Many children can read a text but still struggle to answer comprehension questions confidently — especially when the questions are worded in unfamiliar or tricky ways. Parents often tell us their child “understands the story” but loses marks through rushed reading, missed clues or unclear answers.
Our weekly online Comprehension Club helps children read carefully and understand what 11+ and SATs examiners are really looking for. Lessons are carefully planned to build key comprehension skills with guided practice and targeted feedback helping children answer questions quickly and accurately.
Read texts more carefully and understanding what questions are really asking.
Find evidence in the text and use it to support well-structured answers that meet examiner expectations.
Show improved performance in reading comprehension tasks, with greater accuracy and fewer avoidable mistakes.
Tackle a variety of texts with confidence
Children learn strategies for approaching unfamiliar passages, whether fiction, non-fiction or poetry.
Understand characters and motivations
We help children to understand the deeper layers of a story and follow the plot with greater insight.
Avoid pitfalls and tricky questions
Students learn how to read questions carefully and avoid losing marks unnecessarily.
Use inference and deduction to uncover meaning
We train children to read between the lines, picking up clues the writer has implied but not stated outright.
Identify the purpose and genre of texts
Children learn to recognise the genre of texts and whether it aims to entertain, inform, persuade or describe.
Recognise authorial intent and values
We help children consider why an author wrote a text, what values it conveys, and how these shape the piece.
Select the closest vocabulary or synonym
Students practise identifying words with the nearest possible meaning. This is essential for questions that test subtle differences.
Spot parts of speech and language features
Nouns, verbs, adverbs and other parts of speech are practised, as well as techniques like simile, metaphor and personification.
Approach questions with critical thinking
We encourage children to think logically, evaluate evidence from the text and justify their answers.
Ask thoughtful questions
Children learn to reflect on answer choices, compare and understand the reasoning behind right and wrong options.
1. Pre-lesson prep
We send an extract and a set of questions for students to complete at home. Working independently helps them develop stamina and identify where they may need support.
2. Submit answers
Email the completed answers a couple of days before the lesson. This allows us to carefully review each child’s work and return personalised, targeted feedback.
3. Receive feedback
During the lesson, we go through the text and answers together, helping children identify what examiners expect and develop stronger comprehension techniques.
"Sam is making great progress answering the trickier questions. What a great way to learn. Can’t thank you enough!" Richard Jones
"A huge thank you. This course transformed my daughter's score. She smashed her test and is over the moon. We couldn’t be happier." MT