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Tutor. How many times a month to make it worthwhile?

20 replies

OhMyApplePie · 03/10/2019 20:41

Am looking at my budget for getting DS a tutor.

Am just wondering how often the private lessons are on average for it to be benefial (but also balance out the money side of things)

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ladybirdsarelovely33 · 03/10/2019 20:44

Which age is your ds and what is it for?
Mostly its weekly but keep an eye on your child re progress being made. talk to the tutor regularly about this too. You get a feel as to how they are doing

OhMyApplePie · 03/10/2019 20:56

He's 14, Yr 10. For GCSE math/science.

OP posts:

maddy68 · 03/10/2019 20:58

Weekly or fortnightly is usual

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ILiveInSalemsLot · 03/10/2019 21:01

I’d say weekly for each. He’s still have to work by himself too.

OhMyApplePie · 03/10/2019 21:53

It's the same tutor and can't afford 2 sessions a week.

It would have to be once a week but alternating between math and science I think.

OP posts:

ILiveInSalemsLot · 03/10/2019 21:57

If you’re on a budget, I’d go with just a maths tutor and have a set ‘tuition’ hour for science which he does by himself.
Get the text books for the exam board he’s doing and then go through each topic he’s covered at the end of the week.
Anything really difficult, go back to the teacher.

JoJoSM2 · 03/10/2019 22:11

If you can afford one lesson a week, then I'd do mostly Maths with the option to ask about Science if your son gets stuck. To me it seems that Maths needs more explaining and some practice with the tutor before doing things independently. Science is more of a subject that you can learn a lot on your own and just go over things you're stuck on.

It might be that within a few months your son will be up to speed on Maths and then have more focus on Science.

Justgivemesomepeace · 03/10/2019 22:15

Dd had 1 hr a week, English and Science, with the same tutor. She tended to do half hour of english and half hour of science but was flexible, depending on what dd needed support with.

VonHerrBurton · 03/10/2019 22:43

We had a maths tutor for all of Y11 for our son. It was worth every penny when he opened his results to see he'd passed when he'd done poorly in mocks and was really struggling. 1-1 help was invaluable for him. Do it if you can. It was such a relief and he got straight onto the course he wanted.

caringcarer · 03/10/2019 22:52

You make a difference you really need at least 1 hour in each subject each week. Especially as Science is split between Biology, Physics and Chemistry. I am both a tutor and a parent. When I tutor I tend to tutor A level and students so between 1-3 hours each week depending on how much they need to improve. In one year a child having 1 hour tuition each week should improve 1-2 grades depending upon their own efforts and motivation. I have tutored students who have gone from a D grade to an A grade in one year but they had 3 hours tuition each week. My own child had tuition in Maths and he went from an E grade at A level to a high C grade in a year with 2 hours each week and 4 hours each half term. Effectively you are buying a higher grade for your child. They more hours they do the higher their grade should be.

CherryPavlova · 03/10/2019 23:01

Look at tutoring via Skype - alpha tutors - we had a really positive experience and it was much cheaper.
Face to face most science tutors should manage GCSE maths and vice versa. I’d think an hour a week was a minimum but can you supplement with you or the child’s father doing some from workbooks?

Mrapmy · 04/10/2019 23:11

Hi, I'm a private tutor and I'd say that I prefer once a week to keep the momentum going but biweekly is acceptable, especially if the student is proactive and self powered, if the student is very dedicated, and the tutor gave enough direction and set work/reading to keep them going, even once a month could be ok but many tutors won't be up for that as it's hard to manage and they have to earn a living. For the best, but equivalently priced tutors Keystone is the best, followed by Holland park, owl tutors and then the websites, I also highly rate tutorhunt and first tutors, you can find the best tutors there too and it's much cheaper, there's also tutorfair, alpha, impact, tutorful and fleet, others too but these last lot are new comers onto the scene and are trying to uberise tuition which means devaluing the service for their own gain, good quality tutors who are actually good and value what they do either have to charge much more on those sites, as they take a cut from every lesson, or they attract inferior tutors. Also, I'd sincerely recommend not going with a graduate or someone inexperienced, they might know the knowledge and sound good but have no idea about the exams or exam board requirements let alone best teaching practice, I've had to clean up a lot of messes created by these types of tutors. I'd say look for a qualified teacher who is tutoring, not necessarily still teaching as right now the smart people realise mainstream school education is a little broken at the moment and have left to do an excellent job of tutoring and helping students on their own so that they can do what they love and not be hampered by all the nonsense in schooling, bottom line is check the providence and ask whether they gave experience, what their results are, do they know the exam inside out (examiners or ex-examiners are obviously the best choice) and then see if they actually help the student rather than just leaving them to it, a tutor is a support not a panacea! I really hope that helps!

Mrapmy · 04/10/2019 23:12

1 hour to 1.5 is best (with a break perhaps) as more than that concentration falls off...

Mrapmy · 04/10/2019 23:14

And yes I highly recommend Skype as it means the tutor saves time on travel, and if they are like me, they will give you that time back in better service

Mrapmy · 04/10/2019 23:16

I already do that, in reference to your additional comment, (one week politics and one week philosophy for example) and it works well, go for it!

cuddlymunchkin · 04/10/2019 23:34

One hour a week switching between the subjects. I'd recommend using Tutorhunt and First Tutors and using someone with teaching experience. My daughter had Maths tuition with a tutor from Tutorhunt, came to my house, worked with her at her pace and had a great impact. Well worth it

cuddlymunchkin · 04/10/2019 23:35

I also definitely knew I wanted face to face not online - I wanted a proper, personal experience for her.

Jem2124 · 05/10/2019 00:10

Mrapmy, reading this with interest. Do you have any idea what one might expect to pay per hour for online tutoring at GCSE level? Thanks.

Mrapmy · 06/10/2019 11:06

I charge the same as Alevel as the idea that GCSE is cheaper as it is less is illogical, if I am hired for my abilities, skill and experience those are the same whoever I teach, having said that, because GCSEs are easier someone with good subject knowledge can help and so you can use less specialist people at GCSE so can save that way, maybe in the £30 area, but if you want really good help, expect to pay the usual c.£50 an hour

Mrapmy · 06/10/2019 11:10

cuddlymunchkin when I do online, and all my online students agree, it is as personal as face to face, also, because I save time on travel you get more from me as I use the time saved to care even more, and to work a bit longer on the student in question so I really disagree that face to face is in any way better than online, indeed, I think online is much better and I have been tutoring for over a decade, if that's worth anything

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