5 Things to Look For
in a Tutor

Here's something most parents don't realise: in England, private tutoring is unregulated. There's no licence, no inspection, no required qualification, and no legal requirement for a self-employed tutor to hold a criminal record check. Anyone can advertise as a tutor tomorrow.

That doesn't mean most tutors aren't excellent — most are. It means the checking is down to you. These are the five things worth looking for, and the questions that will tell you whether they're there.

1. Proper safeguarding checks — and the right kind

This comes first because it's the only one that's about your child's safety rather than their learning.

Ask to see a tutor's Enhanced DBS certificate with a Children's Barred List check. That's the level that confirms a tutor isn't legally barred from working with children. A Basic DBS check — which anyone can get — only shows unspent convictions and doesn't include the barred list at all. The difference matters.

Questions to ask

• Can I see your Enhanced DBS certificate? Does it include the Children's Barred List?
• When was it issued, and are you on the DBS Update Service?
• Are you insured to work with children?
• Do you have safeguarding training, and what would you do if you had a concern about my child?

A good tutor will answer all of these without hesitation, and won't be offended you asked.

2. Qualifications and experience that match your child

A qualified teacher isn't legally required for private tutoring, and plenty of good tutors aren't teachers. But Qualified Teacher Status tells you something specific: that someone has been trained in how children learn, not just in the subject itself. Knowing maths and knowing how to teach maths to a child who's stuck are different skills.

What matters even more is relevant experience. A tutor brilliant at stretching confident A-level students may not be the right fit for a Year 4 child who has lost confidence in reading. If your child has SEND — ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety — ask directly about experience with that.

Questions to ask

• Are you a qualified teacher? What age groups have you taught?
• Have you worked with children like mine — same age, same stage, same needs?
• For exams like the 11+: how familiar are you with the specific test my child is sitting?

3. They start by finding the gaps, not by starting a timetable

Weak tutoring begins with a booking. Good tutoring begins with a question: where exactly is this child, and why?

A tutor who launches straight into worksheets without first working out what your child already knows and where they're getting stuck is guessing. Children rarely struggle with a whole subject — they struggle with specific pieces of it, and those pieces are often further back than anyone expects. Finding them first is what makes every session after it count.

Questions to ask

• How will you find out where my child is before you start?
• Will there be a plan, and will I see it?
• How will we know if it's working?

4. They keep you in the loop

You should never have to wonder what's happening in your child's sessions. A good tutor tells you what they've covered, what's improving, and what's still hard — regularly and honestly, including when progress is slower than hoped.

This matters beyond reassurance. Regular updates let you reinforce the right things at home, and they give you something concrete to take to school if a wider conversation is needed.

Questions to ask

• How often will I hear about progress, and in what form?
• Will you tell me honestly if something isn't working?
• Are you happy to share information with school if it would help?

5. The right fit — and a chance to find out

You can check every box above and still have the wrong tutor, because the most important ingredient in tutoring is one you can't see on a certificate: whether your child feels safe, understood, and able to try things they find hard with this particular person.

That relationship does much of the work. A child who trusts their tutor will attempt the question they'd otherwise avoid, admit when they don't understand, and keep going. A child who doesn't, won't — however qualified the tutor.

So look for a tutor who wants to talk before you commit, and pay attention to how they talk about your child: whether they ask about the child as a person, not just their grades.

Questions to ask

• Can we talk first, before I commit to anything?
• What would a first session look like?
• Do you ask about my child as a person, or only about what they're studying?

A quick checklist

• Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List — seen, not just mentioned
• Insured and safeguarding-trained
• Qualified and experienced with children like yours
• Starts with an assessment and a plan you can see
• Regular, honest updates on progress
• A conversation first — and a good fit for your child

Frequently asked questions