (choosing the right word, not just a good one)
inference, tone and implied meaning in complex texts
verbal reasoning as logic expressed through language
Outcome:
Students become more exact with their language, better analytical readers, and able to justify interpretations rather than guess them.
Meet the team of expert 11+ tutors
Ilana King
With over 15 years of experience preparing pupils for highly selective independent school entrance, Ilana brings a deep understanding of how schools assess ability beyond syllabus knowledge.
She works primarily with high-attaining students, developing the reasoning, language precision and intellectual confidence required across written papers, interviews and group tasks. Her approach draws on long-term work with families, schools and education professionals operating at the most competitive end of the admissions landscape.
Bonnie Newton
Educated at Godolphin and Latymer School, Bonnie possesses first-hand insight into the demands of entrance examinations for highly selective schools. She is a fully qualified primary teacher with 12 years of classroom experience prior to specialising in entrance-exam tutoring.
In her role as Stretch and Challenge Coordinator at Bristol Grammar School, Bonnie mentored high-attaining pupils across Key Stage 2, bringing this expertise to the course.
Adam D’Souza
Adam D’Souza is a full-time professional entrance tutor specialising in 11+ and 13+ admissions, and an educational consultant to families navigating highly selective school pathways internationally.
After teaching English, history and philosophy in academically selective London independent schools, and working as part of the founding team of an international schools group, he established his own practice in 2019. Adam’s work focuses on reasoning, problem-solving and supporting students – including those with neurodivergent or ‘spiky’ profiles, an area in which he brings particular depth and sensitivity.