· Year 5 · 27 July – 7 August 2026 · Afternoons
Summer Intensive Year 5
Three Year 5 Intensive courses. The strongest possible start to Year 6: building depth, speed and confidence in Maths & NVR, Comprehension & VR, and Creative Writing. The Intensive is not revision. It is the point where technique becomes automatic. SHAMPOO stops being a checklist and starts being instinct. STAR stops being a method and starts being the only way your child solves problems.
- Three Year 5 Intensive courses across two weeks
- Maths & NVR + Comp & VR — Mon 27–Fri 31 July, afternoons
- Creative Writing — Mon 3–Fri 7 August, evenings (5:00–6:30pm)
- £240 per course · standard price £295 · 3-course Intensive bundle £660 (save £60)
Was £295 per subject
£240
per subject
Save £55
Book individual sessions per week · or both weeks · both weeks recommended
What the Intensive builds
Week 1 ends with a full English + VR paper and individual gap analysis. Week 2 ends with a full Maths + NVR paper and gap analysis. The combined report identifies exactly which sessions of Summer Mastery to prioritise — making Mastery (Aug 24–28) a targeted continuation, not a repeat.
£240
£295
per course
£29 per teaching hour (3-course bundle) · less than half the cost of a 1:1 specialist tutor
| Dates | 27 July – 7 August 2026 (two weeks) |
|---|---|
| Format | Live Online · Zoom |
| Group Size | Max 8 Per Group |
| Day 5 each course | Full paper + individual gap analysis |
| Bridge | Gap report informs Summer Mastery focus |
Bundle all 3 Intensive courses · £660
Save £60 vs individual booking.
Why parents choose Accelerator over private 1 : 1 tutoring
22.5 hours of expert 11+ teaching across two weeks for £660 — that’s £29 per teaching hour. The same hours of 1:1 specialist tutoring would cost £1,687.50. The Intensive offers something a 1:1 setting cannot: a peer group of 8 children sitting timed papers together, ending with individual gap analysis that bridges directly into Mastery.
What the Intensive builds
Two weeks. All four subjects. The strongest possible start to Year 6 for children completing Year 5.
The Intensive is not revision. It is the point where technique becomes automatic. SHAMPOO stops being a checklist and starts being instinct. STAR stops being a method and starts being the only way your child solves problems. That shift — from knowing to doing — is what the Intensive produces.
SHAMPOO
PEE chains (5-part)
In the Action Rule
STAR
Column Method
Anchor Face (nets)
VR Types 1–21
Seven named techniques across two weeks. All applied at exam pace from Day 1.
THE THREE MASTERY COURSES
Three 5-day courses. Together they build the engine. Mastery puts it on the track.
Each course is a complete standalone. The 3-course bundle saves £60 and gives the strongest possible Y5 summer start. Each course ends with a full paper and individual gap analysis — the combined gap report identifies exactly which Mastery sessions to prioritise in August.
1
Intensive · Maths & Non-Verbal Reasoning
Mon 27 – Fri 31 July · Afternoons · 1:00–2:30pm · 7.5 hrs live teaching
Five days of Maths and NVR at exam pace. STAR applied to multi-step problems from Day 1. Column Method on 3×3 NVR matrices. Anchor Face for nets. Day 5 brings a full Maths paper and a full NVR paper with individual gap analysis — the report identifies exactly which Mastery sessions to prioritise in August.
| Day 1 · Mon |
Arithmetic baseline · STAR method · NVR sequences 50-question arithmetic drill to establish speed baseline. STAR method applied: Show working, Try a method, Assess result, Revise if wrong. Error analysis by question type — method error vs careless error: different fixes for each. NVR sequences with multiple variables. Isolate Each Variable: write down what changes before answering. Speed target: 15 questions in 10 minutes. |
| Day 2 · Tue |
Algebra · STAR on equations · NVR matrices 3×3
STAR applied to algebra: forming, solving, substitution. Multi-step word problems at exam pace. QE Boys, Tiffin extended problem formats practised specifically. Column Method on 3×3 matrices with 4 simultaneous variables — the hardest matrix question type. Timed: 10 questions in 15 minutes. |
| Day 3 · Wed |
Multi-step · Hidden Question · Anchor Face on nets 3-step word problems: "identify the hidden question" technique. QE Boys, Tiffin, Habs formats practised specifically — different question weighting per school. Nets: Anchor Face method — which face stays fixed when the net folds. 3D cube views from 6 angles. Analogies: transformation rule named before each answer. |
| Day 4 · Thu |
Ratio · percentage · geometry · NVR analogies Ratio as fraction. Percentage change. Circle area introduction. Data interpretation: pie charts, grouped frequency. All at exam pace with school-specific formats. NVR analogies: transformation rule written before each answer. Series completion with 4 simultaneous variables — the hardest NVR question type. |
| Day 5 · Fri |
Full papers · gap analysis · bridge to Mastery
Full Maths paper (45 min). Full NVR paper (80 questions / 40 min). Individual gap analysis: top 3 question types to target across both subjects. Bridge session: what Summer Mastery covers, what to practise in the gap between Intensive and Mastery. End-of-course written report. |
STAR (automatic)
Column Method (3×3)
Anchor Face (nets)
Isolate Each Variable
Hidden Question technique
2
Intensive · Comprehension & Verbal Reasoning
Mon 27 – Fri 31 July · Afternoons · 3:00–4:30pm · 7.5 hrs live teaching
Five days of Comprehension and Verbal Reasoning at exam pace. SHAMPOO toolkit drilled until automatic. PEE chains extended to 5-part responses — the format NLCS and Habs Girls require. VR Types 1–21 method sweep on Day 1, depth on Days 2–4. Day 5 brings a full Comprehension paper and a full VR paper back-to-back, with individual gap analysis.
