Many home educators provide all of their child’s teaching themselves, or employ tutors for occasional sport, music or art training, but some home schooling families do opt for more home tutoring time within a home education. Some of the benefits include a child getting used to a different style of teaching, and the tutor having experience of teaching the current curriculum and/or exam board requirements, if that is important for your family. This article looks at the intricacies of home tutoring and discusses ways that families can feel assured by a tutor’s background and qualifications since the law surrounding home tutoring is not watertight.
Finding a Home Tutor
Choosing a tutor is a significant decision and should not be undertaken lightly. It is important a tutor has valid qualifications and safety checks, discussed later in this article, but also, from a child’s perspective it is crucial that the tutor is someone that they get on with and can feel relaxed learning with, especially in the home environment. Ask potential tutors if you can arrange a ‘taster’ or sample session where a child can be introduced to the teacher and discover whether he or she is a good learning match for your child’s needs. You might want to sit in on early sessions, unobtrusively remaining in the background but around to hear what kind of learning and teaching is in place.
Home Tutors and Safety Checks
Your Local Education Authority (LEA) might be able to provide a list of local home tutors or teachers who they have used in their past for local teaching, and have checked with bodies like the Criminal Reference Bureau. If not, there are few laws surrounding home tutoring so it is a good idea to go to a local agency which carries out such checks themselves; ask about Criminal Reference Bureau checks (police checks), but also List-99 (banned teacher lists) and how extensive the background checks on new tutors are. Criminal Reference Bureau checks are not a legal requirement but many reputable agencies do nonetheless carry them out. Other ideas are to ask for references from other families.
Funding a Home Tutor
Local Education Authorities might be able to provide a list of local tutors, but they will not usually be able to offer financial assistance for home tuition. Prices can range from £5 – £50 an hour, depending on a tutor’s experience and qualifications and a student’s requirements.
Remember that while background checks and references are crucial, prices will not always reflect quality – sometimes a young university student who gets on really well with your child’s wavelength may be able to more successfully tutor than a qualified teacher with a long list of experience and letters after his or her name. So remember to try a few taster sessions with different tutors if necessary. Some tutors will also be able to offer discounted rates on tuition if you book for several sessions or for several subjects – this can especially help to bring down the cost of longer term home schooling tuition, so do inquire.
Hi I am looking for funding for home tutor currently my 11 year old should be starting secondary school in sep but they haven’t given me school of my choice so if she hasn’t got one I would like home tutor but obviously my funds wont stretch I would need help please could you point me in the right direction.
We don’t know any where that offers funding for home tutoring unfortunately.
My son is yr 7 and school refusing.he is ubder CAMHS and on medication for anxiety and is on autistic spec. Causing me a ridiculous amount of stress.I am considering home schooling. What would stop this being allowed?
My child has suffered homophobic abuse for four years at Mackie academy. The same person has stolen from her (been charged) and yesterday threatened to stab her. The school response is to provide my daughter with a safe space to go if she is feeling threatened. After expressing my disgust and disappointment with the schools actions of not holding the abuser/thief accountable I have been treated 2 though I am being unreasonable. Whenever I calm the scythes hang up on me. I can’t be confident about my child’s welfare at Mackie academy anymore and am considering home tutouring. Can you please advise?
I’ve made errors in my previous message. I meant to say that whenever I call the school they hangry up on me. I do not think that they are pleased that I have reported the threat of violence to the police. I felt like a bad mum putting her to that school today but it’s her 4th year which is massively impo5
Child Benefit Query Hi I have been home educating, my son since he was 15 years of age. He is now 18 years of age, I have recently received a strong letter from Child Benefit, requesting proof that my son has been recieveing a suitable Education since before his 16th Birthday. If I do not satisfy & meet their criteria by a said date, they intend to recover over £4000 from me. Previously I received Child Benefit for him, as a qualifying young person, with no difficulties. My son did not attend a special needs school, however he did have a Statement of Needs in place. His difficulties include Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Auditory Proccessing Disorder, combined with low self esteem and intimidating outburts, due to him feeling misunderstood & frustrated, at times. His area of great interest & passion is his PE session ” Boxing” at a registared Boxing club. He was not leading to any exams or qualifications. My son’s education revolved around him, to include : mainly when he wasn’t training for a boxing fights, life skills required to survive without mum being around to assist & advise him. My son is illiterate, however he’s extremely bright. Even though I deregistard him from mainstream school, before his 16th Birthday and continued to receive Child Benefit until his 18th Birthday, do I have to prove now, that I met their criteria? Child Benefit have also asked me in the same letter ” How do you expect to provide a suitable education for your son, if you go to stay in the woods, without him” I assume I can take brakes “Holiday’s” without my 18 year old son. Please could you let me know if I am legally permitted to do so and for how long please? Do Child Benefit have the right to do any of this? I have to be honest I am rather shocked. I certainly didn’t expect this after so many years passing by. Why now I ask myself! Surely they have no right? Many Thanks