Employing a Private Tutor as Part of Home Schooling

Home Tutoring In A Home School Education

Some parents feel unable to cater for their child’s entire teaching and want to hire a private tutor for some subjects, or others may book a tutor for a child’s entire home learning. It’s best to shop around as many tuition agencies offer home education packages with tutors who are especially used to home schooling. These may offer online tutoring as well as one to one private tutoring, with aims such as helping students to better understanding a particular subject, pass an exam or improve intellectual capacity.

Home Tutoring Subjects Available

Private tutoring options encompass almost every subject you can imagine, from maths and science to art and design technology – although the latter will require the home education ‘classroom’ to contain certain resources. Certainly all subjects on the National Curriculum are covered by tutors, and there will be a diverse range of tutors available in sources like the local telephone directory or online; most tutors are prepared to visit a family’s home for the lessons, although some will host lessons in their own home or another space such as a public hall. It is useful to be aware that all private tutors should know about the National Curriculum and/or qualifications such as GCSEs, ASs and A Levels and can be used as a source of advice.

The Cost of Home Tutoring

Private tutoring was once a privilege for only wealthy families but it is now developing a more mainstream appeal. Many tutors will offer their tutoring services as a supplement to their own income such as classroom teaches. Fees will normally be per hour, but if a home schooling family require a great deal of time, or several children to educate, they may be able to negotiate a discount. Fees usually start at £10 per hour and can rise by anything up to £40 an hour, but again, this may differ if a lot of time is booked for one family’s needs, or a long term engagement is organised.

Finding an Ideal Home Tutoring

Tutors can help home schooled children with a range of skills, from help with general learning of a particular subject to specialised exam tips to helping them go through past papers to advising on the expected way that qualifications such as GCSEs and A Levels will be tackled. Tutors may also help children to work out a study or revision timetable, so it is worth trying out a few tutors to find the best ‘match’ for your child as each may have different skills in these areas.

It’s important that the tutor gets on well with your child, and that he or she comes with recommendations, ask for references or go through a local tuition centre that accredits its tutors. Ask about qualifications such as teaching degrees or courses and subject qualifications such as degrees, as well as whether tutors have had a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check. Some Local Education Authorities (LEAs)may be able to offer help such as a list of tutors working in a particular area, although no funding help will usually be made available for home tuition.