Private tuition and the 11-plus: an autobiographical extended literature with UK and global perspectives

The private tuition industry stands out as one of the major growth industries of the 21st Century. According to Hajar, private tuition has expanded to the extent it is now a “global phenomenon” (2018, P.514). Private tuition operates alongside regular schooling and can either reflect the curriculum exactly or be based upon it. This paper focuses on several distinct but interconnected areas of literature that span across 7 Countries (representing East to West) in order to provide fresh global perspectives to this area. First, it considers a number of different national viewpoints towards private tuition or ‘shadow education’ as it is also commonly known, and in particular, notices a disparity in approach between the UK compared to many other countries, particularly Japan and India, with private tuition in the former being largely focused on the preparation for high-stake tests such as the 11-plus; whereas in the latter, private tuition is often seen more as a remedial service (though this is changing) for students that have fallen behind their peers academically, and in more general terms, is far more integrated into broader society. The second primary focus of this paper specifically relates to the 11-plus examinations in the UK and the variations across different counties and the varying contexts behind the 11-plus examinations. The third focus of this paper is on the role and impact of private tuition on 11-plus outcomes. In the final part of this paper, the paper reasons that private tuition in the UK is indeed the ‘secret weapon’ of wealthier families, and is utilised as an important, if not central, part of the entrance examination arsenal. This thesis posits on what this could mean for future approaches to private tuition and the private tuition industry in the UK and makes several recommendations.