- Buckinghamshire · Year 3, 4 & 5
Online 11 Plus Tuition in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Children in Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 from Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding Staffordshire areas can prepare for Grammar School entry through Adnan Khan Tutoring’s live online 11 Plus lessons. Our teaching covers the St Joseph’s College two-paper assessment in Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with additional Numerical Reasoning support for applications to wider West Midlands Grammar Schools.
Looking for Online 11 Plus Tuition in Stoke-on-Trent?
Learn From Home
Structured 11 Plus preparation without travel, delivered fully online
Flexible Scheduling
Sessions scheduled around school, and family routines
Structured Online Preparation
A clear, tailored learning plan for Buckinghamshire 11 Plus success
Stoke-on-Trent is a largely non-selective city; the vast majority of children attend comprehensive secondary schools. The single exception is St Joseph’s College, a co-educational Catholic Grammar School and state-funded academy that charges no tuition fees and is one of the highest-performing secondary schools in the region. Adnan Khan Tutoring offers live 11 Plus lessons for children in Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 across Stoke-on-Trent, including Hanley, Burslem, Tunstall, Longton, Fenton, Penkhull, Trentham, Bentilee, Meir, Blurton, Bucknall and Cobridge, across ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4 and ST6. For families who wish to apply to Grammar Schools beyond the city, the West Midlands Grammar Schools partnership provides access to schools including Queen Mary’s Grammar School and Queen Mary’s High School in Walsall, using a separate test.
Our live online lessons make structured 11 Plus preparation accessible for families across Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding ST areas. Children can learn from home with sessions designed to work alongside school, hobbies and everyday family life.
Why Families in Stoke-on-Trent Choose 11 Plus Tuition
Many local families in Stoke-on-Trent consider 11 Plus support when they discover that St Joseph’s College, the city’s only state Grammar School, offers a genuinely outstanding free education and that entry is competitive. It is usually one or more of these situations:
Why 11 Plus Preparation Matters for Stoke-on-Trent Families
Stoke-on-Trent is a non-selective city, and St Joseph’s College stands as the only state Grammar School in the urban area, making it one of the most sought-after secondary schools in the region.
As a co-educational selective Catholic school, St Joseph’s College Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority, with 150 selective places available each year alongside Queen Mary’s Grammar School for boys, which admits 180 Year 7 students annually.
For entry to St Joseph’s College, children sit two GL Assessment papers in Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The test does not contain a Maths or English comprehension section. A qualifying score of 105 is required, although successful performance alone does not guarantee a Year 7 place.
When demand exceeds the 150 Year 7 places, St Joseph’s College allocates places using its oversubscription criteria. Priority categories include baptised Catholic children, looked-after children, siblings and remaining qualifying applicants. Children from all faith backgrounds may apply.
With only one state Grammar School in the entire city, many Stoke-on-Trent families begin structured 11 Plus preparation early and seek expert support to help their child build the strongest possible foundation.
Students We Support for the 11 Plus in Stoke-on-Trent
Children across Stoke-on-Trent can access structured 11 Plus preparation with support available in areas including Hanley, Burslem, Tunstall, Longton, Fenton, Penkhull, Trentham, Bentilee, Meir, Blurton, Bucknall, Cobridge, Smallthorne, Sneyd Green and Abbey Hulton across ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4 and ST6. We work with pupils from local schools such as St Teresa’s Catholic Academy, Christ the King Catholic Primary School and St Peter’s CofE Academy.
Children from Leek and Stone can benefit from our specialist online 11 Plus tuition, with preparation programmes matched to their chosen schools and entrance requirements.
Children in Years 3, 4 and 5 often begin preparation to secure entry to St Joseph’s College. Where families are also applying to Walsall or Shropshire Grammar Schools, including Queen Mary’s Grammar School and Queen Mary’s High School, we provide additional preparation for the West Midlands Grammar Schools test, including Numerical Reasoning.
Registration for the St Joseph’s College entrance test for September 2027 entry opens on 29 June 2026, and the deadline is 2 September 2026. Parents should register directly through the St Joseph’s College admissions page. The entrance test takes place on 15–17 September 2026. Results will be released in October 2026. The Common Application Form must be submitted to Stoke-on-Trent City Council by 31 October 2026.
Alongside 11 Plus preparation, we provide 12 Plus and 13 Plus tuition for Stoke-on-Trent students seeking Grammar School entry at a later stage.
A Stoke-on-Trent Student’s Journey Towards St Joseph’s College 11 Plus Success
A student living in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent started our 11 Plus programme in Year 4 with strong natural reasoning ability but limited familiarity with the St Joseph’s College test format. During 18 months of structured preparation, including live online lessons, guided practice and realistic mock exams, the student built confidence in both Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning and achieved consistent performance above the required score of 105.
