Finding the right 13 plus maths tuition online can feel overwhelming — particularly when the bar set by top independent schools is genuinely high. Common Entrance at 13+ is not a paper you can prepare for through repetition and memory tricks. The schools that use it are looking for mathematical thinking: students who understand why methods work, not just how to apply them.
At Singapore Maths Academy, we have spent years working with students preparing for 13 plus entry. Our approach draws on the Singapore mathematics curriculum — widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in the world — and applies it through structured, small-group online sessions led by qualified teachers.
What 13 Plus Maths Preparation Actually Involves
The Common Entrance maths syllabus at 13+ covers number, algebra, geometry, and statistics — but the level of understanding required goes well beyond the primary curriculum. Schools want to see students who can reason logically, explain their working, and approach unfamiliar problems with confidence.
This means preparation needs to start well before Year 8. Students who begin working at 13 plus level in Year 7 — or even Year 6 for those aiming at the most selective schools — give themselves the time to develop genuine mathematical depth rather than cramming content at the last moment.
Our 13 plus maths tuition online is structured around exactly this kind of long-term development. We work through the Common Entrance syllabus systematically, identifying gaps in understanding early and building on secure foundations before moving to more complex material.
Why Singapore Maths Works for 13 Plus Preparation
The Singapore mathematics approach is built on a simple but powerful idea: children learn maths most deeply when they progress through concrete, pictorial, and abstract stages of understanding. A student who has worked through this sequence genuinely understands the mathematics — they are not relying on memorised procedures that fall apart under exam pressure.
For 13 plus preparation, this matters enormously. The Common Entrance paper is designed to discriminate between students who have been drilled and those who can genuinely think. Singapore Maths develops the latter.
At Singapore Maths Academy, our methodology has been shaped by the work of Dr Yeap Ban Har — one of the world’s leading authorities on the Singapore approach — and the Maths No Problem series, which we have used since our founding in 2014.
How Our Online 13 Plus Sessions Work
All our sessions take place online, via an interactive whiteboard platform that allows our teachers to work through problems with students in real time — annotating, drawing, and asking questions exactly as they would in a classroom.
Our groups are small: typically around four to five students, with a maximum of eight. This means every student is seen and heard in every session. Teachers can identify misconceptions quickly, challenge students who are ready for harder material, and provide the kind of close attention that 13 plus preparation genuinely requires.
Sessions run regularly throughout the year, and homework is marked as part of each lesson — so students receive feedback on their thinking in real time, not through a written note sent home at the end of the week.
Who We Teach
Our 13 plus students come from a range of backgrounds. Some are based in the UK, preparing for day or boarding school entry. Others are from families overseas — particularly those in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and the UAE — whose children are preparing for entry to British independent schools.
The Singapore Maths approach has natural credibility with families from East Asia, where rigorous mathematical education is deeply valued. Many of our students arrive with strong arithmetic skills and a desire to develop the kind of structured problem-solving that British independent school entrance exams reward.
Our teachers are qualified and experienced in both the Singapore curriculum and the Common Entrance syllabus. They understand the standard required and how to help students reach it.
The Results We Are Honest About
We do not make promises about specific school placements. Entry to selective independent schools depends on many factors beyond maths preparation.
What we can tell you is that our students develop genuine mathematical confidence and understanding. Many go on to sit Common Entrance at the level required by schools such as Westminster, St Paul’s, Harrow, The Perse, and Manchester Grammar School — institutions that use mathematics as a serious indicator of readiness.
The depth of understanding our students develop at 13 plus level also serves them well beyond entrance exams, into GCSE and A-level mathematics.
Getting Started
If your child is in Years 7 or 8 and preparing for 13 plus entry, or if you are planning ahead from Year 6, we would be glad to hear from you. Our teachers will discuss your child’s current level and what a structured programme of 13 plus maths tuition online might look like for them.
Get in touch with Singapore Maths Academy to start the conversation.