**POLL** Have you ever used a private tutor for your DC?

[thedollyridesout]

If so, what subject and at what age/level?

I've just been reading a reseach paper on this but I reckon I'll get as good a sample by asking the question here.

Ah, not an essay subject specialist here.

Actually, as a scientist, marking scripts does give you a huge insight into commonly held misconceptions; but as I am already interested and well read on such things it really just confirmed what I already knew .

What are the 'commonly held misconceptions'?

A simple eg from GCSE chemistry is that when metals expand the particles get bigger = commonly held misconception

Off to do school run now, have enjoyed chatting. I hope to see many more responses to my original thread OP when I get back .

Also hope to see new ipad arriving just as I get back and not when I am gone. [where's the excited face?]

Yes, DS1 for 11+ independent school entrance exams and DS2 will see a tutor for the same thing. Also did Kumon with both of them for a bit - to din in maths facts.

No; DH and I (mostly DH) helped DD prepare for 11+ last summer (successfully ).

No, never.

Well done Grimma .

I tutor and, while not strictly an examiner as such, I do mark KS2 tests. It helps in that I know exactly what they need to do to get marks when going through past papers, I know the "cop out" answers that won't get marks (I'm thinking of answers about authorial intent that are generic things like "to provide more information" that won't get a mark on most mark schemes).

I get more interest from parents because I'm a current teacher than my SATs (I know they're not strictly called that before any pedants get me) marking really though - mainly the quieter more ameanable members of a class who get away with bobbing below the surface but aren't confident in what they're doing. Generally very concientious lovely children who just haven't caught on to something first time round and have slipped a bit further behind - or ones needing a bit of a confidence boost.

I'd say I probably have about a 40%/60% split between English/Maths at the moment - but it varies a lot - sometimes I'm more English heavy, sometimes more Maths - and a lot of my kids I alternate the two, or split a sesssion depending on age/attention span.

I'm picky as hell who I take on and who I'm strategically unavailable for though - I could work a lot more than I do, but I do it mainly for the enjoyment of it to be honest - it's nice to be able to see real progress when so much of classroom teaching has dropped to the level of crowd control. A bit of a stable income helps me as well since I'm a supply and that's pretty erratic at times.

Tribunalgoer - that was a joke, no??

I had ds tutuored english and maths pre independent schools enrance exam at 11+ as he was in a state primary and I was unsure of the standard required
He won an academic scholarshipso it was well worth the money
DTs also lightly tutoured pre entrance exams - passes into all school sat for thus ensuring a choice - also money well spent

Thank you for all those responses.

I've done a little bit of analysis on them and here is a quick summary (with approx. %) of my findings:

Boys 60%
Girls 40%

11+ 30%
Entrance exam 30%
SN 10%
GCSE and A level 15% (4/5 maths, 1/5 science)
Subjects at other times 15% (4/6 maths, 1/6 english, 1/6 French)

Thanks again for all your help.

i haven't had a need to yet, but if my children were struggling then i would.

If anyone is needing a primary school tutor i do know a good one in the Northamptonshire area

DS tutored 1 hour weekly for AS ,and now A2 Chemistry .
Would have liked to add a Physics tutor but couldn't find one .

What a shame Violet.

Nope

DD did the 11+ with us coaching her. Coaching in the loosest possible sense of course. Well we did a few practice papers with her.