Can I pay my child's teacher for private tutoring?

[peonyqueen]

My son is Y2 and we're considering private tuition to help boost his learning journey. His teachers job share and one of them lives local to us. I'm wondering if it's appropriate to ask her if she has an hour to spare for private tutoring? We would pay well, but would she be legally allowed to?

I would find someone else to expose your child to different teaching styles

We have to ask our head for extra work, but part time I don’t see why not

In schools I've worked with it's generally been accepted you'd not privately tutor your own pupils, even pupils from your own school to be honest, unless it was paid overtime through the school to meet a particular need. This is mainly due to the potential conflict of interests, different professional relationships.

Most teachers I know who do tutoring tutor students who friends and former colleagues have recommended them to, or students from schools they've previously taught at.

It might might your DC some good to have a different style as well.

It may not be allowed by their employment contracts considering that your son is a current pupil. Nevertheless, they will be well placed to recommend someone.

Thank you, but actually the inconsistency of teachers at my son's school is one of the reasons we're now considering additional tuition. We're supposed to have two teachers who job share, but one has been in and out with long COVID since October and so we've had 5 different teachers sharing the job each week. Sometimes TAs on their own. The other job share teacher has been leaving after lunch recently too and we're not sure why. The school is struggling under the pressure of COVID and I support them. Just looking for the best way to help my boy. Approaching teacher to ask for additional tuition doesn't feel appropriate though.

This would be a huge no no in our school. Lots of us tutor outside of school hours to make ends meet but we are not allowed to tutor anyone from the year group we teach.

One school I worked in wouldn't allow staff to tutor anyone from the school!

If you're after consistency then my advice would be to ask around for a good tutor and build a long term, consistent relationship with them. A lot can be achieved 1-1 that can't in the classroom.

I'd view it as introducing another adult as a way to create consistency. That way whatever happens with school staffing, you know he has one person who is aware of his progress over time.

Good point. Thanks guys. I'll ask the school for a recommendation. That feels more appropriate.👍🏻

This is a grey area. It is better to find a private tutor online, check references, read reviews and insist on a DBS check too.

No, the teacher would not be allowed to privately tutor a child they teach.

At my school, secondary, we’re not allowed to tutor students from our own school.

"Boost his learning journey" is a cringy expression btw. He's in year 2! If the school are so inconsistent then change schools. What do you think your child is going to gain from private tuition at this age?