Would you let a GCSE student tutor your child for 11+?

[Saltysweets]

Just that really. I'm currently looking at tutoring options for my DS in Y4. I've tried tutoring him myself with atom learning and Bond online, but with a young toddler and work it has proven difficult lately.

I have narrowed it down to two tutors near me presently; one a grammar school student who is currently doing her GCSEs charging £15/hr. And the other an experienced lady who's been tutoring for a decade charging £30/hr.

Money is a bit of stretch right now and is the motivating factor in choosing the GCSE tutor but can't help feeling I may be going with the lesser option.


Anyone got any advice?


The student tutor does have an advantage in that she has been tutored for the 11+ herself and sat through it with flying colours to get into a super selective fairly recently. So knows and has firsthand experience of the 11+ process. She has also been tutoring for the past three years so not completely new to it, and has glowing reviews on her profile.

please help me decide

[Saltysweets]

Bump! Anybody?

[User1234567891011121314]

Hi yes I would go for the GCSE student to begin with and if you don't feel it's a good fit for your child then you can ask the other one? That's what we did. We have actually ended up at a local tuition centre and my son prefers it.

[MagicTurtle]

I guess it depends what is at stake here! The experienced tutor will be better, so how important is it that your DC gets into the grammar school? Is there a reasonably good comprehensive as a back up plan? If the answer is no I wouldn't risk the GCSE student.

[parietal]

past experience of doing tutoring is the most important thing, so if the GCSE student really has 3 years under her belt, then that it great. go with her.

[TheMooch]

With 3 years experience , I'd be tempted to try the GCSE student

[Saltysweets]

Thank you. I guess no harm in trying her out initially like you mention.

[Saltysweets]

It is fairly important for DS to get into grammar as local comprehensive is going steadily downhill (think drugs and bullying!) While DS is naturally competent, he takes me for granted and ends up annoying me while we spend time working through lessons ( not much btw, 30 minutes during weekdays and 1 hour at weekends)

At the same time, I don’t want to pressure him too much. If he doesn’t get in, he will end up going to a better comprehensive 1 hour bus ride away from us. So while I do have a back up, I just want him to try his best.

[Johnnysgirl]

A GCSE student with 3 years tutoring experience?! No.

[Saltysweets]

Thank you. That’s what I thought too! She seems very mature and confident. She is training other students years 7 and 8 too who according to their parents reviews are doing exceptionally well. While I understand teaching maths basics to a primary students is much harder than teaching older students with better foundational understanding, my gut instinct is to go with her and give her a try. Will see how things fare.

[Saltysweets]

Thank you. I’ll try her for a short period of time before I decide to continue full fledged.

[Littlemissprosecco]

An alternative would be to have a teenager come in and occupy/ play/ read etc…,with your toddler whilst you tutor! I had a teenager help me when I had three under fours, they loved it, she loved it and I definitely did!! A 15 year old to play would probably only be a few ££ per hr!

[Snoopsnoggysnog]

So she’s been tutoring since she was 12- 13? Really?

[Meredusoleil]

@Snoopsnoggysnog

So she’s been tutoring since she was 12- 13? Really?

That's what I was doing wondering 🤨

[Sockpile]

I would ask the tutors what their success rates are.
There is a tutor local to me who tutors many children who sit the entrance exam for a local school, she’s really successful and has been for years. I would look for someone like that rather than a GCSE student.

[Johnnysgirl]

@Meredusoleil

That's what I was doing wondering 🤨

Yeah, no. Only a complete fool would employ a 13 year old to tutor their child.

[Johnnysgirl]

Or indeed, imho, a 15/16 year old...

[Saltysweets]

Thank you all! Her profile says she’s been tutoring for 3 years, so I’m taking her word for it. Will be seeing and formally talking to her in person this weekend to see what exactly she means by that. Alternatively there’s a 2nd year medical undergraduate that I’m eyeing as well. Again, she was an ex grammar student and has a few years tutoring under her belt. Might try a few tutors before deciding on one

[LetHimHaveIt]

I admire her moxie, but that's crackers. She may be as bright as a button, but I doubt she'll be able to communicate/teach the syllabus to a child only a few years younger than her.

[5zeds]

i wouldn’t tutor him at all.

[BookShop]

Nope. As a PP has said get a babysitter for the toddler and do it yourself. That’s not enough experience and certainly not enough knowledge about the pedagogy of learning.

[Wishihadanalgorithm]

In all honesty - I think you’d be throwing good money away. If getting into the grammar school is so important then I would bite the bullet and definitely pay for a qualified adult and experienced tutor for your DC.

An alternative might be to buy a subscription to Bond online and you sit with your child as they work through the papers/questions.

[PestorPeston]

Go for the cheapest possible option.

Who knows maybe in a couple of years schools will realise that teachers are over qualified and employ 16yos to teach your children.

[blueshoes]

A teenager would probably not be very good at teaching the subject but will be good at marking work and answering questions if the student was relatively motivated.

I used to tutor students much younger students when I was about 17-18. It is a cottage industry in the country I grew up in. Often the student was struggling and needed someone to explain (and the parents had no time or it was beyond them) or the parents wanted someone to almost do the homework for the child whilst being a glorified babysitter.

A proper tutor with real life experience of teaching and subject matter expertise would probably be more effective but will cost more (GBP 30+ per hour).

[blueshoes]

Grammar school tutors will know the sort of questions the school will set and also set appropriate questions. Teaching to the test. That is what you are paying for. The questions could be set at a standard about 2 years ahead of what is being taught at school.

[Meredusoleil]

If she is about to do her GCSEs herself, surely she should be concentrating on preparing for her own exams rather than tutoring other children to pass theirs?!?