How to Choose a Primary English Tutor

Hiring a primary English tutor is one of those decisions where the market feels opaque. Anyone can call themselves a tutor. Prices span a huge range. And the person you're inviting into your child's world — in person or via a screen — will shape how they feel about reading and writing for years. This guide is the checklist we wish every parent had.

The non-negotiables

Enhanced DBS check. For anyone tutoring children, this is the baseline. Ask to see the certificate — a legitimate tutor will show it without hesitation. We explain our own approach on our tutor vetting page.

Safeguarding training. Any tutor working with primary-age children should be able to describe their safeguarding policy in plain English: how sessions are supervised, how concerns are reported, how online sessions stay safe.

A relevant background. Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), a primary teaching degree, or substantial experience with the primary curriculum — one of these should be true. An English graduate with no primary experience is not the right fit for a seven-year-old learning to segment words.

Public liability insurance (for in-person tutors) and clear terms of business.

The questions to ask on a first call

• "How do you plan sessions for a child at my child's stage?"
• "What does progress look like after a month? A term?"
• "How do you handle it when a child gets stuck or upset?"
• "How and how often will you tell me what we're working on?"
• "What does your safeguarding policy cover?"

Listen for specifics. A tutor who talks in generalities ("I make it fun!") is probably improvising each session. A good tutor talks about phonics phases, guided reading, sentence-level grammar, and how they diagnose gaps.

Red flags

• No DBS, or hesitation to show it.
• Wants payment upfront for a long block before you've had any sessions.
• No trial or free consultation. Every reputable tutor will offer a short conversation before you commit.
• Vague progress reporting. "She's doing well!" every week means nothing.
• Pressuring you to book more sessions than you asked for.
• No parent contact during or after sessions — you should hear from the tutor, not just your child.

Green flags

• Asks about your child before selling themselves.
• Wants to see a recent piece of writing or a school report.
• Explains their assessment approach for the first couple of sessions.
• Has an opinion — kind, but honest — about where your child is now.
• Is happy for you to sit in on early sessions.

Online vs in-person

Both work. Online is often better for shy children who feel safer in their own home, for parents in rural areas, and for finding a specialist tutor (SEND, 11+). In-person suits younger children who fidget on screens and children who benefit from physical materials.

Our tutors work both ways — you can meet the team to see who might suit your child, or book a free consultation and we'll pair you with a tutor whose specialism matches your child's needs.

One last thing

The best predictor of whether tutoring will work is whether your child likes their tutor. Skills, credentials and pedagogy all matter — but a child who looks forward to Tuesday at 4pm will make more progress than one who dreads it. Give yourself permission to change tutors if the fit isn't right. A good tutoring service will make that easy.