Conexus Tuition Stafford and Stone

Tomorrow is GCSE results day.

For many Y11’s this can be an anxious evening of not knowing how they’ve done.

For many young people, there will be relief, excitement and celebrations.

For others, there may be disappointment and uncertainty.

Whatever is in the envelope, the result doesn’t define your child.

GCSEs keep doors open for children. There are often more options available than young people realise, including sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeships and resits where needed.

Tomorrow, celebrate the effort, resilience and determination that got them to this point.

They’ve already achieved something amazing by getting through the exam season - remember how gruelling it was!

Good luck to everyone collect results tomorrow.

Fiona and our team of fantastic tutors 🎓

P.S. After you’ve celebrated and told Granny, don’t forget to let us know how you got on. We love hearing about our pupils’ successes. 💜

✏️ What actually is the 11+?

I've had a few enquiries recently, so I thought I'd answer one of the most common questions.

The 11+ is an entrance assessment used by some grammar and independent schools as part of their admissions process.

Unlike SATs, children aren't automatically entered by school. Parents choose whether their child sits the test and are responsible for registering them.

Children usually sit the 11+ during the autumn term of Year 6, so if your child is starting Year 5 this September, they have just over a year until they sit the assessment.

It's important to know that the majority of local secondary schools do not require the 11+. Most children will move to their local secondary school without needing to sit any entrance assessment.

Some schools local families often ask about include:

🏫 Stafford Grammar School

🏫 Wolverhampton Girls' High School

🏫 Haberdashers' Adams Grammar School (Newport)

🏫 Wolverhampton Grammar School

🏫 Newcastle-under-Lyme School (NULS)

Each school has its own admissions process, registration deadlines and assessment format, so it's always worth checking the school's website for the most up-to-date information.

At this time of year, many schools are also beginning to advertise their open days and open evenings, which can be a great opportunity to visit, ask questions and find out more about the admissions process.

The content of the 11+ varies depending on the school, but commonly includes:

📚 English

➗ Maths

🧩 Verbal and/or non-verbal reasoning

✍️ Creative writing

Primary schools do not specifically prepare children for these tests within the school curriculum, which is why many families choose additional preparation.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that preparation is all about practice papers. In reality, strong reading skills, a wide vocabulary, secure maths knowledge and confident problem-solving are often the foundations that make the biggest difference.

If you're considering the 11+ and aren't sure where to start, one of the best first steps is to look at the admissions section of the schools you're interested in, attend any open events and find out exactly what their process involves.

Feel free to ask any questions below and I'll do my best to answer them. 💜

Fiona 🎓

✏️ Is your child starting Year 5 and you’re thinking about the 11+?

It might feel a long way off but this September’s Year 5 pupils have around a year before they sit their 11+ – which means there’s plenty of time to prepare gradually, build confidence and become familiar with the skills and question types they’ll encounter.

This September, we’re looking to build a small 11+ preparation group, led by an experienced 11+ tutor and qualified teacher.

The aim isn’t to pile on pressure or spend a year endlessly completing practice papers.

It’s about building the underlying English and Maths skills, developing vocabulary and reasoning, learning how to approach unfamiliar questions and gradually introducing exam technique.

Starting in Year 5 gives us time to identify any gaps and work on them properly rather than trying to cram everything in during the final few months.

👩‍🏫 Experienced 11+ tutor & qualified teacher
👥 Small group
📚 English, Maths & reasoning skills
🎯 Targeted to each child’s starting point
💜 Confidence-building approach
📍 Face-to-face at local venues

If your child is starting Year 5 this September and you’re considering the 11+, I’d love to hear from you.

We’re currently registering interest for September, so please send me a message if you’d like to find out more.

There’s no obligation – I’m very happy to have an informal chat about the 11+, whether it might be right for your child and how we can support them over the coming year.

Fiona 🎓
☎️ 07826968703
📧 [email protected]

🎒 5 rucksacks. 5 countries. 20 days. 🌍

After years of family holidays involving a tent, a car packed to the roof and camping in Devon or Wales, this summer we decided to do something a little different… our first family holiday abroad!

And we certainly went for it! 😂

🇫🇷 France – Paris & Nice
🇲🇨 Monaco
🇮🇹 Italy – Rome
🇻🇦 Vatican City
🇬🇷 Greece – Athens

We travelled by trains, planes, trams, metros and buses, walked more miles than I care to count and somehow survived some very hot days! ☀️😂 Thank goodness for the public water fountains, especially in Paris and Rome!

We swam in the Seine in Paris and in the beautifully clear sea in Greece, with fish swimming around us. We ate plenty of ice cream, made some amazing memories along the way… and somehow ended up having McDonald’s in every country too! 😂

We’ve actually been home for a week now, the washing mountain has finally been tackled and my attention has very much turned back to Conexus and September. 💜

Our groups are starting to take shape and I’m getting everything organised for the new academic year.

