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Secondary education

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Original poster

Too much tutoring?

56 replies

Spacemoonpf · 09/01/2025 22:06

Hi all. Is this too much tutoring for my daughter? She got 2 and 3’s in her mock exams. Worried there’s no time for actual revision

Mon: 5pm Chemistry & 6:30pm Maths
Tue: 7pm English Language & 8:15pm English Literature
Thu: 5pm Business Studies
Fri: 5pm Biology & 6:15pm Physics

OP posts:
Whatkatyforgottodo · 09/01/2025 22:09

Yes I think that’s too much. After a full day of school, one subject in an evening is enough. I would focus on maths and English as they are the ones she will have to retake if she doesn’t get a 4. Is she year 10 or 11? What are her forecast grades? What does she want to do after GCSE’s? Motivation always helps!

Emotionalsupporthamster · 09/01/2025 22:12

Why are you putting her through so much tutoring? She’s already at school all day! She must be done in with all that.

Macaroni46 · 09/01/2025 22:18

That's a ridiculous amount of tutoring. Just focus on one or two subjects.

MrsHamlet · 09/01/2025 22:19

No time for rest!

Thats's utterly insane.

Teeheehee1579 · 09/01/2025 22:23

I’ll risk a flaming and say that this is what my DD has too. There has been so much disruption in her classes and she is capable of getting better grades (we are certainly not prepared to accept a pass in only maths and English when she can do better in all of them with some help). I consider tutor part of revision not aside from and frankly kids are capable of putting their heads down and getting on with revision for the relatively short period of time GCSE’s last for. If a tutor assists that then so be it.

Softdressesandblouses · 09/01/2025 22:24

The language and literature should be rolled into one lesson.

Teeheehee1579 · 09/01/2025 22:24

And there’s plenty of time for rest in that timetable. Are the rest of you not having your kids do revision in the run up to GCSE’s?

Teeheehee1579 · 09/01/2025 22:25

Softdressesandblouses · 09/01/2025 22:24

The language and literature should be rolled into one lesson.

Why? The papers are quite different.

LondonHOPDad · 09/01/2025 22:27

We've not really started GCSEs yet, but that does feel a lot. I would also agree with @Whatkatyforgottodo and focus on Maths and English as those are the grades you need for many things.

I think key is working how they will learn / understand / remember the best way, which might be online learning tools / tutoring / past papers / staying at school if they offer it with a teacher you can ask questions to etc.

And also as another poster said what are the predicted grades / is this a blip or expected based on past years? Is there something else at play?

Good luck.

UpSkilling · 09/01/2025 22:27

I think it's fine.

GentlyAnarchistic · 09/01/2025 22:29

I don't believe any parent would inflict that on their DC. What grades were you thinking she'd get?

Whydoeseveryonewanttoargue · 09/01/2025 22:30

No not with those grades. Cut back as grades improve but would do the same if my kids were n the same boat.

KittenPause · 09/01/2025 22:30

It's not too much at all unless she's finding it too much

It's just like doing homework only she's spending time with a tutor

Private schools have an hour or 2 after school everyday to complete HW so it's no different than that really and they open up over the Easter holidays to prep for GCSEs which is how they manage to get so many students to at least pass and scrape a 4

She's working towards her GCSEs so now is the time to work hard,

MumChp · 09/01/2025 22:32

It can be done depending on what the goal is. What is your goal with tutoring? Does your child benefit from the tutoring?

It takes time to do work with a tutor not only totur presents. Your pupil need time for preparation and work outside class. Any homework set?

I would move some tutoring to weekends. Very long days.

Fuckthecamelyourodeinon · 09/01/2025 22:48

Seems like a lot but you do need maths and English so probably worth it. But what does she want to do afterwards GCSEs? If she's having to have extra hours every week to pass a subject at GCSE I assume she doesn't want to study those subjects any further because she's going to find it getting increasingly difficult. ...

StJulian2023 · 09/01/2025 23:25

Hmm, depends on the child I guess. Sounds expensive! My Y11 DC has an hour of English and an hour of maths a week - severe inattentive adhd, aiming to sit six GCSEs and needs four 4s for the level 2 college course he wants to do in Sept. He won't do a stroke of work independently at home - demand avoidance is strong with this one - hence the tutors. But he's also exhausted in the evenings after a day in an environment that doesn't suit him, so not overdoing it. Other DC won't need tutors and will likely sit 11 GCSEs and do very well - so as I say, depends on the child

clary · 10/01/2025 01:04

I think that firstly (assuming she is year 11?) the tutoring will be revising – tutors should be going over concepts that are not clear or exam technique at this stage of year 11.