| Day 1 · Mon |
SHAMPOO toolkit · VR Types 1–21 sweep Full SHAMPOO: all 7 techniques identified, effect analysis drilled — "naming a technique is 1 mark, explaining its effect is the other 2." VR Types 1–21 method sweep: each type named, 3 examples worked. Goal: no question type without a method. |
| Day 2 · Tue |
CEM vs GL · deep inference · authorial intent CEM vs GL distinction made explicit — different preparation required for each. Deep inference: mood, tone, authorial intent. PEE chain extended to 5-part: Point + Evidence 1 + Explanation + Evidence 2 + Overall conclusion. VR Types 14–21 deepened. |
| Day 3 · Wed |
PEE chains (5-part) · VR Types 14–21 at depth PEE chains: 3 pieces of linked evidence in one sustained paragraph — the format NLCS and Habs Girls require. Non-fiction comprehension: persuasive text, purpose, argument, technique. VR Types 14–21 at depth: advanced codes, position codes, double-cipher variants. |
| Day 4 · Thu |
Non-fiction comprehension · 4-step elimination Non-fiction: purpose, argument, persuasive technique. 4-step elimination for multiple choice. Timed: 20 minutes on an unseen non-fiction passage. Speed and accuracy targets set per child based on baseline. |
| Day 5 · Fri |
Full papers · individual gap analysis · bridge to Mastery Comprehension paper (25 min) → VR paper (50 min) — back-to-back, exam conditions. Individual error analysis per subject: which VR types need work, which comprehension technique is weakest. Gap analysis bridges directly to Mastery focus areas. End-of-course written report. |
SHAMPOO
5-part PEE chains
VR Types 1–21
CEM vs GL distinction
4-step elimination
3
Intensive · Creative Writing
Mon 3 – Fri 7 August · Evenings · 5:00–6:30pm · 7.5 hrs live teaching
A standalone five-day Creative Writing course following the first Intensive week. In the Action Rule, Show Don’t Tell, internal monologue and pace control built up across the week. Day 4 brings the first full timed write across all three formats. Day 5 ends with a full creative writing paper and individual gap analysis — bridging into the Creative Writing Mastery week (17–21 August).
| Day 1 · Mon |
In the Action Rule · 4 opening types In the Action Rule: four opening types practised — physical action, internal thought, dialogue, sensory detail. Best developed to 10 sentences. First impressions of each type recorded for Day 3 comparison. Children leave with a personal "default opening" they can use under pressure. |
| Day 2 · Tue |
Show Don't Tell · internal monologue · pace Show Don't Tell deepened — 5-senses exercise. Internal monologue introduced: character's thoughts woven into action. Pace control: deliberate sentence length variation for tension and release. Three techniques combined in a single 10-minute passage. |
| Day 3 · Wed |
Story structure · backstory · pace control
5-part story structure with deliberate turning point. Backstory woven into action — not flashback. Pace control applied across full story arc: short sentences for urgency, longer for reflection. Three format options — narrative, diary, persuasive — which is strongest? |
| Day 4 · Thu |
All 3 writing formats timed · target school formats Each format given a 10-minute opening. Decision: which is the child's strongest? Which needs development before Mastery week? Prep for Day 5 full write. Target school format introduced if known — NLCS narrative, Habs persuasive, St Paul's open-format. |
| Day 5 · Fri |
Full creative writing paper · gap analysis · bridge to CW Mastery 25-minute timed write under exam conditions. Individual error analysis: which technique is weakest, what one writing rule to apply immediately. Gap analysis bridges directly to Creative Writing Mastery (17–21 August). End-of-course written report — names the strongest format, identifies the next step. |
In the Action Rule
Show Don't Tell
Internal monologue
Pace control
5-part story structure
Target school formats
What your child leaves with
All four subjects at exam pace. Two gap analyses. A targeted bridge into Mastery.
