When's the best time to get a private tutor for GCSE

[pooky213]

My dd is in y10 and will only sit GCSE's in Y11. We are considering getting a private tutor for French or Maths but we are wondering is it worthwhile to get one now at start of Y10 or get one at start of Y11 when things start to ramp up? DD's French knowledge reasonable but Maths is weak.

Looking forward to hearing replies. Thanks.

We are in a similar situation OP and I am researching a Maths tutor for DD at present. Not because I’m a pushy parent but because DD lacks confidence in this subject and I want to give her the opportunity to do her best.

There are always different views on tutors....If I had a child who was forecast D /E in Maths or English then I think I would invest in a tutor as soon as possible ....for other subjects I would not invest in a tutor unless perhaps there had been problems with the teaching (stand in teachers - swapping schools) which are out of your Dc's control.

I had some thoughts about getting a French tutor for my DD...I think she has the ability to do French but unfortunately from Yr 9 she has just not got on with the teacher - we have had a roller-coaster ride but very recently we decided its not worth getting a tutor and indeed not worth dd continuing with French...because doing the GCSE is not really learning the language its just getting her a piece of paper that I know she will not use .....somewhere further down the line I'd like to think she will pick up a language and enjoy it ...(Yr11 now).

I think it's weird how some people get all twitchy at the word "tutor."

Most of these people don't have any issue with children studying with a teacher at school or doing extra work with a parent. But if the person who is helping the child is called a "tutor" then suddenly it become pushy/hothousing/whatever.

Fine.
If they are C grade candidates, they should get C grade jobs.
Sorry, no sympathy at all for kids wanting more than their due.

Unbelievable.

Kokeshi123

I dont think its a case of the word tutor - personally I have seen children manage OK until GCSE's when they have been tutored (had support) but then struggle afterwards because they perhaps dont have the natural ability in that subject or dont have the ability to learn independently.

Both my nieces were NOT tutored both did exceptionally well at school (10 As GCSE's - 3A's/A at A Levels) but they did get lots of assistance at home from my brother each evening. The older niece went off to Uni a few years ago and really struggled in the first year at Uni and its borderline whether she will achieve a 1st when she finishes her degree next year..... probably a mixture of always having had someone to assist and also not having fostered her own independent learning... so for me it doesn't matter where the assistance comes from if it needed frequently then it may not be interest of s child unless its to get them up to a given basic level in English or Maths.

It’s not that I’m not capable of helping DD but when I try to work with her it usually ends up with her having a strop. I’ve tried everything to make it work but for whatever reason it just doesn’t. So in our situation I think a tutor is the only answer.

I do some tutoring in English, usually with Y11 students. The parents are often responding to a request for help from their children. Just some observations on why people have booked me:

1. The timetable is crammed and schools often focus on literature at the expense of a demanding language spec. This will improve as the skills are being developed in KS3 but the new exams were rushed in and teachers have had to lump it.
2. Shortstaffing/cover teachers - ditto. This is true of superselectives as well as comps, btw. Able student underperforms.
3. Lack of confidence - student is capable but thinks they can’t do it. 1:1 can help.
4. Student needs to pass English so they can move on with the stuff they’re really good at. Student needs to pull socks up!
5. students just need a few sessions of exam practise. Dcs are all too aware that failure in English or maths will eat into their sixth form time and may restrict subject choice due to when the resit classes are timetabled. They are also aware they might not get their choice of sixth forms. If tutoring alleviates some of the stress that’s good. On the other hand, tutoring for the sake of it is pointless and a waste of money - parents and students have to be clear on what they want from it.

Quite a weak Maths & science dept has lots af the local kids being tutored - recruiting Maths and Science teachers seems to be a real struggle. Also the budget had been cut in Modern Languages - language assistants have disappeared, so opportunities to practice conversations are limited. To achieve you need to have and interest and enjoy a subject, that won't happen if you don't get the right amount and quality of teaching. So if your tutor improve confidence and interest in a subject (something a good teacher can do - but we all know that all teachers do not do this for whatever reason) then I think it's worth doing.

Wow, I’m surprised how much tutoring seems to go on in the UK!

I never had a tutor (outside UK) but studied at one of the Unis mentioned above. My kids have never been tutored and dd about to sit GCSEs this coming summer. I expect the school to teach them. If they struggle with a topic, then they should ask a teacher, get a book from the library or look it up on one of the many excellent online resources.

Exams like GCSEs are designed to be taken by 15/16 year olds and their grades should reflect THEIR ability and work ethic imo.

I wonder if there are lots of tutors on this thread making us feel the importance of getting our kids tutored

It’s not that I’m not capable of helping DD but when I try to work with her it usually ends up with her having a strop. I’ve tried everything to make it work but for whatever reason it just doesn’t. So in our situation I think a tutor is the only answer.

Really? Sounds like YOU are trying everything to make it work, not your dd.

Exams like GCSEs are designed to be taken by 15/16 year olds and their grades should reflect THEIR ability and work ethic imo. Ideally of course this should be the case but schools are not equal and backgrounds are not equal - leaving tutoring aside - ability and work ethic are only ever part of the reasons for success of a 15/16 year old.

My otherwise A*/A student DS is struggling a bit with one of the sciences at GCSE and it was really knocking his confidence and taking his study time away from subjects he was very able in thus (possibly eventually having a knock on effect in grades for those subjects).

We have found a local 6th Former who is doing Double Maths, Physics and Chemistry to tutor him ( who has just applied to Cambridge). He has only had 3 sessions so far but DS is much happier, says he fully understands the areas they have covered now.

His happiness and the fact he is more relaxed about the subject is what I hoped to achieve - any grade gain would be a bonus (and I am talking going from a starting point of aB to an A/A* so not life changing so to speak). He is also aware that once he gets to A level he'll never have to pick up a science book again (unless he wanats to!)

I was advised that for this type of low key tuition then to chosae someone who is the stage ahead in the subject is a good choice as they can relate to the student more, so a Physics A level student helping a GCSE student, a Physics undergrad helping aN AS?A level student etc.

I know there will be students who will require full on teaching/tutoring rather than the top up type style my DS requires and in those circumstances they may need a qualified teacher/tutor.

Please excuse my typos - it would appear I need a typing tutor!

I used to teach and now tutor maths, if you have a choice , do the maths now, less pressure for the child and will have positive impact on other subjects that rely on maths.