In an ever more competitive world on top of the covid hangover, more parents turn to
private tuition for their children. Students and parents turn to science tutors as science is a core topic and can account for 2 or 3 GCSEs depending on the student's path. Private schools can be expensive so selecting tutors for additional support for selected topics can be a halfway house
that suits both the wallet and the student’s needs. Private tutors can boost a student's
grade significantly if you choose the right one.
There are many benefits to taking advantage of a private tutor. However, choosing
one can be more difficult. Here are my tips for choosing a tutor.
1) Keep your child safe
Most tutors out there are safe and passionate about their topics, that’s why they do
what they do. However, it is always best to make sure the tutor is safe to work with
children. Always ask for a DBS-enhanced certificate. DBS stands for Disclosure
Barring Service. This is a government-backed service that checks for any criminal
records and previous investigations relating to crime and child welfare. There are two
types of DBS. You can either have a physical certificate that is issued each year. This
type of certificate only checks the tutor's record once a year. The second type of DBS
is a rolling service. Checks are done monthly and are always up to date. Just ask the tutor
for a certificate number and you can look up if there are any records HERE.
2) Make sure you get a tutor that is an expert in their field.
Teachers and ex-teachers make good tutors. They have gone through training in how to
teach to get the most out of the time together with a student. They are also experts in
the curricula and make sure they only teach what your child needs to know and would
not teach anything outside the curricula. This is important as you don’t want to spend
loads of time on topics that are not necessary. Teachers and ex-teachers have also
marked many papers so know what kind of questions may come up and can prepare
your student in the best way to get the maximum mark. There are loads of tutors out
there that claim to be tutors because they graduated with top marks. However, just
because you yourself got a great mark; it doesn’t mean you have the wisdom to pass
on this knowledge. It takes many years to become a teacher. Students have a limited
concentration span, so you want to make the most of that time. It is worth spending
that little extra to hire someone that makes the most impact.
3) Does the tutor have teaching credentials?
Teachers have the best expertise to pass on knowledge. You can ask your tutor if they
have a PGCE and a QTS. PGCE stands for Postgraduate Certificate in Education. PGCE
takes 1 – 2 years of university studies to complete. The course is a mixture of theories
of teaching and learning. Teachers learn pedagogy and gives an opportunity to apply
the pedagogic techniques in the classroom while being observed. This means that the
teachers have been given pointers on how to improve their teaching techniques over time.
It is also good if the tutor has a QTS. QTS stands for qualified teacher status. This
means that they have gained a full qualification in teaching. They have spent a year in a
school, having many observations and proven that they can teach and show progress in
each lesson.
4) Teacher experience
It takes a long time to become a specialist in the curriculum and build up resources
that work. I would recommend hiring someone with at least 4 years of school classroom experience.
5) The right chemistry
It is important that the student and tutor get on well and the teacher's
style fits with the student’s preference for learning. There are many ways of teaching,
and some styles are preferable to others. Many tutors offer free or half-priced first sessions so often you can try out a session before committing to a longer
regular term. However, some tutors only charge session by session so you can try out one session
to see if it works for you and your family.
I hope you found my 5 top tips useful, if you have any questions or would like to work with Bump Your Grade, let me know here.