The Parent Book
The 11+ year, held carefully.
The 11+ year does things to children, and to families, that the assessment itself never sees. Sleep, perfectionism, comparison, the long Sunday-evening ache. We run year-round wellbeing groups inside partner schools, and we hold individual children one-to-one where that fits better. The work is not about preparation. It is about the child who has to live inside the year while it happens.
Emotionally intelligent. Developmentally informed. Professionally contained
Our 11+ Wellbeing Support Groups provide structured, small-group sessions designed by experienced child therapists to help pupils navigate this period with steadiness.
In selective school environments, pressure can become normalised. Children may not always voice their worries directly. Comparison, perfectionism and uncertainty can sit quietly beneath outward capability. Group work allows these experiences to be named, understood and regulated in a contained setting.
Structured, therapeutic group work led by a qualified child therapist
Sessions combine creative activities, discussion, shared experience, and practical calming and regulation strategies. The tone is light where appropriate, serious where needed, and always professionally contained. Children are never required to share personal information.
Tutoring, coaching, or individual therapy
The groups sit alongside academic preparation without intensifying it. They focus on understanding pressure, managing worry, reducing perfectionism and maintaining perspective. Where a child requires individual therapeutic support, this can be discussed separately.
Small groups. Structured themes. Consistent facilitation
Creative and reflective activities
Sessions use structured activities to give children a way into their experience that does not require direct disclosure. Participation is encouraged, never imposed.
Discussion and shared experience
Children consistently describe the relief of realising they are not the only one feeling pressure. The group experience normalises difficulty and reduces isolation.
Calming and regulation strategies
Breathing techniques, grounding tools and sensory strategies that children can use independently, in school and at home, during periods of heightened pressure.
Playful elements that reduce tension
The sessions are never heavy. Levity is part of the clinical approach, creating a space children look forward to attending and feel settled within.
The 11+ journey unfolds in stages. Our groups reflect this
Groups may begin in the final term of Year 5 and continue through Year 6. Programmes are adjusted to the needs of individual schools and cohorts.
Many pupils join at more than one stage of the year, building on the foundation of earlier sessions as the demands of the assessment period intensify.
Foundations
Introducing the idea of senior school preparation in a developmentally appropriate way. Building emotional vocabulary, perspective and early confidence.
Settling into the 11+ year
Supporting pupils as expectations increase. Exploring pressure, comparison and emerging anxiety before the assessment period intensifies.
Containment during peak pressure
Providing steady support during heightened academic focus. Teaching practical tools for regulation and clear thinking under pressure.
Managing uncertainty and results
Helping pupils manage rumination and the particular difficulty of waiting. Encouraging perspective and emotional balance.
Transition to senior school
Preparing for the move to senior school. Exploring endings, identity shifts and friendship change with maturity and care.
Reflections from the 11+ support programme
Year 6 pupils completed an anonymous survey at the end of the programme. Selected reflections are shared below.
rating from pupils
the programme
another group
Sam’s sessions go way beyond just support. They are bespoke and have been vital for the wellbeing and support of our Year 6 pupils this year.
11+ Lead · Kensington Prep SchoolThis is a very helpful programme. Recognising the stressors for 10 and 11 year olds through the 10-week period of assessment is really important.
Principal · Connaught House SchoolIn their own words · Year 6 pupils from an Independent Prep School
Embedded wellbeing support for your Year 5 and 6 pupils
School-based delivery means every pupil in the cohort has access to structured emotional support across the 11+ year. Sessions take place in school, during the school day, in small groups of six pupils aligned with the academic calendar. Currently in partnership with Kensington Prep School and available to additional schools considering an embedded 11+ programme.
Fees are discussed during the initial conversation with the school, so we can shape a programme that fits your cohort, calendar and pastoral structure.
- Flexible commissioning — programmes designed around your school’s calendar, cohort size and pastoral structure
- Pastoral team liaison — appropriate communication with safeguarding and pastoral leads, with clear professional boundaries maintained
- Optional parent workshops — supporting families to reinforce practical tools and steady the home environment during the assessment period
- Independent school experience — our therapists understand the culture, expectations and pressures specific to selective prep and senior schools
Bring 11+ Wellbeing Support to your school
We begin with a brief conversation to understand your school’s context and cohort before proposing a programme structure. There is no obligation.
All enquiries from schools are handled personally by Sam McManus.
Enquire for Your SchoolPrivate group provision · KST Centre, Kensington Square
For families whose school does not currently have an 11+ Wellbeing Support partnership in place, private group provision is available at our centre at 23 Kensington Square. The same structured framework, the same group size of six pupils, delivered in a setting separate from school.
Parent guidance is included to support conversations at home and reinforce the practical tools children develop in the group.
Where a child's school is interested in becoming a partner, we are happy to make introductions at the school's pace.
We begin with a brief conversation to ensure the group is the right fit for your child at this point. If individual support is more appropriate, we will say so.
All enquiries are handled personally and with care. We aim to respond within one working day.
Enquire for Your ChildFrequently asked
Is my child expected to share personal feelings?
No. Children are invited to participate at their own pace. There is no pressure to disclose. Many children find it easier to engage through the activities rather than direct conversation, and this is actively accommodated.
Are the groups suitable for children with additional needs?
Yes. The sessions are structured and adaptable. Where individual support is more appropriate alongside or instead of group work, this can be discussed during the initial conversation.
Can my child attend at more than one stage of the year?
Yes. Many pupils join at more than one stage. Each programme builds on the foundation of the previous one, and continuity of facilitation supports this progression.
What if my child needs more than group support?
If a child would benefit from individual therapeutic support, we will discuss this with the family and can facilitate a referral for 1:1 sessions, either at the KST Centre or within school.
Bring 11+ Wellbeing Support to your school or child
We begin with a brief conversation. There is no obligation and no pressure. Fees are discussed at this stage, so we can shape the right model for your school or your child. If your school is a partner of The Parent Book, additional 11+ editorial sits inside the hub each half-term, learn more.
Get in Touch