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91% of Atom kids get into their top-choice school

By Atom | May 2, 2024, 4:10 PM

Children in school uniform and backpacks running towards a school building named 'Main Reception'

Every year in early March, families across the UK find out whether their child has been offered a place at their preferred school. We’re delighted to reveal that in 2024, 91% of children using Atom Home received offers from their first choice schools.

Our Year 6 cohort were offered places at some of the UK’s leading grammar and independent schools. Popular grammar schools included The Latymer School, both Tiffin Schools, Aylesbury Grammar School and Chelmsford County High School for Girls. Children also received offers for independent schools including City of London School, Guildford High School, Forest School and Wellington College. Many children were awarded academic scholarships based on their high test scores.

Selective independent and grammar schools such as these are famously difficult to get into. Children sit academic exams (including the 11 plus for grammar schools) to apply. Many schools are oversubscribed, sometimes with as many as 10 children applying for each place.

Atom Home helps children prepare for entrance exams through tailored learning, adaptive questions and practice tests. Each week, your child gets a clear weekly learning plan, full of activities aligned to their target schools’ exams.

The platform is crammed with fun features to make sure learning isn’t a chore. Children explore exciting worlds as they move from island to island, collecting knowledge and experience.

“When our eldest son first tried a Kent Test past paper, he found the process and format overwhelming. Atom really helped with both general familiarisation, and targeted practice to strengthen particular areas. Using the platform for preparation made a huge difference to how confident our son felt when the test date came around. The platform itself is fun and engaging - we all loved the jokes, and our 6 year old has asked when he can sign up!”

(Year 6 parent – allocated a place at target Kent grammar school)

Georgie's weekly exam prep plan on Atom Home

The difficulty of the weekly activities adapts to keep your child challenged and motivated as their knowledge grows. When they need more practice in a topic, it appears on their activity list more often.

Meanwhile, clear progress tracking lets parents see exactly where their child is on their exam prep journey. Atom is the only exam prep programme that shows how children’s scores compare to other children who are applying to the same school.

“It was a great tool for us and really helped our daughter focus and learn new material and embed knowledge she had already learnt. It was great to see how her scores compared to others who had the same target school too.”

(Year 6 parent – offered places at both target grammar and independent schools)

Georgie's performance compared to other Atom users applying to St Catherine's School

Atom grows with your child. It adapts to make sure they thoroughly cover the whole exam curriculum, in good time for their exam. Once they build enough knowledge across each topic, Atom sets them mock tests to practise their exam technique.

Atom’s mock tests mirror each school’s real exams in content, format, structure and scoring. All tests are automatically marked and timed, saving parents hours!

“I only wish we'd known about it earlier in the process. I had NO idea before starting that English was my son's strength, and maths his weakness. I was sure it was the other way round but his results online were completely mirrored in his actual exams. The scores he got on Atom were very close to the real exam results.”

(Year 6 parent – accepted offer at top London independent school)

Emily's maths topic breakdown on Atom Home

The team behind the tech at Atom are dedicated to constantly improving the experience for both parents and children. From engineers who ensure that Atom’s algorithm is working efficiently to adapt to each child’s needs, to the teachers, designers and producers making each piece of educational content exciting and fun.

11 plus FAQs with Gemma at Atom

Unlike other exam platforms, with Atom you can talk to real people behind the screen. Admissions and exam specialists run regular parent webinars to help parents learn about different types of entrance exams, how to apply to selective schools, and how best to facilitate their child’s learning. Meanwhile, thousands of children enjoy Atom’s exciting live lessons during the school holidays, including 11 plus exam walkthrough sessions, interview workshops, and creative writing courses.

“Our daughter not only got offered places, but places with academic scholarships. One was CEM Select (the one she chose) and the other ISEB and Atom got her ready for both. Interview workshops and workbook were immensely helpful. She enjoyed the group lessons in the holidays. We're grateful that Atom was a part of her huge success - from state schoolgirl to academic scholar at a top South East England school (arguably the top for girls). Thanks so much!”

(Year 6 parent – accepted offer at leading Surrey independent school)

A non-verbal reasoning question on a CEM Select mock test on Atom Home

Well done to all the Year 6 children who sat entrance exams this year. From everyone at Atom, we’re wishing you the best of luck at your new school!

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Exam preparation – sorted.

Considering a grammar or independent school for your child? There’s never been a better time to get started with Atom. Begin your child’s journey to their target school today.

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