ISEE & SSAT Tutoring

The ISEE and SSAT aptitude tests are very different to school exams. We are highly experienced at tutoring ISEE and SSAT, and help numerous students gain places at American schools in the UK, and to elite schools in America.

ISEE & SSAT Tutoring

The ISEE and SSAT aptitude tests are very different to school exams. We are highly experienced at tutoring ISEE and SSAT, and help numerous students gain places at American schools in the UK, and to elite schools in America.

ISEE & SSAT

What are ISEE & SSAT?

The ISEE is used for application to independent secondary schools in the United States. There are three levels of the ISEE depending on whether a student is applying for entrance to Grades 5/6, 7/8 or 9-12. The ISEE assesses verbal and quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematics. There is also an essay component that is sent to the schools to which a student is applying. The exam lasts between 2 hours and 20 minutes and 2 hours and 40 minutes.

The Secondary Schools Admissions Test (SSAT) is another examination that is used for application to secondary schools. It assesses the reading, writing, and mathematical skills of students. It is divided into two test types, lower and middle/upper, depending upon the age of the student.

These exams are excellent preparation for the SAT exams that students take in the 10th and 11th grade; indeed, many of our students have gone on to excel in the SATs. Nonetheless, it can be very difficult to choose between the two exams. We have therfore compiled a helpful guide on the differences between the ISEE and the SSAT and our recommendations on how to choose between them, if given the choice.

Our Experience & Approach

At Wentworth Education we have extensive experience teaching in the US syllabus, from ISEE and SSAT up to SAT, SAT II and AP. Katherine Wiles, one of our founders, has been tutoring the ISEE and SSAT since 2008, helping students in both America and the UK.

Our impressive track record at ISEE and SSAT tutoring has helped all of our students get into their first choice secondary schools. In London, we have tutored children whose families are moving out to America and need to transition to the American syllabus as well as children who are applying to an American school in the UK.

Our approach to ISEE and SSAT preparation is highly rigorous. Our tutors strike the right balance between engaging discussions and intensive problem-solving. Most of all, our tutors are experts in building up their students confidence and exam technique. We run practice tests, diagnose issues, and provide tactical advice strategies to maximise individual student performance on the day.

Testing & Monitoring Progress

ISEE practice test performance tracking

We find the most important part of preparing for a test is to be comfortable with the format and the types of questions asked. This can be a particular challenge to students transferring from the UK syllabus or an international syllabus.

Therefore, we have teamed up with ISEE Practice Test and SSAT Practice Test, an online platform. With ISEE Practice Test we can organise our students one or more practice tests online. The student, you the parent, and our tutor will be able to see diagnostics of test performance and areas of relative strength and weakness against the population. We monitor accuracy and speed of answering by individual question and question type. Our tutors use this insight to tailor their tutoring to the individual needs of your child and with the multiple tests available track improving performance. Parents and students find this resource invaluable in identifying problem areas such as slow question reading or inappropriate time spent trying to solve the most difficult questions at the expense of others.

Selected ISEE & SSAT Testimonials

Please see below some example ISEE & SSAT Testimonials that we have received. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor guarantee or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more ISEE & SSAT Testimonials can be found on our dedicated testimonials page, where you can filter by subject.

ISEE | Emily Hennah

"Emily is lovely and [my son] really enjoys working with her" ... See Emily Hennah's tutoring profile.

ISEE | Scarlett M

"We would certainly recommend Scarlett to friends and colleagues." ... See Scarlett M's tutoring profile.

ISEE | Sophia Ohler

"[Our daughter] enjoyed very much the sessions she had from you and she gained a good ground. " ... See Sophia Ohler's tutoring profile.

SSAT | Wentworth Education Private Tutoring

"The first session went very well. [My son] liked [the tutor’s] style and is keen to have her return."

ISEE | Dr Caitlin Rea

"You have captured our imagination with your methods ; I have to confess this was very much an eye opener for me, so much so that I have been inspired to learn more about what [student] knows and doesn't, how he copes and how you go about it. " ... See Dr Caitlin Rea's tutoring profile.

Maths and English, SSAT | Arthur House

"Arthur enjoyed a good rapport with my children and engaged them extremely well. He was accommodating and organised. I am happy to recommend Arthur as a tutor and am confident that he will do well teaching students at any level." ... See Arthur House's tutoring profile.

ISEE | Alexander Peter

"Our daughter has enjoyed working with her tutor Alex very much. She sat her test in mid October. Her results were quite good. We decided she could take it again in early December to see if she does even better. We’ve therefore asked Alex to continue with us for a few more weeks." ... See Alexander Peter's tutoring profile.

SSAT/ISEE | Catriona Ramsay

"We are back from our US school trip. Everything went well and I’m optimistic the girls will get into both schools and then have their choice of where to go. Their ISEE results are in and they are strong (99th percentile and mostly stanine 9). Thanks so much for all your help." ... See Catriona Ramsay's tutoring profile.

ISEE | Isabel Elson

"Isabel worked wonders preparing our 10 year old daughter for a US standardised test. Always organised and thorough, her support was individualised and motivational, understanding and meeting her student on a personal level. Our daughter felt that Isabel genuinely cared and was on her “team”, which meant that she trusted her implicitly and enjoyed the process of working together towards a shared goal that much more. We are extremely grateful to Isabel for all her help and have already recommended her to our friends!" ... See Isabel Elson's tutoring profile.

Selected Profiles of our ISEE & SSAT Tutors

Please see below some example profiles of the ISEE & SSAT Tutors that we represent. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor selection criteria or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more profiles of our ISEE & SSAT Tutors can be found on our dedicated tutors page, where you can filter by subject.

