Teaching Success is based in Smethwick — minutes from Oldbury — and prepares Sandwell children for Birmingham grammar schools. Qualified teachers cover all four GL Assessment sections: maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
Oldbury children have access to a strong range of Birmingham grammar schools. These are the ones Teaching Success families from this area most commonly target.
Mixed grammar in Bartley Green. The most accessible KE school for Oldbury families and the most common target in our sessions.
~4 miles from OldburyBoys' grammar in Handsworth. Popular with Oldbury families — strong school, achievable with consistent preparation from Year 5.
~4 miles from OldburyGirls' grammar in Handsworth Wood. Academically rigorous — a common first choice for Oldbury girls targeting a KE school.
~5 miles from OldburyBoys' grammar with a strong STEM focus. Competitive but within reach for boys who start preparation early and work consistently.
~6 miles from OldburySelective girls' school in Harborne. Uses the same GL Assessment format — preparation runs in parallel with KE applications.
~6 miles from OldburyThe most selective school in the region. For boys performing at the very top nationally. We prepare KE Boys applicants alongside more accessible schools.
~8 miles from OldburyThe West Midlands test uses GL Assessment papers with separately timed sections covering four subject areas. Teaching can address English, mathematics and reasoning within one coordinated plan.
Arithmetic, fractions, ratio, shape and data. Kevin (qualified secondary maths teacher) covers this with speed and accuracy as the focus.
Unseen passage with inference, vocabulary and cloze questions. Serena covers this with targeted vocabulary work and question-type strategies.
Word codes, analogies, letter sequences and logic. Serena covers this alongside English — the skills overlap closely.
Pattern sequences, shape relationships and spatial questions — no language dependency. Kevin covers this alongside maths.
Full four-section timed sitting at our Smethwick centre. Auto-marked, section breakdown, written feedback. Weekend slots available.
One hour, in person or online. We assess your child and give an honest recommendation. No obligation.
Online works well — but for 11+ preparation specifically, in-person sessions have advantages that are difficult to replicate on screen.
Misreading questions, skipping options, freezing under pressure — these habits are invisible on a video call. In person, a teacher spots and corrects them in the session.
Sitting a timed paper at a desk with a teacher is much closer to exam day than practising at the kitchen table. It removes the unfamiliar environment as a variable.
After each section, Kevin or Serena reviews wrong answers face-to-face. The child explains their thinking — the teacher corrects it at the root, not via a mark scheme.
Practical guide · Updated
A word is easier to understand when a child can distinguish it from a nearby meaning. A list of synonyms can conceal differences in strength or context.
Compare “reluctant”, “unable” and “forbidden” in three original sentences about joining a game. The first concerns willingness, the second capability and the third permission. Ask the pupil to explain how changing the word changes the story.
Choose a small number of words from reading and use each in a new sentence. Correct the meaning before increasing the list. Oldbury families can discuss 11+ support with the Smethwick-based team, while checking the correct admission cohort and current arrangements directly with the relevant authority.
Compare “reluctant” with “unable”. A character who is reluctant may be able to act but unwilling; a character who is unable cannot do it. Invent one sentence for each meaning and ask what evidence establishes the difference.
Next compare “confident” with “certain”: the words can overlap but are not interchangeable in every sentence. Keep a short record of the context, not just a one-word synonym. In comprehension, the child should return to the passage to decide which shade of meaning fits.
Most commonly: King Edward's Five Ways, Handsworth Grammar (Boys), King Edward's Handsworth (Girls) and King Edward's Aston. Some families also apply to King Edward's Boys or Girls in Edgbaston and Lordswood Girls' School in Harborne.
Our Smethwick centre is approximately 2–3 miles from Oldbury town centre — typically a 10-minute drive. Online sessions are also available for families who prefer not to travel.
GL Assessment publishes the standardised papers used by all Birmingham and Sandwell grammar schools — maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Teaching Success uses past GL Assessment papers in every session so children practise the real format from day one.
In-person sessions let a teacher observe exactly how a child works — spotting habits like skipping questions, misreading instructions or stalling under pressure. These patterns are hard to spot online and impossible for parents to catch in home practice. They can be corrected quickly when caught early.
Book a free first lesson at our Smethwick centre — or online — before committing. Sessions from £15/hr. Call 07909 274901.