Altrincham's maths learning centre Mathnasium is launching a dedicated six-month programme for Year 5 students preparing for the 11-plus, as well as extending its opening hours to six days a week from April.
The centre on Stamford New Road - which describes itself as "like a gym for maths" - opened in February 2024 and now works with over 100 local students ranging from Reception through to Year 13.
The new six-month programme is designed to take students from April through to September, timing their preparation to peak just before the exam. Central to it are weekly Saturday morning "Power Hours" - sessions exclusively for Year 5s that focus on exam technique, timing and strategy rather than curriculum content alone.
"The children aren't just practising for tests - they're building understanding," said Centre Director Josh Hammond. "The Saturday morning sessions are 11-plus Power Hour focused - mock tests, exam technique - but then throughout the week the students come in for their regular sessions and we're focused on their tailored curriculum, filling in the gaps in their knowledge."
Assistant Centre Director Lillie Harris said the format of the Trafford 11-plus made specialist preparation particularly important.
"The Trafford test tends to be quite different to any exam the kids have done before - it's the multiple-choice GL paper," she said. "Even if they've been revising for SATs and done times tables tests, they've never done a paper in this format. And because it's marked by a computer, not a person, you get no leniency whatsoever."
The Power Hours are designed to address that directly - with a particular focus on exam strategy and time management. Harris described one exercise where students race through 15 questions from a 50-question paper.
"It's meant to show the kids that working fastest isn't always best - you'll make silly mistakes. Sometimes you just need to break your time down and use it in the way that's best for you."
Hammond added that confidence was often the biggest factor: "Half the battle is confidence. Students get this lightbulb moment where they're like, 'Oh, I can suddenly do maths.' Combining that with the booster sessions, the confidence and the preparation intertwined gives them a massive boost."
For those less familiar with Mathnasium, the model differs significantly from traditional tutoring. Rather than group lessons at fixed times, each child has an individualised learning plan and can drop in across the centre's opening hours - soon to be six days a week, with Sunday sessions added from April.
There is no group teaching. Even with multiple children in the room, every student is working through their own curriculum with one-to-one instructor support.
A free assessment, including a baseline test, is available for prospective 11-plus students with no obligation. Email altrincham@mathnasium.co.uk to find out more.
