Finding the right tutor checklist

 

Must haves:

 

• As mentioned above: local service, trained teacher, plenty of detail about the tutor.

 

• Clear information telling you what you are paying for.

 

• A clear indication that any details you give are secure and will not be passed onto third parties. If there is security logo on the site, click it to see whether it is genuine. A genuine Sitelock logo for instance will give you some verification details if you click on it.

 

• The ability to check the details given by the tutor. Ask to see copies of qualifications, CRB check, registration with the GTC (General Teaching Council). My advice would be to certainly avoid anyone without a recent CRB check and be wary if they are not registered with the GTC (ask them why, if you are not happy with their answer find someone else). Make it clear that you will not be parting with any cash until you’ve seen the paperwork.

 

• Make sure it is clear what happens if lessons are missed, especially if you’ve paid in advance.

 

Could haves:

 

• Initial assessments: some tutors offer a free initial assessment from which they can devise a learning package specific to your child’s needs. This means you can be confident they have your child’s learning needs at the centre of what they doing.

 

• References. Often these are not necessary after speaking with and meeting with the tutor and checking their paperwork. If you have any concerns ask for the names and contact details of two referees or just find someone else.

 

• Discounts for blocks of lessons.

 

Finally don’t be swayed too much by price. You should expect to pay in the region of £25 to £30 per hour for GCSE tuition and more for A level. If someone is offering surprisingly low rates, you need to ask yourself why? Remember a good tutor will probably be doing at least an hour of preparation for each session. You might only be paying for an hour but the tutor will probably be doing at 2 hours work.

 

Follow my advice and (hopefully) you won’t go far wrong. Good luck in your search for a personal tutor.