Why a tutor with fewer students is worth more per hour. Five questions to ask before you pay.

When parents compare tutors, they usually compare the price of one hour. It is a natural way to start, and it hides most of what matters. The hour on screen is the smallest part of the work.

What happens outside the lesson

Before a lesson, a good tutor remembers what the student struggled with last time, prepares the material and decides the one thing to improve today. After it, there is writing to read, comments to write and the next practice to plan. None of that appears on the invoice as a separate line, but all of it is what turns a conversation into progress.

The simple arithmetic of attention

A tutor has a limited number of hours. If the rate is low, the only way to earn a fair living is to take many students, and then every student gets a slice of a tired teacher. If the rate matches the real value of the work, the tutor can take fewer students and give each one real preparation and real feedback. This is why I limit the number of students I teach, and why my rate is what it is: it pays for the time between lessons.

A fair warning: price alone proves nothing. A high rate does not guarantee quality, and a low rate does not guarantee carelessness. What matters is what the rate makes possible. These five questions help you find out.

Five questions to ask any tutor

1. How many students do you teach at the moment? There is no perfect number, but an honest answer tells you how much time is left for yours.
2. What happens between lessons? Look for specific practice, not “just revise”.
3. Do you read my child’s written work, and how quickly do you give feedback?
4. How do you connect lessons to the assessment criteria? A tutor who knows the exam can explain this in plain words.
5. What will we do after the first lesson? You should hear a plan, with a goal and a first step.

Cheap tutoring with a full diary is often paid for with your child’s attention.

If you are the parent

Do not ask for a guarantee of marks. No honest tutor can give one. Ask instead for a clear plan and a way to see progress: a short piece of writing now, and another one in a month. Compare them side by side. That comparison is worth more than any promise.

A tutor who works this way also expects something from the student: practice between lessons. The best results come when both sides do their part. If you would like to see how I work, book an assessment lesson below.