Aylesbury Vale youngsters pass 11-plus exam after housing association funds free tuition

Eight youngsters from housing association homes in Aylesbury Vale have passed their 11-plus exams, after receiving free tuition thanks to Fairhive Homes and Flying Start Tuition.

Fairhive Homes is the new name for the rebranded Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust, the major provider of affordable housing in the Vale, with nearly 9,000 homes across Bucks, Oxon and South Northants.

Fairhive offers free tuition to all its children living in its properties in the months leading up to the 11-plus exam. The lessons are delivered by award-winning local tuition company, Flying Start Tuition.

Pupils give up their spare time on Saturday mornings to attend lessons to raise their overall attainment in Maths and English, as well as learning the skills of verbal and non-verbal reasoning which are part of the 11-plus test.

The Tuition Plus scheme was created in response to research that found children from lower-income families were considerably disadvantaged when taking the 11-plus.

The scheme has grown year on year, with 44 pupils taking advantage of the extra tuition in 2022.

John Wallbank, head of people engagement at Fairhive Homes, said: “Nothing makes us happier than to see our residents and their families achieve the success they so deserve.

"All of us here congratulate those youngsters who have put in such hard work over the course of the year to pass the 11-plus and hope for them this is just the start.”

One Fairhive parent said: “I wish to express my immense gratitude for your support of my family. We have been fortunate to receive 11-plus tuition for my son and I am pleased to report he has passed and is looking forward to starting grammar school next year.

“This wouldn't have been possible without the help of Flying Start Tuition and yourselves, and we are very appreciative of this initiative.”

Sian Goodspeed, managing director of Flying Start Tuition, said: “This wonderful set of results reflects the hard work and commitment of the students, however, this project is about so much more than passing the 11-plus. We are proud of all our students and the progress they have made, irrespective of their exam results.”