How To Identify The Right Tutor For Your Child

If and when you choose to hire someone to tutor your child it is critical to identify the right tutor to suit their needs and support their education. As teachers, tutors and parents ourselves, we understand just how challenging a task this can seem so it comes as no surprise that so many parents find themselves overwhelmed or at a loss for where to even begin.

At Hampstead and Frognal Tutors, it’s our goal to understand your objectives, your child’s needs and any areas of concern so we can connect you with the right tutors as seamlessly as possible. But whichever way you choose to approach hiring someone to support your child’s learning, there are simple measures that you can take to help you identify the right tutor for the job.

Why do families hire tutors?

Every family will have their own reason for wanting to hire a tutor but typically families engage the services of a tutor for one of the following reasons:

To offer homework help

Children often view homework as a chore, meaning it’s approached half-heartedly, left until the last minute or missed entirely. However, homework is a crucial part of a child’s education so a homework help tutor can provide a structured environment in which to complete homework and ensure your child has the necessary support outside of school hours

To bridge any knowledge gaps

We know children each have subjects or topics they excel in (or are more passionate about) and subjects they find more challenging. Tutors can evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their pupils and build lessons that help plug any knowledge gaps so children can excel and continue building on that knowledge when they are back in the classroom.

To support Elective Home Education

Homeschooling (also known as ‘elective home education) is becoming increasingly popular here in the UK. While some families choose to lead on homeschooling themselves, others will look to a homeschool tutor to drive lessons, or just for guidance on things like the national curriculum and public assessments.

To provide additional support in the lead-up to exams

Each child handles exams differently. Some need a helping hand with approaching unseen papers in a timed environment and others may be fine working under pressure but may need support on weaker subjects. Whatever the reason, a tutor can help ensure your child is equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to perform at their best in exams. At Hampstead and Frognal Tutors we offer tutors from the 7+ all the way through to university admissions exams and can support your child throughout their educational journey.

To provide expertise for specialist exams

From the LNATs to the GMATs to the UCATs, there are all manner of exams required for specialist subjects and a lot of pressure to perform well. Specialised tutors will be able to guide you through the admissions process and gain an understanding of your child’s academic background to develop both new and existing skills to maximise their potential.

Regardless of your reason for wanting to hire a tutor, it’s important to find the right person to fit your child’s needs so they can best support learning and development.

So how do you identify the right tutor?

Every student is different and has their own unique learning style so it’s important to find someone who can bring out the best in them and deliver content in an engaging way.

There are several steps you can take to help narrow down your search and make sure you identify the right tutor for your child.

In the UK there aren’t currently legal requirements to be a tutor so it can be hard to find someone with the right qualifications and checks in place. At Hampstead and Frognal Tutors, every one of our tutors has passed our rigorous in-person interviews, reference checks, qualification documentation validation and are Enhanced DBS Certificated.

We are also members of The Tutors’ Association (TTA) which is the only professional, associative body for tutoring that is recognised by the UK government. We recommend always engaging a tutor who is a member of the TTA as the association always puts safeguarding first and all tutors will be required to have had a recent DBS check.

Look for a tutor who possesses these qualities

• A good listener – tutoring is just as much about listening as it is teaching. Finding a tutor who is a listener means they likely have a patient nature, which is an essential skill to have. Being a good listener will allow them to actively engage with your child, take an interest in their questions and address any concerns being raised to best support learning and development.
• Personable – It may sound like a given but when you’re trying to identify the right tutor, it is essential to look for someone your child can relate to and who delivers engaging lessons. This will make all the difference as your child will more actively participate with lesson content which makes sessions fun and in turn increases the likelihood of them retaining what they’ve learnt.
• Trustworthy – Trustworthiness is such an important quality for a tutor to possess as children should feel their sessions are a safe environment to ask questions or raise concerns should they need to.
• Adaptable – There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to tutoring. Every child has specific needs but the right tutor will be able to adapt to different learning styles, assess a child’s strengths and weaknesses and develop a bespoke plan that maximises their potential.
• Able to give constructive feedback – Every child has areas in which they struggle or need a bit of extra support so being able to give constructive feedback is an invaluable skill for a tutor. When given, constructive feedback equips children with the tools and knowledge they need to progress but can also help motivate them and inspire self-directed learning going forward.

Decide whether you’d like sessions to be in-person or virtual

Face-to-face tuition is of course indisputably effective. However, both pre and post-pandemic, children of all ages have been able to reap huge benefits through virtual learning.

Convenience is a major draw for many families when it comes to online learning as it gives you  the flexibility to continue with sessions regardless of where you are.This is particularly beneficial during school holidays or for families who move regularly as you will always have a wealth of online resources at your fingertips.

Many parents also find online tuition less intrusive and disruptive to family life and children often feel more relaxed when they are taught remotely.

There’s also the option to move forward with a combination of both but ultimately, it’s what best suits your family’s lifestyle and your child’s needs.

Set expectations and clear objectives

It’s important to consider what you want the outcome of tutoring to be so you’re able to set clear expectations with a tutor. Before shortlisting tutors, ask yourself questions like:

• What do I want my child to get out of these tutoring sessions?
• What would ‘success’ look like?
• What are the areas of concern or focus for your child?
• Is there a certain time frame a tutor needs to work within (i.e. in the lead-up to an exam)?
• How often can I commit to my child being tutored?

These are all things to consider when identifying the right tutor for your child as it will help narrow down your search. You should also be transparent about your objectives when you engage a tutor as the right person will be able to appease any concerns you have and work with you to develop a tailored plan that addresses your child’s needs so they’re able to get the most out of sessions.

At Hampstead and Frognal Tutors we will have an initial consultation with you to better understand your family and your ambitions for your children to ensure we can provide you with the best tuition services to support and invest in your children’s future. All you have to do is get in touch or make a tutoring request and we’ll sort the rest.

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Useful resources:

Find out more about The Tutors’ Association here