Looking for a tutor for 5.5 year old in Windsor

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I'm trying to a find a tutor who can help my 5.5 year old son with reading and maths.

We are currently living overseas and the schooling system here doesn't teach children how to read until around 7 years old. My son has also missed a huge amount of schooling due to two very long and strict lockdown periods where the school did not offer any online learning provision. We are moving to Windsor later this year and my son will be really behind by UK standards when he goes into Year 1. I thought some extra 1:1 support from a tutor would help him catch up and build his confidence. I'm sure his new school will do their best but he really is very behind.

Can anyone please point me in the right direction on how to find an experienced tutor or PM me with a recommendation (not sure if this is allowed so sorry in advance if it isn't)?

Sorry cant help directly but my local facebook page usually have people on there that will tutor KS1. You could just join a group and ask? I'm in rural West Berks and there are quite a few in my area alone so suspect Windsor will have more.

Also if you can access it online (BBC iPlayer but have seen on youtube) in the meantime Alphablocks and Numberblocks on CBeebies are in line with the KS1 teaching. There are magazines for both as well which helped DD a lot.

Try 'Windsor & Maidenhead Gossip Girls' on Facebook. Its the best source of local info (and gossip)

Thanks for these suggestions. It looks like I will have to rejoin facebook after a 10 year break!

I was going to suggest the gossip girls FB page too !

Also there is a Company called Howlands Tutors based in Marlow who cover the surrounding areas who are well regarded

Also there is the Explore Learning Franchise in the UK

You will probably also find that teachers in the school he goes to will be able to suggest fellow teachers who also tutor

You could probably cover at home with cgp books etc.
Is he going into yr 2 next yr?

What do you mean by “very behind”?

IME it’s not unusual for kids in the UK to not be reading by year1. Reception year is learning through play, they don’t actually “teach”.

My own kids weren’t reading fluently until Year 3. Supported well by school- it just took longer to “click”. Both are in secondary now and predicted A’s and above. They also had a kid join in reception who spoke no english, let alone read and write it. They caught up fine.

Unless you are looking at more hothousing schools such as private, in year 1 I wouldn’t worry.

You need Sarah-Lynn at Bettering Minds.

Sorry, that's Bettering Youth!

He is only 5.5. He will catch up. Reading is taught too young here - there is a good reason why they do not start formal school till 7 in other parts of Europe. I would prioritise having fun over tutoring - he really will not need it.

While I agree he'll catch up quickly I do think it will be a good idea to get some ground work done before he joins a UK school. Basic phonics, pen skills and numeracy will help him hit the ground running. Go on local facebook groups to find someone to help. Alternatively simply buy some phonics books. Jolly Phonics are good for starting off. Then just find a reading scheme and work through them. For maths look up numberbonds and just do lots of interactive maths in day to day life. Snakes and ladders, count physical objects, if I add three more how many will there be? How many more do I need to make 10? etc. Developing fluency just takes practise and is best done every day rather than with a tutor.

Hi OP. Agree with that FB group. Do you have a school place already? If so I'd also speak with the school. The range of abilities starting Yr 1 is very wide but I'd do what you're doing in your shoes just to make sure he's got the basics and can enjoy school as much as possible.

Don't worry too much. By all means find a tutor but I've had children join UK schools at 7 with no previous school experience and once they get reading, they fly!
This country does have children in education too young hence why so many struggle at a young age.

Best things you can be doing:
1)read read read to him. Share books, talk about books including the pictures.

2. discuss the pictures a lot. What do you think the pictures are showing? What do you notice?

3. can he re tell any of his favourite stories that you already share?

If you want to by all means cbeebies have some amazing things. Their magazines help to introduce letters/sounds/words. Their website will do the same as will alphablocks/number blocks.

If he has all the building blocks for learning then he will be fine.