Choosing the perfect online tutor for your child is an important step, and if you’re reading this, you’re already taking a proactive approach to support their learning — especially with the pressures of GCSEs or A-Levels. This article will show you the best way to find a tutor, simply by asking and thinking about the right questions. 

As an online tuition company ourselves, we’ve seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t, and in this article, we’ll provide impartial, practical advice to help you make the right decision for your child’s needs.

Step 1: Find out your child’s preferred learning style.

Understanding your child’s learning style is a key step in choosing the right tutor and helping them get the most out of their education. 

Some children are visual learners who benefit from diagrams, charts, and videos; others are auditory learners who absorb information better through discussion and listening. There are also kinaesthetic learners who prefer hands-on activities and movement to fully engage with content. 

You can identify your child’s preferred learning style by observing how they respond to different types of revision or by using simple learning style quizzes available online.

Knowing how your child learns best allows you to match them with a tutor who can tailor their teaching approach accordingly, making lessons more effective, enjoyable, and confidence-boosting.

Are there any specific skills you want your child to develop?

When choosing a tutor, it’s helpful to consider any specific skills you want your child to develop—such as exam technique, essay writing, critical thinking, or confidence in speaking. Identifying these goals early allows you to find a tutor who specialises in those areas and can tailor their approach to meet your child’s individual needs.

Does your child have any interests that a tutor can connect with?

It’s also worth thinking about your child’s interests, whether they enjoy sports, gaming, literature, or science fiction, as a tutor who can connect with these interests can make learning feel more engaging and relatable. When a tutor can draw on a student’s hobbies to explain concepts or examples, it helps build rapport and boosts motivation.
 

Step 2: Set your expectations — What do you want to get out of your child’s tutor? 

Before choosing a tutor, it’s important for parents to set clear expectations about what they want to achieve from the tutoring experience.

How long do you plan on tutoring your child, and how frequently?

Consider how long you plan to continue tuition—whether it’s short-term support in the lead-up to exams or a longer-term arrangement to build skills and confidence over time. You should also decide how frequently you’d like your child to have lessons each week, based on their schedule and learning needs.

Are you aiming to improve their grades, build confidence, or prepare for an exam?

Most importantly, define your goals: are you hoping to raise their grades, help them catch up in a specific subject, prepare them for a GCSE or A-Level exam, or simply boost their confidence and engagement with learning? Being clear about your expectations will help you choose the right tutor and measure the success of the sessions more effectively.

Step 3: Know the signs of a professional, qualified tutor. 

Safety is an important part of finding a good tutor. All of our tutors undergo a rigorous recruitment and interview process to ensure the highest standards of teaching. This includes verifying key documents such as degree certificates, teaching qualifications, and enhanced DBS checks.

How do I know if a tutor has passed all the right safeguarding checks?

Parents can view each tutor’s profile to check if a DBS check is in place and to see their experience with specific exam boards, helping families make informed choices for their child’s education. This is the best way to find a tutor who is safe and qualified.

How do I find out what other parents are saying about the tutors I’m thinking of?

Testimonials from both students and parents are available to view on our website, offering honest feedback about our tutors and the quality of our tuition. You can also view our TrustPilot reviews here.

 See below for some examples from our recent students:

The best way to contact your child’s tutor with any questions or concerns is through your dashboard on the TutorsValley website.

This secure messaging system ensures clear and direct communication, and tutors will respond within 12 hours to keep you informed and supported at every step.

Step 4: Weigh up the pros and cons of online tutoring versus in-person tutoring. 

When deciding between online tutoring and in-person tutoring, it’s important to weigh the advantages and limitations of each to determine what will work best for your child’s learning style, schedule, and needs.

If you want to read an in-depth conversation about this you can click on our Online vs In-person Tutoring - Which One Is Better For Your Child? article here. 

But here is the general summary of our thoughts on the matter: 
 

In summary, both online and in-person tutoring have their strengths and challenges. The right choice ultimately depends on your child’s personality, learning style, and practical considerations like availability and budget.

Step 5: Weigh up the pros and cons of individual versus small group tutoring.

When deciding between individual and small group tutoring, it's important to consider how each format aligns with your child’s learning needs, goals, and personality.

Both options can be highly effective, but they differ significantly in terms of teaching strategies, interaction, cost, and how progress is tracked.

The advantages and disadvantages of individual tutoring.

Individual tutoring provides highly personalised support, adapting to your child's specific needs, pace, and learning style. This one-on-one focus greatly benefits students needing extra help, preparing for high-stakes exams, or lacking confidence, offering immediate feedback and continuous progress tracking.

However, it's generally more expensive and offers fewer chances for peer interaction or collaborative learning.

How do teaching strategies differ in small groups?

Small group tutoring, typically involving 2 to 5 students, can offer a more collaborative and dynamic learning environment.

Tutors in group settings use different teaching strategies, such as peer discussion, group problem-solving tasks, and shared feedback, which can foster critical thinking and help students learn from each other. 