SHAMPOO
5-part PEE chains
In the Action Rule
STAR (Maths)
Column Method
Anchor Face
VR Types 1–21
Three end-of-course gap analyses
Day 5 of each course ends with a full paper and individual gap analysis. The combined report identifies which Summer Mastery sessions to prioritise, so Mastery is a targeted continuation, not a repeat.
Intensive vs Mastery
Intensive builds the engine. Mastery puts it on the track. Doing both is the complete Y5 summer. Mastery without Intensive foundation is starting in third gear — possible, but harder.
All sessions use the same named technique framework as our weekly workshops and term-time courses.
What parents say
What Intensive parents say
Year 5 · Summer Intensive 2025
"The structure of the two weeks was exactly right — Week 1 built the English and reasoning, Week 2 applied the Maths at speed. He came back to September genuinely ready. Different child."
Parent, Barnet · Year 5 Summer 2025
Year 5 · Intensive + Mastery 2025
"We did both July and August. Best decision we made in the whole 11+ process. The progression from Intensive to Mastery was visible week by week — and the written reports after each sitting told us exactly what to focus on next."
Parent, Mill Hill · Year 5 Summer 2025
Common questions
Before you book Intensive
Do we need all three Intensive courses, or can we choose?
Each course is a complete standalone. Pick one, two, or all three. The 3-course bundle (£660 instead of £720) gives the strongest start to Year 6 — full gap analyses across all four subjects, plus Creative Writing as a dedicated week. If budget requires a choice, choose the courses covering your child's weakest subjects. Maths & NVR + Comp & VR together (£460) is a strong two-course option for children whose writing is already solid.
Why does Creative Writing run in week 2 of August evenings, not alongside Comp & VR?
Two reasons. One: a five-day standalone Creative Writing course goes far deeper than CW running in parallel with Comp & VR. Children get the full method built up across the week — In the Action Rule on Day 1, full timed write on Day 5. Two: the timing makes Creative Writing Mastery (17–21 August) a natural continuation. The gap report from Intensive CW directly informs which techniques Mastery refines.
What level does my child need to be at?
Solid Year 5 school foundations. The Intensive assumes all four subjects have been introduced — it does not start from scratch. Children who have done the weekly workshops from Year 4 are perfectly placed. Children joining for the first time should have solid school-level Maths and English confidence. If your child is starting completely from scratch, Summer Foundations Y4 is the better entry point.
Should we do Intensive and Mastery together?
Yes — the two are designed as a pair. Intensive (27 July – 7 August) builds and applies all techniques across all four subjects. Mastery (17–28 August) refines at exam level, uses school-specific formats, runs full Day 4 exam simulations, and produces a personalised September roadmap. Doing both is the complete Y5 summer. The Complete Y5 bundle (6 courses · £1,130) is on the Summer Online hub — saves £640 vs individual booking.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
What parents ask us before booking
We hear these four questions almost every week. Here are honest answers.
"My child is shy. Won't 1:1 be better?"
Many of our most successful children started shy. A group of eight is small enough to feel safe — large enough to build the cohort-confidence they will need on exam day. We have never had a shy child shut down. We have had hundreds open up.
"Won't 1:1 mean the teacher knows my child personally?"
Five consecutive days. Max eight children. An individual written report at the end of each course. By Wednesday your teacher knows your child as well as a 1:1 tutor seeing them once a week — usually better, because there are no week-long memory gaps between sessions.
"Isn't 1:1 the gold standard for serious 11+ preparation?"
The families with the strongest outcomes in our experience use a blend. Small-group specialist teaching for the bulk of preparation. 1:1 only for surgical intervention on a specific weakness. Pure 1:1 is monoculture — not the gold standard.
"My child needs to go at their own pace."
Entrance exams do not adapt to your child's pace. The single most common reason capable children underperform is that they have never practised at exam pace. Our group teaching builds that pressure tolerance with differentiation — extension work for the ahead, more time on examples for the behind, but everyone hits the same exam-pace target by Day 5.
Intensive → Mastery
Intensive builds the engine. Mastery puts it on the track.
After Intensive ends (Aug 7), Mastery begins Aug 24. The gap report tells you what to practise in those 17 days. Mastery week is school-specific, exam-simulation level — it assumes everything the Intensive built.
Intensive — Jul 27 – Aug 7
All 4 subjects · every technique consolidated · stamina built over 2 weeks · ends with gap analysis · solid school foundations assumed
Mastery — Aug 24–28
No introductions · school-specific formats only · Day 4 = full exam simulation · Day 5 = September roadmap · exam-level performance assumed
Intensive + Mastery: Was £1,770 → NOW from £960 · save £810