Cheltenham Tutors was founded by William with the aim of offering thoughtful, high-quality preparation for the Gloucestershire 11+ while keeping the wellbeing of pupils at the centre of the process.
The 11+ examination can feel like an important and sometimes uncertain stage for families. Our aim is not simply to prepare children for a test, but to guide them through the process with clarity, confidence and careful academic support.
Cheltenham Tutors was founded by William, an experienced teacher and educational practitioner with many years of experience working with primary-aged pupils. Alongside his tutoring work, William has been closely involved in developing educational programmes designed to widen access to grammar school opportunities for families across Gloucestershire.
His work reflects a broader interest in how children learn, how confidence develops, and how academic success can be supported in ways that are both rigorous and humane. This perspective shapes the approach taken at Cheltenham Tutors, where careful academic preparation is combined with a thoughtful and supportive teaching environment.
Through both Cheltenham Tutors and the associated charity Fairview Education, William’s work aims to support pupils from a wide range of backgrounds as they navigate the 11+ process.
Cheltenham Tutors grew out of many years of teaching experience and a belief that effective learning takes place when strong academic teaching is combined with careful attention to the individual child.
Our work therefore focuses on a combination of two things that are often separated in education: academic rigour and relational care.
Academic rigour matters because the 11+ requires strong reasoning, mathematical thinking, and reading skills. Relational care matters because children learn best when they feel supported, understood, and confident in the learning environment around them.
By bringing these two elements together, we aim to help pupils grow both in ability and in confidence as learners.
Preparation for the 11+ at Cheltenham Tutors is structured and carefully monitored.
Students complete regular assessments which allow us to track progress across the key areas tested in the Gloucestershire entrance exams. These assessments help identify strengths, highlight areas that require further work, and ensure that teaching is targeted effectively.
Parents are kept informed through regular feedback and progress reports so that they have a clear understanding of how their child is developing over time. In this way, teaching, assessment and parental communication work together as part of a single process focused on each pupil’s progress.
Our tuition prepares pupils for the areas assessed in the Gloucestershire grammar school entrance tests, including:
English and reading comprehension
Mathematics
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Lessons focus both on developing core academic understanding and on helping pupils become familiar with the style of questions they will encounter in the exam.
You can read our explanation guide to the 11+ in Gloucestershire by clicking here.
Cheltenham Tutors offers both small group tuition and one-to-one sessions depending on the needs of each pupil.
Small group sessions allow students to work alongside others at a similar stage of preparation while benefiting from structured teaching and discussion. One-to-one sessions provide more personalised support where specific areas of learning need additional attention.
You can learn more about these options here:
While the grammar school entrance exam offers opportunities for some pupils, it is also important to recognise that the system is not perfect. Educational opportunity should not depend solely on access to private preparation.
For this reason, Cheltenham Tutors works alongside Fairview Education, a charity committed to widening access to grammar school preparation for families who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
Each year, 2% of our profits contribute directly to this wider mission.
If you would like to learn more about 11+ preparation in Cheltenham, or enquire about group or one-to-one tuition, please feel free to get in touch.
We would be happy to discuss whether our approach may be helpful for your child.