Small-group Maths Tuition
Gearing up for Year 6 & beyond
Groups are in-person and are limited to four pupils to allow for focused teaching and plenty of individual attention. Each session is carefully structured so children learn alongside others working at a similar level.
ACE Tuition Harpenden offers weekly one-hour small-group maths tuition for Year 5 pupils (Thursdays at 7:30am) and Year 6 pupils (Tuesdays at 7:30am).
Your child will find themselves in a supportive environment where they feel confident, capable and well-prepared for the challenges ahead — whether that is Year 6, SATs or the transition to secondary school.
Sessions take place before school, when children are fresh and focused, in the quiet comfort of my home classroom on Aldwickbury Crescent — less than a five-minute walk from both High Beeches Primary and Crabtree Juniors.
All sessions are carefully planned and structured:
Year 5: Secure & Strengthen
For Year 5 pupils working broadly at* age-related expectations who would benefit from consolidation, pre-teaching of concepts, and a confidence boost before moving up to Year 6.
Sessions are fun, friendly and confidence-building, with two core aims:
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Securing core numerical skills, including all written methods
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Developing fluency with fractions, decimals and percentages, alongside problem solving
*Working at age-related expectations can also be called 'working at the
expected standard' or 'working securely'
Year 6: Stretch & Challenge
For Year 6 pupils working broadly at* age-related expectations who would benefit from consolidating core skills and applying them with increasing confidence and independence.
Sessions are purposeful and supportive, with two core aims:
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Extending mental and written number skills to tackle more complex calculations with speed and accuracy
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Solving more challenging multi-step word problems (involving fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, algebra and measure) with confidence and precision
*Working at age-related expectations can also be called 'working at the
expected standard' or 'working securely'
"But SATs don't matter!
They're for the benefit of the school, not the child."
SATs often generate strong opinions. They’re frequently described as high stakes. Do they matter? Yes — but perhaps not for the reasons people think. At their heart, SATs are a measure of what children have learned and they can provide a valuable opportunity to consolidate foundational knowledge and skills before secondary school.
Whether formal testing for 10- and 11-year-olds is the best way to do this is open to debate, but when presented in the right way, SATs can encourage children to work hard and achieve in line with their potential.
Ultimately, SATs offer an opportunity to develop strong study habits and help pupils approach secondary education with confidence and a secure academic foundation.
LOCATION
Sessions take place in the quiet comfort of my cosy home classroom on Aldwickbury Crescent, less than a five-minute walk from both High Beeches Primary and Crabtree Junior School.
If you are happy for your child to walk to school independently, they will be able to make their way to either location with time to spare before morning registration.
It is also just a five-minute drive to Manland, St Dominic's, Harpenden Academy, and The Grove Juniors.
DAY & TIME
Year 6 pupils:
Tuesdays from 7:30am to 8:30am.
Year 5 pupils:
Thursdays from 7:30am to 8:30am.
The session formally begins at 7:40am following a ten-minute soft start of low-stakes, high-impact independent tasks with teacher support available where needed.
Morning sessions allow pupils to learn when they are fresh and focused, without adding pressure to already busy after-school routines.
COST
Small-group tuition costs £25 per session and — in order to reserve your child's place — must be booked and paid for in advance as a half-termly block. Groups will go ahead with a minimum of two pupils per group and a maximum of four.
The half-termly cost includes
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initial parent phone consultation
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diagnostic pupil assessment (materials and analysis)
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half-termly block of small-group tutoring sessions
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homework materials
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pupil subscriptions to any relevant apps to support learning
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ad hoc feedback and advice regarding
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topics covered
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strengths and successes
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areas requiring further support
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priority booking for the next half-term block of small-group sessions
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priority booking for a half-termly targeted 1-1 in-person session*
*Additional cost applies; available at weekends and during school holidays only, subject to availability.
Not all children love learning; however, with the support of an enthusiastic teacher who consistently champions them, they can begin to appreciate the rewards of hard work, perseverance and, in time, achieving their goals.
Please note that I hold an enhanced DBS certificate and I am registered with the DBS update service.
My certificate number is available upon request.