Grammar schools were supposed to be the great equaliser.
The idea was simple: a child from any background, with enough talent and hard work, could earn a place at one of the country's best state schools.
But something has gone wrong.
Over the past year, the introduction of VAT on independent school fees has pushed a new wave of families toward grammar schools. Competition at the 11+ is intensifying.
Coupled with increasing financial pressures, it means that the 11+ preparation industry – tutors, platforms, revision guides – has quietly become out of reach for many families.
That combination – increased competition coupled with reduced affordability – creates a much harder environment for many families.
We know first-hand – many parents whose children tried HeyKitsu told us that price was their primary concern.
The market rate doesn't make sense
The leading 11+ preparation platforms charge up to £59.99 a month – or even more.
A private tutor, if you can find a good one, can cost £80 to £100 for a single lesson.
If you can afford that, brilliant. But most families can't.
And the families feeling this most acutely are the ones caught in the middle: not wealthy enough to absorb those costs without real sacrifice, but pushing to try and keep up.
We started HeyKitsu because we believe every child deserves access to genuinely great preparation and the opportunity this brings (not just the ones whose parents could spend freely).
But somewhere along the way, we hadn't fully lived up to that.
Lower price. Better product.
From today, HeyKitsu costs £14.99 a month on an annual plan, or £24.99 a month if you'd rather not commit. That's less than a fifth of the cost of a single tutoring session.
That's the lowest we can make it while still (we hope) covering overheads, including the expert reviews of our questions and pedagogical input from leading educators.
But we want to be clear about something: this isn't a short-term marketing gimmick to get you to buy now.
We're not cutting prices... while also slapping a deadline and a countdown timer to persuade you to buy before prices go back up. (No DFS sale here!)
We genuinely believe this is the right price point for HeyKitsu. And we hope it's a win-win: HeyKitsu will thrive if more people are using it and seeing the results it brings.
But what about "reassuringly expensive"? Is there something to be said for a higher price point – it must mean a better product, right?
Not necessarily.
HeyKitsu isn't (just) a cheaper version of what's out there – it's a better one.
Our adaptive engine works across the whole curriculum, not just question by question. Children start with a diagnostic assessment, and from there the platform continuously adjusts. It surfaces harder topics and harder questions when your child is ready.
It's built for mobile, with a dedicated app for iPhone and iPad (something other platforms don't have). It looks and feels like a game, and children actually want to use it.
The free tier isn't going anywhere
You can still try HeyKitsu for free.
The first three levels in every collection remain permanently free – no trial, no credit card, no expiry date.
We've always believed that families should be able to see exactly what they're getting before paying, and that's not changing.
Stephen ❤️
PS Nobody likes it when new customers get a better deal than loyal ones. So we haven't let that happen.
That's why every existing HeyKitsu subscriber is moving to the new lower price automatically – no need to do anything.
What's more, we're also refunding the difference for whatever you've already paid at the higher rate. We appreciate your trust in us and want to do right by you.
Written by
HeyKitsu Team