When families begin searching for a Common Entrance maths tutor online, they are often responding to a specific moment of concern — a mock paper that did not go well, a teacher’s comment about preparation, or simply the realisation that the timeline to 13 plus entry is shorter than it seemed. That urgency is understandable. But Common Entrance maths is not a test you can prepare for in a few weeks.
At Singapore Maths Academy, we work with students preparing for Common Entrance at 13 plus across a range of ability levels and school targets. Our approach is grounded in the Singapore mathematics method — a structured, conceptual approach to maths that builds the genuine understanding required to perform under exam conditions.
What Common Entrance Maths Requires
The Common Entrance examination at 13 plus tests across number, algebra, geometry, and statistics. Papers are set at Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, with individual schools specifying which level or levels they require and what mark threshold they expect.
The mathematics tested is not simply a continuation of the primary curriculum. Students need to demonstrate secure knowledge of fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, and algebra; an ability to apply geometrical reasoning; and the kind of problem-solving confidence that can only be developed through extended, structured practice.
Schools at the most selective end of the independent sector are also looking for the ability to show clear, logical working. A correct answer without a coherent method will not always secure full marks. Our Common Entrance maths tuition online is structured around developing both accuracy and clarity of mathematical reasoning.
Why the Singapore Maths Approach Works at This Level
The Singapore curriculum is built on a progression from concrete understanding through pictorial representation to abstract mathematical thinking. Students who have been taught through this method do not simply know how to apply a formula — they understand why the formula works and can reconstruct their thinking when they encounter an unfamiliar problem.
Common Entrance is specifically designed to challenge students who have only been drilled. The questions reward genuine mathematical understanding, and the Singapore approach develops exactly that.
Our methodology has been shaped by the work of Dr Yeap Ban Har, one of the world’s foremost authorities on Singapore mathematics, and the Maths No Problem curriculum, which has underpinned our teaching since 2014.
How Our Sessions Work
All Common Entrance preparation at Singapore Maths Academy takes place online, via an interactive whiteboard platform that allows teachers to work through problems with students in real time — drawing, annotating, and asking questions exactly as they would face-to-face.
Our groups are small: typically around four to five students, with a maximum of eight. This means teachers can give each student meaningful attention in every session — identifying where a student’s thinking is going wrong, asking probing questions, and adjusting the challenge level accordingly.
Homework is reviewed as part of each lesson. Our teachers do not send work home to be marked in isolation — they work through problems with students in session, so feedback is immediate and connected to what has just been taught.
Preparing Students for Specific Schools
We are familiar with the requirements of a range of selective independent schools and what their Common Entrance papers look for. We do not guarantee specific outcomes — entry to selective schools depends on the full picture of a student’s application — but we focus specifically on developing the mathematical standard those schools are looking for.
Our students have gone on to sit Common Entrance at the level required by schools including Westminster, St Paul’s, Harrow, The Perse, and Manchester Grammar School.
When to Begin
We recommend beginning structured Common Entrance preparation in Year 7 at the latest. Students aiming at the most selective schools benefit from starting earlier — in Year 6 — so that there is time to develop genuine conceptual depth rather than covering content under pressure.
Our teachers will assess where a student currently is and build a programme around their specific needs and school target.
Next Steps
If your child is preparing for Common Entrance maths, or if you are thinking ahead to 13 plus entry, we would be glad to speak with you about what support might look like.
Contact Singapore Maths Academy to start the conversation.