Finding the right tutor for your child is a big decision. The right choice can transform your child’s academic success and confidence, while the wrong one can waste time, money, and even harm their self-belief. But how do you choose a tutor who will truly make a difference?
Here’s everything you need to know to make an informed and confident decision.
Why Tutoring Matters
Every child learns differently. Tutoring offers a personalised approach that adapts to your child’s unique needs, helping them master skills and overcome challenges at their own pace. A great tutor not only improves academic performance but also inspires confidence, resilience, and a love for learning—qualities that last a lifetime.
Why Cheaper Doesn’t Mean Better
It can be tempting to choose the cheapest option when searching for a tutor. After all, tutoring is an investment, and parents naturally want to minimise costs. However, quality tutoring comes at a price, and for good reason:
- Experience and Expertise Matter
Services like This Child Can bring years of professional teaching experience and qualifications. This expertise ensures gaps in your child’s learning are quickly identified and addressed with effective strategies. - Personalisation Requires Skill
Tailoring lessons to a child’s needs—especially for those with SEND—requires deep understanding and creative problem-solving, which inexperienced or underqualified tutors usually lack. - The Cost of Poor Tutoring
A lower-cost tutor might save you money upfront, but the long-term effects of poor-quality tutoring can be costly. If a tutor fails to help your child, or worse, damages their confidence or motivation, you may end up spending more to undo the harm.
Investing in a qualified, reputable tutor may feel like a bigger commitment initially, but the results—improved academic performance, confidence, and overall happiness—are worth every penny.
What to Look for in a Tutor
To ensure you’re making the right choice, consider these key factors:
1. Experience and Qualifications
- A strong educational background and relevant experience are essential. Services like This Child Can have decades of expertise, including SEND specialisation, ensuring every child’s needs are met with care and skill.
2. Bespoke Teaching Methods
- Look for a tutor, like Marie, who offers a personalised approach. Every child is unique, so their learning experience should be too.
3. Reputation and Recommendations
- Seek testimonials from other parents. A reputable service will have glowing reviews and a proven track record. Parents often highlight how services like This Child Can provide not just academic growth but a noticeable boost in confidence.
4. Safety and Trust
- Always ensure the tutor or service operates professionally. Your child’s safety and well-being should always come first, so before you hire a tutor, ensure they hold a certificate verifying that they don’t have a criminal record, like a UK DBS certificate or a French casier judiciaire.
Decisions, Decisions…
Hiring a bad tutor is not only expensive, it’s detrimental to your child. Poor tutoring can worsen existing challenges around confidence, anxiety, or motivation.
But how can you spot a good tutor if you’ve never met them?
Here are some practical tips:
- Seek Recommendations: Ask other parents in your network for personal recommendations. They’ll often know reputable tutors or services that have made a real difference for their children.
- Check Online Reviews: Platforms like Google Maps offer valuable insights, with ratings and reviews that help you evaluate a tutor’s reputation.
- Speak to the Tutor: Schedule a consultation (This Child Can consultations are free!). After speaking with them, ask yourself: Would I enjoy being taught by this person? Even better, involve your child in the decision-making process—they’re the ones who’ll be working with the tutor.
Why Families Trust This Child Can
At This Child Can, we understand how crucial it is to choose the right tutor. That’s why we pride ourselves on ticking all the boxes for families who trust us:
- Specialist Expertise: With SEND qualifications and extensive teaching experience, we’re equipped to handle any learning challenge.
- A Whole-Child Approach: Beyond academics, we nurture confidence, self-belief, and a love for learning.
- Outstanding Reputation: Most of our business comes from word-of-mouth recommendations, and glowing reviews from parents highlight our ability to deliver exceptional results.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re looking for a tutor to help your child thrive, we’d love to hear from you. A free consultation is the perfect opportunity to discuss your child’s needs, and we’ll work together to create a plan that works for your family.
Don’t leave your child’s future to chance—reach out today and discover how This Child Can can make a difference in their learning journey. We can’t wait to help your child shine!