I think it is a lot though – an hour of tutoring is quite intense (for tutor and tutee) and quite draining. Is there time for sport or Guides or drama club or whatever she does for fun?

I agree that you need to think about what you hope to gain from the tutoring. Yes, ideally she needs to gain a 4 at least in maths and English; if these were 3 in November mocks then that is probably achievable. But what about the business? The physics? Are these subjects she is hoping to gain a pass in? If so, to what end? If she is looking at grades of 2/3/4 this summer, that's fine if that is the best level for her. She is not likely to take physics and the rest any further with possible grades of 3/4.

What is her plan for post-16? College? what level of course? Apprenticeship? what grades does she need? I think I would focus on gaining those tbh. You are paying for tutors for seven subjects. Not many post-16 destinations (any?) need seven GCSE passing grades. Five is much more likely so maybe focus on the best five.

As an aside, if you are paying (say) £30 an hour (which is pretty cheap for GCSE tutoring) you are spending more than £800 a month on this. Even if you only started this month, that's going to be more than £4k by the time we get to exams. That's a lot if it's not really useful or needed.

GildedRage · 10/01/2025 01:06

surely that's dependent on the young person.
IF they are doing their best to stay alert in class they may be too exhausted in the evening to retain much. of the topic is indeed over their head and you need to have their their level of knowledge assessed by a professional (equally an assessment for add)
maybe an experienced tutor will be able to discern this rather quickly but if you (parent) are pushing this it may negatively impact your parent-child relationship.
if you simply put her in a room by themselves with a book they may daydream and the imposed study time will be futile.
equally they may be rather bright and realize the "mock" is not the real thing and not of any importance to them (at their stage of teen brain development).

Softdressesandblouses · 10/01/2025 07:02

Teeheehee1579 · 09/01/2025 22:25

Why? The papers are quite different.

Show quote history

No, they really aren’t. A good tutor would efficiently sort objectives and maximise time.

PatChaunceysFruitCake · 10/01/2025 07:33

What other activities does she do? Is she year 11 now so this is only until May?

redskyatnight · 10/01/2025 07:41

Softdressesandblouses · 10/01/2025 07:02

No, they really aren’t. A good tutor would efficiently sort objectives and maximise time.

Show quote history

Knowing how to structure a creative writing piece is not going to help you with understanding the main themes of Macbeth.

I think it depends what the tutoring comprises. If it's very full on 1-1 working it sounds like a lot. If it's more that she has someone sit with her while she works and can direct her revision so it's more supported homework, that would probably be ok.

Also depends what other homework she has - if this is in lieu of homework it sounds more reasonable than if she has to 2 another 2 hours of school homework on top.

TeenToTwenties · 10/01/2025 07:47

I think it sounds far too much unless there are unusual circumstances.

I would go for English Lang and Maths, and if you really must one other subject.

What are plans for post 16? Are they realistic, eg a Level 2 course, or are you set on A levels with no plan B?

Resitting English & Maths is a pain.

MarchingFrogs · 10/01/2025 07:51

Spacemoonpf · 09/01/2025 22:06

Hi all. Is this too much tutoring for my daughter? She got 2 and 3’s in her mock exams. Worried there’s no time for actual revision

Mon: 5pm Chemistry & 6:30pm Maths
Tue: 7pm English Language & 8:15pm English Literature
Thu: 5pm Business Studies
Fri: 5pm Biology & 6:15pm Physics

Are there 2 or 3 subjects in which she is actually secure, or are the grades achieved in your DD's mocks linked to the reason(s) for her being on a reduced timetable at school?

Original poster
Spacemoonpf · 10/01/2025 09:05

Thank you all for your replies. Yes she’s year 11 at the moment. She wants to do English literature, English language and business for A level. Is it worth just focusing on English literature and language, maths, business and 1 other and not put as much effort in the other subjects?

OP posts:
curious79 · 10/01/2025 09:09

The house is on fire and you need to put it out. Desperate times call for desperate measures. She will survive without having free evenings for a while. I worked much harder and longer myself for my GCSEs leading into the exams. All the people who are saying it’s too much clearly have missed the point that if you don’t do something pretty drastic now it’s gonna be a disaster in the summer.