Hunting down the best tutors

Word-of-mouth is the most effective and popular way to source good tutors especially as generally, the best tutors do not work for an agency – they don’t need to.

A good tutor, especially in English, maths or science, is a local treasure. Their name guarded jealously by parents who, are often less than keen for other people’s children to have the advantages they are buying for their own.

A lively local network and simply knowing people is the way to find out who in your area is reliable, friendly and has good results.

However, the best local tutors are usually very busy and may well have waiting lists. If you need someone who will be flexible on account of your son’s karate competitions or music lessons or the au pair’s English classes, you may well find yourself relegated to the bottom of a long waiting list. It’s also more difficult if you are out at work all day or new in an area and don’t know who to ask about good tutors. Try talking to your child’s teachers, if they are prepared to discuss your concerns. Many teachers may be happy to help a little outside school or know of other people who tutor. However, all too often, sadly, the teacher is defensive and feels you are being critical, or it is the teacher herself who is the problem and your child needs some support to overcome the deficiencies of the school provision. So – where do you go for help?