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Tutoring is big business in Kent - driven predominantly by the grammar system but also to support applications to some of the best private schools and for more general support in the leadup to GCSEs and A levels. There is a plethora of experienced tutors although be warned, extracting details from parents of their highly-prized tutor can be a tricky task.
Owl tutors has reach to Sevenoaks and is particularly good for 11+ preparation. Wise Owl Tutors, based in Rochester, is a small set-up offering on-line or in-person tuition. National chain Fleet Tutors has bases across Kent and is particularly popular. The Right Tuition Company offers tuition in each of the West Kent locales (with the exception of Sevenoaks). West Kent Tutor has become a bit of a local hit, as has Kip McGrath in Tonbridge. To find individual tutors not employed by agencies, one parent said, ‘It’s always worth having a quiet word with a trusted teacher at your child’s school - they sometimes supplement their income by private tuition.’
Further east, Kumon Maths and English in Canterbury is hugely popular, so too is Tutor World based at The Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and also in Folkestone. Ashford's Sainsbury's is home to Explore Learning, providing a flexible, convenient and affordable service.
Our article on finding a tutor contains helpful information for families considering private tuition for their children. You may want to consider one of the 60+ tutor agencies we review in order to find someone who can offer in-person tuition. Companies based in London and the southeast are well used, particularly for online tutoring, and some may venture into Kent from South London for in-person tuition. You will also find listed tutor agencies (such as SENsational Tutors) that provide specialised in-person help for children with special educational needs. Online tution has grown in popularity since Covid but you’ll still need to make sure your tutor agency does all the right background checks including interviewing all tutors face-to-face and ensuring an enhanced DBS check; we only review tutor agencies that do this. We also advise only using the more established agencies – again, we only review those that have been going at least two years.
Two words of warning: Pushing a child through tutoring to scrape into an environment in which they may not thrive is a common mistake that parents often live to regret. But if you do go down the 11+ tutoring route, don’t leave it past year 4 to begin.