I graduated from the University of Oxford in 2019 with a BA in Human Sciences. Based in Central London, I now split my time between teaching and music.

I have significant experience as a tutor (40+ hours since the start of the academic year) and have recently taken on a classroom teaching job at The Academy School, Hampstead, where I teach KS3 Science.

Studying a uniquely broad degree and benefitting from outstanding teaching at Oxford, I have developed a strong understanding of the biological sciences (from Ecology to Animal Behaviour to Genetics), leading me to focus on tutoring Biology to A-Level (or below). I was a College Scholar at Oxford and have maintained a strong academic record throughout my education, achieving 2A* (Chemistry and Biology) and 1A (Maths) at A-Level while at Mount Kelly School.

My tutoring style is responsive and comprehensive, going far beyond the time I spend with a tutee. I believe that the most productive tutoring involves solutions and resources tailed to individual learning challenges - this preparation process is an essential part of my teaching style. ...
I'm originally from New York, and have been living in London for a bit over a year now. After graduating from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Creative Writing (Cum Laude), I received my Master's degree from the London Film School. I've been privately tutoring for years, as a peer tutor on Harvard's campus with the Bureau of Study Council, as well as with private agencies. I also have extensive experience as an Admissions Representative in the Harvard Admissions Office. I specialise in the American curriculum and US College Counselling, but know and work with the English curriculum as well. ...
I graduated from Cambridge University (Newnham College) with a 2:1 in Social Anthropology (and a 1st in Development Studies) in 2009. I have been tutoring private clients since 2005 in subjects ranging from English, Maths, English as foreign language, Interview Technique and Preparation, Test & Exam Preparation and Mentoring. However, my current focus and speciality is tutoring students for all levels of the ISEE and SSAT test as well as tutoring the 11+ and 13+ entrance exams. As a child, I attended the Chinese International School in Hong Kong and Alice Smith International School in Kuala Lumpur and then boarded at school in the UK as an overseas student. As a consequence, I particularly enjoy working with students based in Asia applying to international schools and preparing them for the cultural and curriculum adjustment of becoming an overseas student. I am now based in Singapore and tutor students of all ages here and in Hong Kong primarily. I have an excellent track record of increasing test scores and helping tutees to have the confidence and ability to achieve the grades required for their desired schools whilst also acting as a mentor throughout the preparation process. ...
I am a friendly, encouraging teacher with over a decade's experience, particularly with students aged 11-13. Since graduating from Cambridge 13 years ago I have taught students of all sorts of abilities and ages (5-58) anywhere from Notting Hill to Nairobi. My curiosity about the world has drawn me to journalism as well as teaching. I worked at the Telegraph for two years and now I write about arts and culture for The Economist’s 1843, The Spectator and Apollo magazines. I am also the co-author of 'What on Earth is Going On? A Crash Course in Current Affairs' (HarperCollins, 2009 - Sunday Times 'Stocking Filler of the Year'). Both my teaching and writing are informed by a desire to understand the world, and to help others do so too. ...
After finishing two degrees from Stanford and Kingston Universities (covering a range of topics from philosophy of religion and mathematics to critical theory) I am now preparing to teach philosophy in prisons and studying to become a psychoanalyst. ...
I was brought up in Paris and moved to London to study at Imperial College, where I obtained a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in Theoretical Physics with High First Class honours. My research focused on the way in which alternative logic systems can help us bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and relativity. I was awarded Associateship of the Royal College of Science.

Although I am a science specialist, I also have a strong background in English and Verbal Reasoning. I sat the GRE in 2016 for entrance to US Grad School and got exceptionally good grades (Verbal Reasoning - 99th percentile, Analytical Writing - 93rd percentile).

Since 2011, I have offered private tuition for all major examination boards as well as working for the Imperial College summer schools. ...
Dr Caitlin Rea is a dual (US/UK) citizen, graduating from Harvard with a BA in Neurobiology and Anthropology in 2015. She graduated with a degree in medicine from Kings College London Graduate medical school in 2019 and has relocated from London to Edinburgh last year. She has been working for Wentworth since 2015 focusing on US school and college admissions. At Harvard, she worked for Veritas Education for 2 years and travelled to China to work as both a teacher and US college consultant. She also tutored children with Autism throughout college. Researching and teaching children who have learning difficulties is one of her main interests. Before Harvard, she completed her GCSE's and A-levels (Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Geography) in the UK. Alongside her final year of A-levels, she completed the SAT and SAT II exams and went through the US college application process alongside her UK UCAS application. She is well versed in the various US entrance exams and the US application process. ...
Having worked in the education space for over four years as a Senior Academic Mentor and University Admissions Counsellor, I have built up my experience of working with a wide range of students. My primary focus has been on SAT & ACT tutoring, US & UK University Admissions Counselling, and general high school Mathematics tutoring. I take a 'mentorship' approach to my work with students and focus on building a strong relationship based on trust and respect to ensure that students feel well-supported and are able to improve their abilities and performance levels. ...
I’m a postgraduate medical student at King’s College London and Bristol University graduate with a passion for a wide range of subjects. Studying humanities to A level, focusing on crop genetics during my undergraduate degree and now working to become a doctor translates well into tutoring a varied curriculum and ensures I’ve had plenty of experience in the process of learning. I'm an enthusiastic tutor; effective tutoring raises children’s confidence and gives them skills which they can take far beyond our sessions, which is my favourite aspect of the job. ...
I'm a graduate medical student at King's College London, having previously studied Biomedical Science as an undergraduate at Imperial College London.

I have experience in teaching maths, biology and the ISEE. In addition, I've spent time working with children as a nanny, and volunteering at youth and children's groups, both in the UK and abroad. I am passionate about releasing the potential in every student, with a particular focus on building confidence and nurturing a love of learning. ...