We have places available for:

📚 English, Maths & Science
🎓 Year 2 through to GCSE
✏️ 11+ preparation
👩‍🏫 Fully qualified teachers
👥 Small groups of no more than six
📍 Stafford & Stone

If tuition has been on your mind over the summer, now is a great time to get in touch. I’m always happy to have an informal chat about your child and how we might be able to support them.

From 5 rucksacks and 20 days of adventures to September timetables… back to reality! 😂💜

Fiona 🎓

💜 Why do we only use fully qualified teachers?

One of the questions I'm often asked is:

"What makes Conexus different?"

One of the biggest differences is that every tutor at Conexus is a fully qualified teacher.

Many parents are surprised to learn that tuition is not a regulated sector, which means tutors don't have to be qualified teachers or have the same training and safeguarding expectations that schools follow.

At Conexus, we've chosen to set our own standard.

Not because it's required but because we believe every child deserves the very best support.

For us, teaching is about much more than knowing a subject.

It's about knowing how children learn.

It's about spotting misconceptions, adapting explanations in the moment and asking the right questions to help learning click.

It's about understanding the curriculum, assessment and what children need next.

And, just as importantly, it's about creating an environment where children feel safe, supported and confident enough to have a go.

That's why every Conexus tutor is:

🎓 A fully qualified teacher.

📚 An expert in their subject.

🛡️ Enhanced DBS checked, safeguarding trained and committed to maintaining the highest professional standards.

💜 Passionate about building confidence and empowering progress.

It's a standard we've never compromised on and one we're incredibly proud of.

If you're thinking ahead to September and would like to find out more, I'd be very happy to have an informal chat over the summer.

Fiona 🎓

September has a funny habit of arriving much quicker than we expect...

📄 School reports have been read.
🎒 Uniform is being bought.
☀️ Holiday memories are being made.
🏫 Before long, children will be walking back through the school gates.

If you've been thinking...
💜 Confidence.
📚 Gaps in learning.
🎒 Transition.
🎓 GCSEs/ SATs/ Y4 Multiplication Test.

..now is a great time to get organised.

I'm always happy to have an informal chat over the summer.
Fiona 🎓
07826968703

☀️ Should children do any learning over the summer holidays?

One of the questions I'm asked every summer is:

"Should my child keep learning over the holidays?"

My answer is...

Yes... but probably not in the way you think.

The game in the photo is one of my favourite ways to practise times tables. It's quick, fun and doesn't feel anything like sitting down to complete a worksheet.

Children deserve a proper break. Time to relax, play, make memories and simply enjoy being children.

But six weeks is a long time, so a little learning here and there can really help keep confidence ticking over before September.

For younger children, that might be:

📚 Reading together for 10 minutes a day.

🎲 Board games, card games or a quick game with a pack of playing cards.

📖 A trip to the library or choosing a magazine as a holiday treat.

🎮 Free games on websites like Topmarks or Playful Learning Games.
For older students, it could be:

📚 Reading a book they've chosen themselves.

📺 Watching films or series with the subtitles switched on (a great way to build reading fluency without it feeling like work!).

🎧 Podcasts or documentaries about topics that genuinely interest them.

➗ Spending 15–20 minutes every now and then on Maths Genie or Corbettmaths to keep key maths skills fresh.

The aim isn't to recreate school at home.

It's simply to help children return in September feeling confident rather than overwhelmed.

What's your favourite way of making learning fun over the holidays? I'd love to hear your ideas! ☀️

Fiona 🎓

P.S. If you'd like me to share how this times tables card game works, just comment "cards" below and I'll happily explain the rules. ♠️♥️

💜 Every family comes to us for a different reason...

One of the things I've learnt over the last five academic years at Conexus, and over 20 years working in education, is that there is no such thing as a "typical" child.

Every young person is completely different, with their own strengths, challenges and way of learning. Yet there are some common reasons why families begin looking for a little extra support.

Some children have lost confidence.

Some have a few gaps in their learning they'd like to close.

Some are aiming for the highest GCSE grades.

Others simply need things explained in a slightly different way.

Some just need someone to help them believe in themselves again.

Every child is unique and so is every family's reason for looking for extra support.

Whatever brings a family through our doors, our aim is always the same: to meet each child at their point of need, build confidence and empower progress.

If you found yourself reading one or more of the bubbles in the image below and thinking, "That's my child," please know you're not alone.

As the summer holidays begin, many parents take the opportunity to reflect on the year that's just gone, the recently received school report and think ahead to September. If that's you, I'd be very happy to have an informal chat over the summer about how we might be able to support your child.

Every child deserves the opportunity to achieve more than they thought possible and we'd love to be part of that journey. 💜

Fiona 🎓
07826968703