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Original poster

Do alot of private school students also use external tutors ?

60 replies

midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 11:23

This is a Private School vs State School plus tutors thread. Posting in AIBU for traffic.

I am in the process of looking at state and private secondaries. My DC are currently in primary state. They are both currently in the middle sets and doing ok.
DC1 is studious (but has mild ASD) and loves science but I am concerned that in a state secondary she will not have the opportunity to do triple science as they tend to only allow those that are in top set. The private school we are looking at allows majority of it's students to take triple science.
DC2 loves Maths but needs structure and to be pushed.

I went to state and private, and thrived in private as the class size is smaller. I'm easily distracted (so are my children), so in state I would tend to do the minimum whereas I was pushed in private school. I am aware that the quality of teaching in both varies from teacher to teacher.

I cannot afford to send them to private school AND pay tutors, so my question is: if your child is at private school, do you feel the need to pay for tutors as well, especially as they are approaching G.C.S.E.'s and A-Level's ?

OP posts:
Luisa27 · 14/05/2018 11:29

No, we don’t feel the need to pay for additional private tutoring, although our children aren’t approaching GCSEs/Alevels yet. My DSs children are though - and they’ve not needed additional tutoring either (private sector)

WickedGoodDoge · 14/05/2018 11:31

We’re in Scotland so different exams but our private school strongly discourages tutors. Having said that, we did hire a tutor for a few months when DS switched from Mandarin to Spanish (long story) and was a year and a half behind the rest of the Spanish class- everyone agreed a tutor was needed there to help him catch up!

JacquesHammer · 14/05/2018 11:33

if your child is at private school, do you feel the need to pay for tutors as well, especially as they are approaching G.C.S.E.'s and A-Level's ?

Not that age but DD just took her 11+ and passed without a tutor. She is at a private prep. We didn't do so much as a practice paper. In the run up to the season for private school entrance exams they did offer practice papers to those who wanted them.

As you said though, the quality of the education depends very much on the individual school.

Original poster
midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 11:37

Wicked just out of curiosity, why does the school discourage tutors?

OP posts:
llangennith · 14/05/2018 11:52

DD3 was at private school but still struggling with maths so she had a lovely maths tutor for two years to help her pass her GCSE. She hated maths and only scraped a C but she didn’t have to do maths ever again.
The rest of us in the family love maths and DD3 thinks we’re odd!
Her school we’re fine with tutoring but I’ve found state schools discourage it, no idea why.

RedSkyAtNight · 14/05/2018 11:56

tutoring is rife at my niece and nephew's private school.
I'm not sure your statement that "state schools tend to only allow those in the top set to take triple science" is necessarily correct. Have you asked the question at your local schools (about 50% of DC's school takes triple science - very "average" intake).

midnightmisssuki · 14/05/2018 11:57

my daughter is in private school and we have had friends who's kids were in private school too - they had tutoring towards the end for that little bix extra - it went well for them and both the children did exceedingly well - the son is off to cambridge soon and the daughter is studying to be a surgeon. My husband has said no to private tutors for ours simply because we are already paying for private education so he doesnt see why he should pay twice - but i would wait to see how they are doing in school, they might not need it even. Good luck op.

mastershelp · 14/05/2018 11:58

Tutoring aside, most schools only allow top set pupils to do triple award science (and Further maths) for that you need to be of an academic standard to do it. I would be concerned about a school that is willing to put every pupil forward.

mastershelp · 14/05/2018 11:59

for the reason*

wigglybeezer · 14/05/2018 12:05

They do round here, usually for Maths when exams are looming. I also know some younger kids doing Kumon and Kip McGrath classes, their parents seem to be the type who hate kids not being busy all the time and for whom average performance is not good enough.

Flexoset · 14/05/2018 12:06

Recently moved DD from state to private (primary school) and I'm amazed how many of the kids also have tutors. I had always assumed that if you were paying for private school then you shouldn't need to pay for tutors as well!

Fwiw there were a lot of tutored kids in her state primary as well, and the school had a very positive attitude towards this. In fact at least one teacher was also a private tutor to one of the girls in her class.

ferrier · 14/05/2018 12:07

No.
Had dc in state and private. Paid for tutors for some subjects for some dc in state. Never paid for tutors for the ones in private. Been through GCSEs and A Levels.

lucy101101 · 14/05/2018 12:10

Read this:

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/state-school-pupils-private-tuition-risen-third-a7231406.html

High rates of tutoring in both sectors but much higher in the private sector (which bears out my experience....)

WickedGoodDoge · 14/05/2018 12:34

midge They have concerns that different approaches will lead to confusion for students and hinder more than help. If you do want to use a tutor you are highly encouraged to speak to the school first. The school also has loads of extra support in place for students (lunchtime sessions, one off workshops etc) if needed.

Having said that, I really don’t know if other parents use tutors- certainly none do within DC’s friendship group, but it’s a big school and that doesn’t mean much. Grin

Original poster
midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 12:36

thanks all. Really useful info.

Wicked do you have to pay extra for extra support from school, or is it included ?

OP posts:
Luisa27 · 14/05/2018 12:40

Just to add - I’m guessing it depends hugely on the quality of the (private) school - they vary enormously- and also on the academic ability of the individual child.

Snowysky20009 · 14/05/2018 12:40

Surely if you child is really good at science they will be in top set anyway. If they aren't, I would question their ability to do triple science. I done double award and got BB, with 95% and 98% on my papers. However, I believe I would have struggled doing triple science, as I seen the stuff some of my friends was doing who were taking them.

uselesstwonk · 14/05/2018 12:42

I'm a tutor and all of my students are at private secondary or grammar school. My own DC are at a state secondary and do not have tutors (one is doing GCSEs) however, many of their peers there do have tutors.

Original poster
midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 12:45

Snowysky
I def. wouldn't have been in top set for science in year 9, but I took triple at private and got A* B C. So in state, I would have been forced to take double and then take more essay based GCSE's (which i'm rubbish at).

OP posts:
Original poster
midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 12:46

uselesstwonk - thanks, that's really useful to know.

Are you a science tutor or a different subject ?

OP posts:
MeanTangerine · 14/05/2018 12:51

I worked in a private school for a while. Lots of the kids had private tutors, which the staff all thought was a bit weird. If, as a parent, I thought my privately-educated child needed more help, I would expect the school I was already paying to provide it.

uselesstwonk · 14/05/2018 13:01

midgemaisel1, I'm an English tutor. I know a Maths tutor and a Science tutor locally who both tutor mostly at private/grammar/uni too.

Re the triple science issue, my DC at state secondary aren't forced to do double science. One of my DC who is currently doing GCSEs isn't a particularly talented scientist and is doing the triple. One who has just chosen options is doing the double (or whatever it is called now) but was told she can do science A levels (which she won't) as long as she does well enough in them.

TonTonMacoute · 14/05/2018 13:05

There is no way I would have paid extra for tutoring. If my DS was struggling with a subject or needed extra help or work, I would have expected the school to provide it.

Original poster
midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 13:11

uselesstwonk - thanks for the info. I've been told that sometimes they look at who is in top set Maths/English to work out who should take triple science. From what age do you normally tutor prior to GCSE's ? So for example a child who is on for a D in English (dislikes reading) to getting a B ? I'm asking an impossible to answer question, aren't i?

OP posts:
Original poster
midgemaisel1 · 14/05/2018 13:15

TonTonMacoute
In some selective privates, the children get thrown out if not keeping up to speed, hence concerned that I would have to pay for tuition on top.

I thin my best bet is to go for state and then tutoring on top, for a couple of key subjects, if required.

OP posts:
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