11 Plus Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning forms one half of the St Joseph’s College GL Assessment entrance test. The paper includes tasks such as word analogies, sequences, code substitution, hidden words and logical deduction. These question types are rarely encountered in primary school, which is why our programme focuses on teaching each skill systematically while building the speed required for exam success.
11 Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning forms the second GL Assessment paper used for St Joseph’s College entry. It focuses on visual logic rather than subject knowledge, including sequences, matrices, reflections and spatial transformations. Our programme develops these skills progressively, helping children improve observation, accuracy and exam confidence.
How Our 11 Plus Tuition Plan Works for Stoke-on-Trent Families
Designed for families across Stoke-on-Trent, our 11 Plus programme follows each child’s ability level, goals and the two-paper St Joseph’s College entrance test structure in Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. It includes:
Every session is designed around the GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning formats used by St Joseph’s College, keeping preparation targeted and purposeful.
Why Families Choose Adnan Khan Tutoring
With experience dating back to 2000, Adnan Khan Tutoring provides expert educational support under the leadership of Adnan Khan, a qualified teacher, senior university lecturer and teacher trainer. More about our teaching approach can be found on the Why Choose Adnan Khan Tutoring page.
The Stoke-on-Trent 11 Plus programme covers both GL Assessment papers used by St Joseph’s College: Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with focused preparation for the school’s multiple-choice format. Families applying through the West Midlands Grammar Schools partnership can also receive Numerical Reasoning support.
Alongside his teaching experience, Adnan Khan’s academic involvement with Buckinghamshire New University reflects his ongoing contribution to education and teaching excellence.
Families can explore Trustpilot reviews for Adnan Khan Tutoring, where parents share their experiences, feedback and observations on student progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can families find online 11 Plus tuition in Stoke-on-Trent?
Children in Years 3, 4 and 5 across Stoke-on-Trent can prepare for St Joseph’s College through Adnan Khan Tutoring’s live online 11 Plus lessons. The programme is aligned with the school’s GL Assessment entrance test, covering Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Is St Joseph's College a fee-paying school?
No. St Joseph’s College is a state-funded academy; it charges no tuition fees. It is a co-educational Catholic Grammar School that is free to attend for all qualifying pupils, regardless of faith. It is rated Outstanding by Ofsted and is the only state selective Grammar School in the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
What does the St Joseph's College 11 Plus include?
The St Joseph’s College entrance test consists of two papers set by GL Assessment: one in Verbal Reasoning and one in Non-Verbal Reasoning. There is no Mathematics or English comprehension paper in the St Joseph’s test. The qualifying score is 105. Children who do not achieve 105 are not considered for a place. All scores are age-standardised.
Does St Joseph's College prioritise Catholic children?
Yes. St Joseph’s College is a Catholic Grammar School, and its oversubscription criteria give priority to baptised Catholic children in specific categories before considering other qualifying applicants. The priority order is baptised Catholic looked-after or previously looked-after children; baptised Catholic children with a sibling at the school; all other baptised Catholic children; other looked-after children; other children with a sibling at the school; and all other qualifying children.
When should a child in Stoke-on-Trent start 11 Plus preparation?
We recommend starting in Year 3 or Year 4. Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning are both entirely unfamiliar to most children from Stoke-on-Trent primary schools.
What are the key dates for the St Joseph's College 11 Plus for 2027 entry?
Registration for the St Joseph’s College entrance test for September 2027 entry opens on 29 June 2026. The registration deadline is 2 September 2026. The entrance test takes place on 15, 16 and 17 September 2026. Results will be released in October 2026. The Common Application Form must be submitted to Stoke-on-Trent City Council by 31 October 2026. National Offer Day is 1 March 2027. Always check the St Joseph’s College admissions page for the latest confirmed dates.
Is online 11 Plus tuition as effective as in-person lessons for Stoke-on-Trent families?
Yes. Live online lessons with screen sharing, real-time teaching and immediate feedback deliver the same quality of structured preparation as face-to-face tuition. Combined with regular homework and full-timed mock exams covering both St Joseph’s test papers, our programme gives children across Stoke-on-Trent thorough, focused preparation for the entrance test, with no need to travel.
For more detailed answers, visit our full Adnan Khan Tutoring FAQ page.
Start Your Child’s 11 Plus Journey in Stoke-on-Trent
Give your child the expert support they need to compete for one of the 150 selective places at St Joseph’s College, the only state Grammar School in Stoke-on-Trent. Our live online programme builds the Verbal Reasoning fluency and Non-Verbal Reasoning confidence the St Joseph’s College entrance test demands from home, with no need to travel.
