Education
Choosing a Tutor for Your Child By Kate Hilpern In the past, parents might employ a tutor, discreetly, to help their child keep up at school. Now tutoring is much more high profile and focuses on making students more academically competitive – getting ahead, not just keeping up. The upside is that parents have a greater choice of highly professional and specialist tutors. However, because employing a tutor is regarded by some as the mark of ‘good’ parenting, parents may waste their money when it isn’t necessary, with little or no benefit to their child. If you are considering tuition, have a clear objective such as helping your child to prepare for an exam, offering support after an extended absence from school or addressing a particular problem area. A vague feeling of unease because every other pupil in the class seems to have a tutor probably isn’t sufficient reason!
How do you go about finding a tutor? Word-of-mouth can be very effective. Talk to friends and parents at the school gates, even ask your child’s teachers for tutors in your area who are reliable, friendly and get results. Bear in mind though, that the fantastic tutor who worked wonders with your neighbour’s child may not develop the same rapport with your own. Tutoring websites, which act rather like newsagents’ advertising boards, are a useful starting point. These are little more than a collection of small ads but tuition offered here will be relatively affordable, though the onus is on parents to interview potential
tutors. Or you may want to consider local tuition companies that feature in magazines like Families. Another option is a tutor agency. These range from small, local concerns to national or even international companies. All provide a personal service and offer a choice of highly experienced, hand-picked and expert tutors, custom-built to meet your child’s needs. You’ll end up paying more but the best agencies take immense care vetting, training and matching their tutors and conducting careful follow-ups. With costs ranging from £25 to £150+ an hour, depending on the subject and your location, tuition is an investment. There’s no iron-clad guarantee that it will transform your child’s school grades so, if you proceed, then taking care how and who you choose is definitely the first step in the right direction. Kate Hilpern is from the Good Schools Guide, UK’s leading independent source of school reviews, education information and advice. The Good Schools Guide reviews over 50 tutor agencies, having visited each and talked to staff and former clients. For more info, visit www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk
REDDIFORD SCHOOL Long Established Reputation for Academic Excellence Booking now for Pre-School assessments taking place on Monday 4th January 2021
An independent day school for boys and girls aged 2 years 9 months to 11 4th IN THE TOP 100 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS Sunday Times
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Academically selective
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100% excellence in all areas - Independent Schools Inspectorate
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Children prepared for Independent / Grammar Schools’ entrance exams
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Academic excellence in a warm and caring environment
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Outstanding staff / pupil ratio across all year groups To visit the school, please contact: The Admissions Secretary, Reddiford School, 38 Cecil Park, Pinner, Middx, HA5 5HH. Tel: 020 8866 0660 Email: admissions@reddiford.org.uk
Established. 1913
www.reddiford.co.uk Registered Charity Number: 312641
4 Families North West London
Familiesonline.co.uk
