With school closures earlier in the year and schools opted for blended learning to support bubbles needing to self-isolate lots fo parents are understandably considering tutoring to ensure that their child’s learning is not detrimentally impacted. 

However, for most parents tutoring is unknown territory making finding the right tutor for your child a difficult and daunting task. Don’t panic or give up just yet though, we’ve put together some tips for you to help you choose the best tutor to suit your child. 

Safety first 

As parents ourselves, we know the number one concern when it comes to tutoring is safety. When choosing a tutor you want to know that they are safe to work with children above all else. 

To eliminate that worry, we vet all of our tutors thoroughly and follow APSCo Compliance+ guidelines meaning that we go beyond the statutory standards. All of our approved tutors have an enhanced DBS and must have provided us with at least two references along with a detailed employment history.

All of our tutoring sessions are hosted in our state-of-the-art tutor room and are recorded. You also have full access to all messages and resources shared between the student and the tutor. 

Your budget 

When Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson sang ‘The best things in life are free’ they weren’t talking about online tutoring. However, that’s not to say that the most expensive tutor will be the best and the least the worst. Often the price point comes down to the experience of the tutor. So, for example, a headteacher is likely to charge more than a newly qualified teacher. 

 Our aim is to provide a tutor to suit every budget and every child. Prices per hour typically start at the £20 and almost all of our tutors offer a free trial so you and your child can get a taster before you invest.

Qualifications and experience

When searching for a tutor one thing to take a close look at is their experience and qualifications. Teaching or previous tutoring experience is important as these tutors will be more knowledgable about the current curriculum and exam syllabus. 

Of course, you’ll also want to make sure the tutor is familiar with the subject you are looking for tuition in. It goes without saying that a maths tutor may not be the right pick for a student who needs help with science. 

The good news is that all of our approved Smile Tutors have previously taught in schools or are currently teaching in schools and their qualifications can be viewed clearly on their profile. 

The dynamics

You’ll obviously want to choose a tutor who you think your child will not only like but work well with. If your child feels uncomfortable or doesn’t like the tutor you’ve chosen chances are they will not benefit from the tutoring. 

As mentioned above, almost all of our tutors offer a free trial session giving your child the opportunity to meet the tutor. We also recommend that you use this time to also meet the tutor and ask them any questions that you might have. 

Ready to find a tutor? Register as a guardian/parent online now with Smile Tutors. Already registered with us? Login and start your search now.