Woodford Tutors

Woodford, in the London Borough of Redbridge, is home to some of east London's most aspirational school communities. Woodford County High School for Girls and Ilford County High School for Boys -- Redbridge's two selective grammar schools, sharing a Common Catchment Area and the same 11+ test -- together attract families from across the E18, E11, Chigwell, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, and Walthamstow areas who are preparing for one of London's most competitive secondary school entrance processes. We work with families at every stage of this journey.

Tutoring in Woodford -- What Local Families Ask Us Most

The most common questions we receive from Woodford families are about the 11+ examination: which schools should we apply to, when should preparation begin, and what does a realistic preparation programme look like for a child with a particular starting point? We also hear from families who are already in the grammar school system -- at Woodford County High, Ilford County High, or a nearby selective school -- and need support with GCSE or A Level subjects where the pace of teaching is challenging even for strong students.

11+ and Grammar School Preparation in Woodford

Woodford County High School for Girls is one of Redbridge's two selective grammar schools. Entry is via a selection test administered by the LA, and Woodford shares a Common Catchment Area and the same test date with Ilford County High School. The test is provided by GL Assessment and is sat as two papers: English and Verbal Reasoning, and Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with a minimum threshold score of 104. Registration typically opens on 1 May and closes in mid-June while children are in Year 5; for entry in September 2027, registration ran from 1 May 2026 to 5pm on 15 June 2026.

Ilford County High School for Boys shares the same Redbridge registration process and test date as Woodford, with the test typically sat in September of Year 6; both schools admit 180 pupils to Year 7 each year. Both schools are highly competitive, and both draw applicants from across the wider east London and Essex area.

For families whose children are particularly strong academically and who are considering schools beyond the local area, KEGS Chelmsford (King Edward VI Grammar School) is a super-selective boys' school reachable from the Woodford area that is consistently ranked among England's top state schools. Read our Woodford County High School guide and our Ilford County High School guide for detailed information about each school's admissions process.

GCSE and A Level Tuition Across Woodford

Many Woodford students who gain places at selective secondary schools continue with tutoring at GCSE level, because the pace of teaching at grammar schools is calibrated to a high-ability cohort and can challenge students who are strong relative to the national average but who are competing in a particularly demanding environment. The most commonly requested GCSE subjects include Mathematics, English Language and Literature, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, as well as Economics and History for students pursuing selective sixth form entry.

At A Level, students from Woodford County High School, Ilford County High, and nearby sixth forms regularly work with our tutors on Further Mathematics, Sciences, Economics, History, and preparation for competitive university applications.

Oxbridge, Medicine, and Competitive University Applications

Woodford County High School and Ilford County High School have strong records of students progressing to highly competitive university programmes, including Medicine, Dentistry, Law, Economics, PPE, and courses at Oxford and Cambridge. Our specialist admissions team provides support across the full university application process: UCAT preparation, medical school interview coaching, Oxbridge interview preparation, admissions test tutoring (LNAT, ESAT, TMUA), and UCAS personal statement writing.

Why Woodford Families Choose Leading Tuition

We combine specialist subject expertise -- all our tutors hold degrees from leading universities, many from Oxford and Cambridge -- with a personalised approach that is built around each child's specific starting point, target school, and learning style. We do not use generic programmes. Every tutoring relationship begins with an assessment and a conversation about what the child needs, and the programme is built from there.

Leading Tuition is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 59 reviews, read on 3 October 2026, and 91% of our students achieve their desired grades.

The Redbridge 11+ Test and Council Dates

Woodford County High School and Ilford County High School are Redbridge's two selective grammar schools, and the London Borough of Redbridge is the Admissions Authority for both.

Woodford has 180 places for Year 7, and Ilford County High School admits 180 boys into Year 7 each year.

The 11 plus test is provided by GL Assessment, the UK's leading provider of these entrance exams. It is sat as two papers: English and Verbal Reasoning, and Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning. There is a minimum threshold score of 104 for all applicants.

For September 2027 entry, registration opened on 1 May 2026, with a deadline of 5pm on Monday 15 June 2026, and the test took place on Friday 18 September 2026.

Results are due by email in the middle of October.

Preferences for both schools must be submitted on the Common Application Form by 31 October 2026.

National Offer Day for this round falls on Monday 1 March 2027.

Offers must be accepted by Friday 12 March 2027.

Where a child's score clears the minimum threshold, Redbridge allocates places within the Common Catchment Area in the following order:

• Looked after children and previously looked after children
• Up to 45 places, 25% of the total, for children in the Common Catchment Area who are entitled to the pupil premium, ranked by score
• Other children living in the Common Catchment Area, ranked by score
• Children living outside the Common Catchment Area, ranked by score -- though Redbridge's own guidance states that only children in the Common Catchment Area have been admitted to the grammar schools in the last 10 years

Ofsted rated Woodford County High School 'Good' overall after its inspection on 22 November 2022, with quality of education and sixth form provision both graded 'Outstanding'.

Bancroft's School: The Independent Route in Woodford

Families in Woodford considering an independent alternative often look at Bancroft's School, which has been on its site in Woodford since 1889.

Entry at 11+ starts with online registration and a non-refundable £150 registration fee, and the school contacts a child's current school for a confidential reference.

Entrance assessments are held on-site at Bancroft's in early January; the Assessment Day for September 2027 entry is Tuesday 5 January 2027, when children sit an online reasoning test, a short English paper and a short maths test.

Interviews for selected candidates take place on Saturday 23 January 2027, and the school is looking to fill around 65 places from external candidates at 11+.

Offers are sent by email in February, with an Offer Holder Morning on Thursday 25 February 2027 and a deadline to accept in early March; a £2500 deposit is due on acceptance of a place.

Senior School fees for the 2026-2027 academic year are £10,400 a term including VAT, with bursary support available at 11+ and 16+.

In 2026, half of all GCSEs were awarded Grade 9, and 75% of A Level grades were A*-A. The Class of 2026 secured 117 confirmed university places across 35 institutions, including twelve students going on to study Medicine.

Reviewed September 2026: dates, figures and rules checked against Redbridge Council's determined admissions arrangements and 11 plus pages, Woodford County High and Ilford County High School's own admissions pages, Ofsted, and Bancroft's School's admissions and results pages.

Frequently Asked Questions