11+ Tutor vs App — An Honest Answer
We're an app, so take this with that in mind. But here's our genuinely honest take on when a tutor is the right choice, when an app is, and when you might want both.
What a good tutor actually does well
A good tutor builds a relationship with your child. They notice when a child is confused and explain things differently on the spot. They provide accountability — a child who knows they have a tutor session on Thursday is more likely to do the homework. And for children who need a human presence to stay motivated, that relationship genuinely matters.
What tutors cannot do
A tutor is with your child for one or two hours a week. What happens the other five days? Most tutoring homework is self-directed, and most children don't do it consistently without supervision. A tutor also cannot track performance across 21 VR question types and 4 subjects simultaneously, adjusting the plan every single day based on what went wrong yesterday. That's what Lumi does.
The cost reality that most families don't talk about
A tutor twice a week at £40 per hour is £320 per month. Over 12 months of preparation, that's £3,840. StageX Academy is a fraction of that. For many families, the question isn't tutor vs app — it's whether they can afford a tutor at all. A good prep app used consistently will outperform an average tutor used once a week.
When to use both
Some families use Lumi for daily practice and a tutor once a week for the things a human does better — motivation, explaining concepts that keep going wrong, and exam technique coaching. That combination gives you daily coverage that a tutor alone can't provide, plus human support when it's genuinely needed.
What Lumi does that a tutor can't
Lumi is with your child every day — not once a week. It tracks performance across hundreds of individual question types simultaneously and rebuilds tomorrow's plan every night based on what went wrong today. No tutor does that. For the daily structured practice that preparation actually requires, Lumi covers more ground than weekly tutoring alone — at a fraction of the cost.
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Subjects covered
Exam boards
Frequently asked questions
Can my child get into grammar school without a tutor?
Yes — many do. Consistent structured daily practice is more important than who delivers it. Children who use Lumi daily often cover more ground than those with weekly tutoring and no daily practice in between.
What does an 11+ tutor cost?
Typically £30-£60 per hour for a good tutor. Many families use tutors twice a week. Over 12 months of preparation that's a significant cost — often £2,000-£4,000.
Is StageX Academy a replacement for a tutor?
For daily structured practice, yes. For the human relationship and in-the-moment explanation, a tutor does things an app cannot. Many families find that Lumi handles the daily grind and a tutor handles the coaching — and that combination works well.
Try Lumi free this week.
Your child gets a plan tonight. You get a dashboard that actually tells you something. And on Sunday morning, instead of staring at 11+ books, you read a one-paragraph summary with your coffee.
Questions? Email us we read everything.