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Families usually start looking for a maths tutor at a particular moment: a disappointing report, a mock result, a tier decision, or a child who has stopped trying. Which of these it is decides what kind of tutor you need.
1. Decide what the tutor is for
| Situation | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Gaps from earlier years | Someone who assesses first and is happy to go back to earlier content |
| iGCSE preparation | Experience with your child's exam board and tier, and with past papers |
| Low confidence or anxiety | Patience, a slower pace, and lessons built from things your child can already do |
| Stretch for a strong student | Comfortable with Higher tier problem solving and beyond |
2. Questions to ask before you book
- How will you find out what my child can and can't do in the first session?
- Which exam boards and tiers have you taught?
- How will you let me know what you've covered and how it's going?
- Do you have an enhanced DBS certificate, and can I see it?
- What happens if it isn't working after a few weeks?
The first question tells you the most. A tutor who plans to start on whatever the class is doing this week will help with this week's homework. A tutor who plans to find the gaps first will help with the reason your child is struggling.
3. Safeguarding checks
Private tutoring isn't regulated in England, so anyone can advertise as a tutor. Ask to see an enhanced DBS certificate and check its date, and ask for references from other families. For younger children, keep sessions in a shared room or with the door open. For online sessions, use a platform you can see and join.
4. Signs it's working, and signs it isn't
After six to eight sessions you should be able to name topics that have moved. Your child can explain something they couldn't before, and homework on those topics goes more smoothly.
Be wary if sessions are mostly the tutor doing homework alongside your child, if there's no plan you can see, or if the same topics come up week after week without change.
5. How often
Once a week is typical. What happens between sessions matters as much as the session itself: an hour a week followed by six days with no maths moves slowly. Ask the tutor for a short piece of practice to do most days, and check it gets done.
6. Give the tutor a head start
The first few sessions with a new tutor often go on finding out where the gaps are, which you're paying for. Ivy Maths can do that part before the tutor arrives: the Full Assessment shows which topics are secure and which aren't, and the year-group curriculum gives you both a checklist to work through. Before the first session, take the Full Assessment with your child and share the results with the tutor, so the first hour goes on teaching.