This format encourages communication and teamwork, which are valuable skills in themselves.

While the tutor's attention is shared, many still assess each student’s progress effectively by assigning individual tasks, rotating focus during sessions, and using shared documents or learning platforms to track achievements.

Group sizes are kept small enough to ensure that every student receives personal attention and feedback. However, the group setting may not suit every learner, particularly those who are very shy, easily distracted, or need significant personalised support.

Additionally, the pace of the session might be less flexible, as it must accommodate the needs of all group members.

Are their availability and cost differences?

One of the most practical benefits of group tutoring is its cost-effectiveness — the hourly rate per student is usually lower than for one-on-one sessions.

Group lessons are also more readily available during peak times, and many providers, like online tuition platforms, offer structured small group courses designed around specific exam boards and topics.

How will a tutor in a small group assess my child’s progress effectively?

In summary, individual tutoring is ideal for highly tailored learning and focused exam preparation, while small group tutoring offers cost savings and valuable peer interaction with slightly broader instruction. The right choice depends on your child’s academic needs, confidence level, preferred learning style, and your family's budget.

Step 6: Ask these questions to get the most out of your tutors:

What kind of activities are involved?

Tutoring sessions typically involve a variety of engaging and structured activities designed to support a student’s understanding and progress. So be sure to ask if your tutor will include the following:

The reviewing of past topics to reinforce knowledge

Working through practice questions or exam papers

Sing interactive tools like whiteboards, quizzes, and visual aids to explain complex concepts.

Execises to help students develop key skills such as essay writing, problem-solving, and time management. 

Sessions that focus on discussion and explanation to build confidence and deepen understanding.

Activities that tailored to the student’s learning style and goals, often ending with a summary, feedback, and clear targets for the next session.

Will the tutor provide regular feedback on my child’s progress, and how will this be communicated to me?

At TutorsValley, each tutor will provide clear, personalised feedback on your child’s progress through a detailed session report.

This report is shared at the end of every lesson and outlines what was covered, how your child performed, and any areas that need further attention. It also includes specific targets and goals for the next session, giving you a transparent view of your child’s development and keeping everyone aligned on their learning journey.

How will they keep my child engaged and motivated during online sessions?

During online sessions, a tutor keeps a child engaged and motivated by using a variety of interactive teaching methods tailored to the student’s learning style.

This might include digital whiteboards, educational games, quizzes, videos, and real-time problem-solving activities to make lessons dynamic and enjoyable.

Tutors also use regular praise, encouragement, and goal setting to help build the child’s confidence and maintain focus.

By incorporating the student’s interests into the lesson and breaking down complex topics into manageable parts, tutors make learning feel more accessible and relevant.

Frequent check-ins and active participation keep students involved, while varied activities ensure sessions remain fresh and stimulating.

What online platform or tools do your online tutors use, and will my child need any special software or equipment?

TutorsValley delivers its online lessons through Merithub, a secure and user-friendly educational platform designed specifically for tutoring.

Unlike generic video conferencing tools, Merithub is built with learning in mind — it allows tutors and students to use interactive whiteboards, share documents, complete quizzes, and track progress all in one place.

A key feature of Merithub is that each session is automatically recorded, so students can review lessons at any time for revision or reinforcement.

There’s no need to download additional software; all that’s required is a laptop or desktop computer with internet access. This makes Merithub a simple, reliable, and highly effective platform that supports engaging, personalised learning experiences.

How flexible is the scheduling? Can we arrange sessions at times that fit around my child’s schoolwork and extracurricular activities?

Yes. At TutorsValley, we offer flexible scheduling to ensure that tuition fits seamlessly around your child's schoolwork and extracurricular activities.

Regular sessions are booked in advance on a day and time that suits the child, their family, and the tutor, providing consistency and routine.

If a child is unwell, sessions can be easily rearranged for when they are feeling better, and we understand that family schedules can change — so with 48 hours' notice, any session can be rescheduled to accommodate other commitments.

This flexibility ensures that tuition remains supportive, not stressful.

How will the tutor track progress towards exam goals, and will this be communicated to me?

Our tutors carefully track each student’s progress towards their exam goals by setting clear, achievable targets and monitoring performance regularly.

After every lesson, a detailed weekly session report is shared, outlining what was covered, how the student performed, and what targets will be worked on next.

This ensures transparency and consistent progress tracking. For any additional queries or communication, parents can easily get in touch through our website, making it simple to stay informed and involved in their child’s learning journey.
 

Conclusion — Finding a good tutor. 

We hope that, after reading this guide, you’re armed with the best questions to ask around in order to help you find the best tutor. While you’re here, we’re confident that the best way to find a tutor is through our range of tutors will be just what you are looking for:

Find Your Perfect Tutor In Seconds With Our Personalised Tutor Matcher — Right Here! 

Select the relevant subject option and you will be matched with hundreds of qualified tutors with their own reviews from pupils and information about their teaching styles and feedback. For more information on what we proudly consider to be amongst the best online tutoring services, visit our homepage here.