“We were somewhat taken aback by the standard required for our children to even be offered a place at an independent school.” Step Ahead parent
Choosing the right school for your child is an important decision for any parent. Many parents throughout the UK and especially in Edinburgh and London opt for independent schooling for their child, and enjoy an excellent range of establishments to choose from.
However, choosing a school is just the first step. Most independent schools require pupils to pass an entrance exam and, in particular, children making the move from state to private schooling may be unfairly under-prepared for the level of attainment required of them.
Even children of high academic ability may require support with preparation for independent school entry examinations.
Step Ahead has earned an enviable reputation for expertise and success in this field. We have successfully prepared over 500 tutees who have gained places in independent schools. Our Director has led from the front, having helped a large number of tutees to gain places, including scholarships, in independent schools in Scotland, England and abroad. In 2018 and 2019, he helped respectively two youngsters gain the George Heriot’s School’s Senior Scholarships, with another of his tutees scoring well in 2018, while another high-scored in 2020. In 2022, one of his tutees won the Cunningham Scholarship, Erskine Stewart’s Melville’s “most prestigious award.”
In addition to the large number of tutors who have given their service to all kinds of subject work over the last two decades and more, our Director has built up a team of tutors, all totally dedicated to the specialist work required for independent school entry.
The “School Guide” annual magazine, the definitive and indispensable guide to Edinburgh’s best independent and state schools, has invited our Director to submit articles and ‘Entrance Admission Tests’ for the last seven years. Parents, tutees and tutors have found those questions to be of considerable value, allied to our expert tuition.
Our commitment to nurturing the raw ability and improving confidence in all children regardless of background or experience ensures we continually help pupils reach the high standard required for independent school entry.
As well as helping to secure the child’s place at the right school for them, Step Ahead helps children to start their new school with confidence, assured that they enjoy equal academic attainment to their new school friends.
Gifted Children
An increasing number of independent schools are demonstrating their commitment to wider access and achieving a more varied demographic with the introduction of scholarship schemes for academically gifted children.
Step Ahead has experience supporting academically gifted children preparing for highly competitive scholarship examinations, as mentioned above.
Read about our success stories, including a very comprehensive one, on our Testimonial section.