Ed Centre
Your Parent Guide to Tutoring
Practical, plain-English guidance for UK parents weighing up whether to get a tutor, how to pick one who actually fits your child, and what to expect once sessions start.
Keep going
Keep exploring
The next pages to open inside Your Parent Guide to Tutoring.
Start with the biggest question
Most parents arrive with the same question — how to find someone who actually fits their child. This sub-pillar unpacks it in two short, plain-English pages.
Your parent guide to tutoring
This is a parent guide to tutoring that stays on your side of the table — no sales pitch, no jargon, no pressure. It’s written to help you make three small decisions well: whether extra help is genuinely the right next step, what a good tutor actually looks like for your child, and how to keep the sessions working week after week.
Private tutoring in the UK is unregulated, which sounds scarier than it is. It just means the checks fall to you rather than an inspector. A short conversation with your child’s class teacher, an honest look at what’s really going wrong, and a clear brief before you go shopping will do most of the heavy lifting — often more than another hour of instruction would.
From there, picking the right person is a verification job, not a gamble. Qualifications that match the level, an Enhanced DBS you actually see, and a trial lesson that clicks. Read the sub-pillar below when you’re weighing the decision, or head straight to Find a Tutor when your brief is already clear. Either path is fine — this guide exists to get you moving, not to keep you reading.
- Decide whether a tutor is genuinely the right next step — or if a simpler routine fix will do.
- Decide what to verify and what to ask before you hand anyone your weekly budget.
- Know when to stop comparing profiles and book a private tutor who fits.
Ready to browse tutors?
When your brief is clear, the browsing is quick. Open the directory to hire online tutors from a shortlist that genuinely fits your child — subjects, rates and availability shown openly, no hard sell.
Support and clarity
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.
How much does a private tutor cost in the UK?
UK tutoring rates sit in a fairly broad band, driven by subject, level and whether sessions run online or in-person. Online tends to be a little lower than in-person, and A-Level specialists and London rates sit at the top. Budget for a consistent weekly session rather than a last-minute sprint, and compare tutoring charges openly on the directory before committing.
Is private tutoring actually worth it for my child?
It’s worth it when there’s a specific gap to close, confidence to rebuild, or an exam to prepare for — and the classroom alone isn’t getting you there. It’s usually not worth it when the real issue is sleep, routine or phones. Fix those first. A good tutor should tell you honestly when private tutoring isn’t the right answer yet.
How do I know if tutoring is actually working?
Look for small, steady signals in the first half-term — your child explaining a topic they couldn’t before, homework taking less time, or a written plan from the tutor that reflects real progress. If none of that’s showing up after four to six sessions, say so. A good tutor welcomes honest feedback and will adjust the approach.