Years 7–8

13 Plus Preparation

Focused support for 13 Plus entrance examinations and school admissions.

13 Plus Preparation lessons at Excel Academy

What students learn

  • Mathematics
  • English reading and writing
  • Verbal Reasoning
  • Non-Verbal Reasoning
  • Interview preparation
  • Exam technique

Learning outcomes

  • Strengthen core academic skills
  • Practise timed entrance papers
  • Improve reasoning strategies
  • Prepare for the wider admissions process

Live site syllabus

Syllabus we cover

The 13 Plus programme follows the Common Entrance style areas shown on the live site, with academic and reasoning preparation.

13 Plus Exam Preparation

Maths

From the ISEB Common Entrance Maths syllabus.

  • Non-calculator, calculator and mental arithmetic paper practice
  • Foundation, Core and Additional level preparation
  • Number: place value, ordering, rounding, negative numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, factors, multiples and prime factorisation
  • Algebra: expressions, equations, inequalities, sequences, expansion, factorisation and substitution
  • Ratio, proportion, scaling, maps and diagrams
  • Geometry and measures: angles, shapes, perimeter, area, volume, transformations, coordinates, units, time, speed and distance
  • Statistics and probability: averages, range and probability basics

English reading and writing

Based on ISEB Common Entrance English expectations.

  • Reading and writing paper preparation
  • Foundation and Core level practice
  • Prose, poetry, drama and unseen passage comprehension
  • Literal understanding, inference, summarising and interpretation
  • Language analysis including grammar, syntax, punctuation and literary devices
  • Vocabulary in context and shades of meaning
  • Narrative, descriptive, persuasive, argumentative, letter, report and essay writing
  • Grammar, punctuation, spelling, register and tone

Verbal Reasoning

  • Synonyms and antonyms
  • Analogies
  • Word codes and letter series
  • Following instructions and word puzzles
  • Cloze tests

Non-Verbal Reasoning

  • Pattern recognition and shape series
  • Matrices of shapes
  • Matching and odd one out
  • Rotations, reflections and transformations
  • Mirror images

Schedule and fees

DayTimeFormat
Monday to Friday5:30–7:30 pmSmall group at our Harrow centre
Saturday10 am–12 pmSmall group at our Harrow centre
Flexible1 hourOne-to-one, at the centre or online

Small group

£40 for 2 hours (Maths, Science & English)

One-to-one / online

£35 for 1 hour

Centre hours are Monday to Friday 3:30–7:30 pm, Saturday 10 am–6 pm and Sunday 12–4 pm. A £25 registration fee applies, with 10% off blocks of 10 lessons and 15% off whole-year bookings. See the full fees and schedule.

How to enrol

  1. 1

    Book a free assessment

    Tell us about your child's year group and current progress. We arrange a short 13 Plus assessment in Maths, English or the relevant subject.

  2. 2

    Review the results together

    We discuss strengths, gaps and targets with you, then recommend small-group or one-to-one tuition and the most suitable weekly slot.

  3. 3

    Register your place

    Complete registration with learner and contact details. A one-off £25 registration fee applies and places depend on assessment and availability.

  4. 4

    Start lessons and track progress

    Lessons begin at the agreed time each week. You receive regular feedback and progress updates, and can speak with tutors directly.

How tuition works

Students can learn in supportive small groups or through individual tuition. Lessons follow clear objectives, guided practice and regular feedback. Academic courses cover the relevant National Curriculum and OCR, Edexcel, AQA or Cambridge requirements where applicable.