The right tutor can transform a child's confidence as well as their results. But private tutoring isn't regulated in the UK — anyone can call themselves a tutor — and quality varies enormously. These ten questions will help you find someone who is genuinely right for your child, whether you choose an independent tutor or an agency.
1. What experience do they have with this subject and level?
Subject knowledge is essential, but so is experience of teaching it at your child's stage. Explaining fractions to a nine-year-old is a different skill from teaching A-Level organic chemistry. Ask how long they have been teaching or tutoring the subject, and at which levels.
2. Do they know your child's exam board and specification?
GCSEs and A-Levels are set by different exam boards — such as AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC Eduqas — and International GCSEs by boards including Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel. Specifications differ in content and in the style of their questions. A tutor who knows your child's specification can focus on exactly what will be assessed, and on how marks are awarded.
3. What safeguarding checks have they had?
Because tutoring isn't regulated, there is no legal requirement for a private tutor to hold a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) certificate. That makes it worth asking directly:
- Do they have a recent enhanced DBS certificate?
- Has anyone — an agency, a school or a previous employer — checked their identity, qualifications and references?
- For online sessions, how are lessons conducted, and can a parent be nearby?
4. Can they provide references?
Speaking to another parent whose child they have taught tells you far more than a profile ever will. A good tutor will be happy to put you in touch with references, or an agency should be able to describe how it has checked them.
5. How will they get to know your child first?
Effective tutoring starts with understanding where a child is now. Ask how the tutor will identify gaps and strengths — through a conversation, a short assessment or a review of recent schoolwork — and how they will turn that into a plan.
6. How will progress be measured and shared?
You should never have to guess whether tutoring is working. Ask how often you'll hear about progress, what goals will be set and how they'll be measured — for example, through practice-paper scores, school reports or your child's own confidence.
7. Online or face to face — which suits your child?
Online tutoring widens your choice of tutor enormously and works well for many students, particularly teenagers who are comfortable learning on screen. Face-to-face sessions can suit younger children, and those who find it harder to concentrate online. If you're unsure, ask whether a first session can be used to see what works.
8. Is there an introductory session?
An initial session, or a conversation before committing, lets your child meet the tutor and lets you see how they teach. It's the best way to judge the next question too.
9. What are the costs and terms?
Rates vary with the subject, the level, the tutor's experience and where you live, so compare like with like. Ask about cancellation and rescheduling, how payment works and how much notice is needed to stop — and be wary of being asked to prepay for a long block of sessions upfront.
10. Will your child get on with them?
Rapport matters more than parents often expect. Children learn best from someone they trust and feel comfortable asking "silly" questions. After the first few sessions, ask your child how they found it, and watch for signs of growing confidence.
Independent tutor or agency?
Independent tutors give you a direct relationship and can be good value, but you do all the vetting, matching and follow-up yourself — and if it doesn't work out, you start again.
Agencies typically handle checks, matching and replacements, though how thoroughly varies widely, and they usually cost more. Ask any agency exactly how it vets tutors, how it chooses the match and what happens if the match isn't right.
Warning signs
- Promises of guaranteed grades. No one can honestly guarantee an exam result.
- No clear plan, goals or feedback after the first few sessions.
- Reluctance to share qualifications, checks or references.
- Pressure to commit to long, prepaid packages.
How we can help
Britannia Crown takes the guesswork out of finding a tutor. Every tutor is a UK-trained educator, matched personally to your child, and every family has a dedicated education consultant who oversees progress and adjusts the plan as your child grows. Explore our private tutoring, or find a tutor by subject.