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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Private Tutors

9 replies

mrsmerryberry · 22/10/2013 22:21

I feel my eldest lo would benefit from having some private tuition, as is struggling a bit. I asked around the other parents in lo's class, who I know have already got tutors for their children, but they were reluctant to give me their details, so I need to search for one myself. I'm looking for advice on what you look for in a tutor, how you find one and how you decide if they are going to be any good etc.. Any advice would be welcome, as I really don't know where to start with this one. Thanks.

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MrsCropleysCookbook · 22/10/2013 22:43

I would always go by personal recommendation, so it's unfortunate that other parents are reluctant to give you details. Why wouldn't they? What a strange attitude!

If you can't go down that route, then tutors often advertise in local papers, or you could google tutors in your area, or go on your MN local site, and post for recommendations.

Once you've sorted out a few names, You'll need to contact them to find out a bit more about what they are offering, and whether it corresponds to what you want for your dc, and what they charge! It's bound to be slightly trial and error with any tutor, as it will partly depend on whether your dc is happy enough to work with them for it to be productive.

Good luck in your search!

aghteens · 22/10/2013 23:25

People are so cagey about the tutors they use (and often about whether they use them at all). I've only had to look for one once and we ended up with a wonderful guy from Tutor Pages. It's a website on which the tutors pay to advertise so not as expensive as an agency and the tutors set their own prices. We obviously had to do some checking ourselves, but the person we found was exactly what we needed. Word of mouth is of course the best, but if that's not a possibility I'd use this website again.

Tableforfour · 23/10/2013 07:23

If you want specific advice then you probably need to say where in the country you are, how old your child is and whether you are wanting to tutor in a specific subject, or for a particular exam etc.

Sparklingbrook · 23/10/2013 07:37

That is really odd-that they won't tell you. We got Ds1's tutor through recommendation by my hairdresser.

Tableforfour · 23/10/2013 08:17

If you are in the few years prior to the 11+ then tight lipped parents are the norm in most areas.

Sparklingbrook · 23/10/2013 09:43

That is so sad Table.

wheresthebeach · 23/10/2013 10:12

Ask the school - they might be able to help. At ours some of the teachers tutor. Also ask parents that have kids at other schools; sometime the lack of direct competition makes them more helpful.
It is pathetic tho...

wheresthebeach · 23/10/2013 10:13

Oh...and come end January ask parents of the kids in year 6. They'll be done their exams and their tutors will have space.

Original poster

mrsmerryberry · 23/10/2013 14:13

Thank you all for your advice on this matter. I would have preferred to have chosen one on recommendation, but I think it's the competitive streak in some people that stops them from divulging this info and probably the battle for places in selective schools etc.

Wheresthebeach, thanks for your tip on speaking to year 6 parents, they may be more willing to share information.

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