How to choose a good tutor for a school-age student – 8 helpful tips

by Teri Fleetwood | Mar 9, 2026 | All posts

Whether you are choosing a language tutor for a child, for an adult or for a group, there are several considerations that you may want to bear in mind when it comes to finding the right person for you. Here are some ideas for you if you are looking for someone to tutor a student under the age of 18:

1. Be timely. If your student is finding the subject hard at school then consider getting a short burst of tuition as soon as possible, to get them back on the right track. Please do not leave it until just a few weeks before the exams and expect the tutor to unpick years of misunderstandings and lack of confidence.

2. Ask for their DBS check. It is not compulsory for someone to have a DBS check in order to tutor, but it is definitely good practice to do so.

3. Consider carefully whether you would be better to have tuition at your home or at the tutor’s premises. Some students work better in unfamiliar surroundings, away from familiar distractions – others do better when they feel comfortable. Do note that most professional tutors will be unwilling to be left alone with a child in the child’s own home due to safeguarding reasons.

4. Match your tutor to your needs. If you would like your 8-year-old to have a little booster then you may be fine with a University student. However, if your child has specific additional learning needs or is studying for an exam then it may be a good idea to pay extra for someone with relevant experience!

5. The GCSE curriculum and exam methods have changed in the last two years – so University students DID NOT sit the same exam that your child will be taking. If you need to be boosting grades then ask your tutor questions about how they have kept their knowledge of the curriculum up-to-date.

6. Have reasonable expectations of what you will be paying. Remember that the minimum wage for someone aged 21 or over will be £12.71 per hour from April 2026. So, if you are expecting to pay just £10 per hour you can only legally employ those aged 20 or under! With a good tutor you are not just paying for the one hour of the class, but also for the time they spend planning and marking homework. It can take quite some time to plan a student-specific scheme of work to boost that particular student’s grades in the time available. As a rough guide, prepare for the cost of the tutor to be similar to the cost of a 1:1 session with a physiotherapist or personal trainer at the gym.

7. If your tutor is just going over the same material that was covered in school, using the same books and worksheets, then it is time for another tutor. They should be adding value by bringing different/more resources. Not that you

necessarily want lots of different explanations (that’s confusing) but a range of new exercises and challenges will really help to consolidate the information.

8. Personality. Ensuring that your child gets on well with the tutor and will work nicely for them is a key element. Sometimes two people just don’t get on well, without it being anyone’s fault – so be prepared to review the situation after two or three classes to make sure that both sides are happy.

Teri Fleetwood has been providing French and German tutoring for 20 years. Her students consistently exceed expectations at GCSE and A Level through a careful mixture of topic and grammar work as well as a keen attention to exam technique.

Summer holidays are here – for your tutor too!

by Teri Fleetwood | Jul 14, 2025 | All posts

So, the GCSE and A Level exams are over, and a long summer stretches ahead of us.  What do the tutors do during the summer holidays – just relax, right?

Well, if I am writing a blog about it, then there is a fair chance that the answer is “No! We don’t just relax!”.  Here are a few of the things I will be getting up to in July and August.

• Planning for the term ahead.  That isn’t just for schoolteachers.  Those who like to work smarter rather than harder will use some of their free time to get ahead of the curve.  That may mean reading up on a new curriculum, exam techniques and teaching methods, or simply getting ahead on the lesson plans for each of the students I am expecting in September.
• Producing new material.  Yes, this does technically come under the idea of planning for the term ahead.  Creating new games, activities and even worksheets all take time, so looking back at notes from past classes can give some hints as to which extra materials would be useful.  I like to jot ideas down on my phone during the term and then develop the ones which I think will be most useful.
• Accounts.  Never the most thrilling of tasks, but getting on with the accounts and preparing the tax return for the last financial year is always easier if you are not trying to teach a full timetable at the same time!
• Marketing!  This should be an all-year-round task, but networking in particular can be hard to make time for when you are in an in-person teaching position. Writing blog posts, preparing advertising, planning social media posts, updating the website…
• Clearing the decks at home.  I really hope I am not the only tutor who finds that household tasks can slip during the busy exam-preparation period.  Fixing a dripping tap, spring cleaning (well, summer cleaning) and having a good declutter all help set up the household for the new academic year. Yes, I genuinely did finally get round to having two drippy taps fixed, and am happy to recommend our lovely plumber to anyone who is in the area!
• Reading.  I love reading, but so rarely have time to read books for pleasure.  While I have some more time available to do so, I will definitely be working through the pile of unread books that have been gathering dust over the last year.  I will also be reading the A Level texts that my students will be working on from September, so that I can refresh my memory of the texts and plan which order we will address the relevant tasks.
• Teaching!  Unlike schoolteachers, independent tutors often continue to work during the holiday seasons.  Whether that be helping school students to catch up from the past year (or get ahead for the next one) or continuing classes for adult learners, I am pleased to say that I will continue to teach while the schools have their summer break.
• Holiday.  Around all of the above we will also be fitting in some time away from home and work.  Definitely time for a much-needed rest and recharge.

Happy summer holidays everyone!