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Writer's pictureVictoria Philpotts

5 Reasons Private Tuition Can Be the Best Investment for Your Child


private tuition manchester

Having tutored children at my Manchester home from KS1 upwards for some years now, I am in the privileged position of having seen and actively supported the growth of my tutees’ education, imagination and enthusiasm. The value of education cannot be overstated: it is our passport to the world and to potential, the seed for understanding not only words and numbers, but also one another. I have seen first-hand the enormous benefits one-to-one tuition can bring and wish to share those with you here.


One-To-One Teaching Offers More Time and Attention


The average class size is growing year on year. Figures show that between 2011 and 2016, the number of secondary schools with classes of over 36 pupils trebled, and numbers have continued to rise since then. Many children struggle to learn in such large classes. No matter how brilliant the teacher, giving sufficient attention and support to each individual child is becoming increasingly difficult, if not impossible.


With one-to-one tuition, the child receives the full, undivided attention of the tutor for the entire duration of the session. The tutor can focus on the specific needs of the individual student, concentrating on those topics which the tutee finds most challenging. They can also praise the pupil and use teaching methods which most engage and excite them. Questions can be answered and misunderstandings addressed immediately by the tutor.


A positive learning environment, which is focussed solely on the needs of the student, is immediately created, which may not be the case in the classroom. This level of one-to-one attention is simply non-existent for most pupils at school.


Tutoring Boosts Confidence and Attainment


Attainment in a subject comes from engaging as fully as possible with that subject, which in turn means asking questions. Putting your hand up in front of a class full of your friends and peers to ask the teacher a question can be daunting for a lot of children. Not wanting to ‘look stupid’, many will continue with their worksheets, silently struggling and falling further and further behind. This drop in attainment isn’t the only consequence: the frustration from not fully understanding a subject can also lead to a drop in self-esteem and a negative attitude towards learning, which in turn can have a damaging impact on a child’s educational development as a whole.


Learning with a private tutor eliminates the fear from asking questions. Not only that, it is far easier in a one-to-one environment than in a classroom to ensure that the pupil has understood, and more examples can be created on the spot to secure their comprehension. When understanding increases, so does confidence, which in turn leads to higher attainment.


The increase in attainment as a result of one-to-one tuition can be breathtaking. The most spectacular improvement I have ever seen in a student was from a U grade (i.e. a fail) in an AS level German exam to an A in her resit three months after starting tuition with me. I have witnessed other astonishing improvements in attainment and confidence over the years. The effectiveness of private tuition in this regard shouldn’t be underestimated.


Private Tuition Can Provide Targeted Teaching and Learning for Tests, Exams and Homework


With a thorough knowledge of exam specifications and schemes of work, a private tutor for schoolchildren can tailor their teaching to mirror the work which is being done at school. When it comes to completing homework, and preparing for exams and assessments, particular attention can be given where necessary to those topics which may only be touched upon briefly at school. This has become particularly important in the last couple of years, as the new, more challenging specifications for GCSE and A level mean that many schools are struggling to find time simply to cover all the extra material students are required to study.


Tuition Delivers Continuity of Teaching and Learning


With school budgets stretched to the limit and schools often lacking sufficient qualified staff, continuity of teaching and learning can sometimes be a real issue. Some students report having had numerous teachers for the same subject, with chaotic learning resulting from individual teachers, through no fault of their own, not knowing what work the class has already covered. It is not unusual for a student to come to me having read the first few pages of a GCSE English set text over and over again with a variety of teachers but never having progressed any further.


A personal tutor provides absolute continuity of teaching and learning; they know exactly what work they have done with their tutee and exactly what remains to be done. This, coupled with the added sense of purpose resulting from a clear plan, invariably leads to a marked increase in engagement, confidence and achievement.


Tuition Provides Peace of Mind for Parents


The greatest priority of any parent is the happiness of their child. As children spend around seven hours per day at school, much of that happiness is determined by how much they enjoy the school environment. When your child is struggling to keep up with the rest of the class, going to school can become a very negative experience. As much as they would like to, most teachers do not have the time to give one-on-one sessions to those pupils who are falling behind. By providing personal tutoring for your child, you can ensure that they receive the attention they need and plug positivity back into their learning life.


I mentioned at the start the privileged position from which I work. I am neither my tutees’ teacher nor their parent, and as such, I can alleviate the pressure and offer a different perspective on learning, one steeped in positivity, activity and creativity. Whilst a number of my tutees might be learning the same syllabus, no two lessons are exactly the same, since I plan each and every session for the individual student to suit their specific needs. As a personal tutor based in Manchester, I have seen children from KS1 right through to A levels and beyond grow in confidence, not only in their learning, but also in their personal development.


If you have noticed that your child’s interest in or attitude towards school is diminishing, or that their grades are slipping, I can provide a safe space at my home in Didsbury, south Manchester, to get them back on track. Equally, if your child is a high-achiever but needs clearer guidance on how to achieve top grades, I’m here to help. With a PhD in linguistics, I provide the highest quality private tutoring in English and modern foreign languages. Please get in touch to discuss how best we can help your child to reach their full potential.

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