How to Choose an Online Tutor: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Pay

Before you start: know what you want

Write down, in one or two sentences, what you want tutoring to achieve. "Help with maths" is too vague. "Pass the GCSE maths exam in May, especially algebra, which she finds confusing" is something a tutor can plan around, and something you can measure.

Also decide your budget, how many sessions a week you can sustain, and which times work. Regularity matters more than length; two shorter sessions a week usually beat one long one.

The 10 questions

1. "How would you find out what my child already knows?"

Listen for: a plan to assess before teaching. Good tutors ask questions, set a short diagnostic task, or look at recent schoolwork in the first session. They want to know where the gaps are.

Be wary of: "We'll just start from chapter one." Teaching everything from the beginning wastes time on what your child already understands and may not reach the real problem.

2. "What would a typical lesson look like?"

Listen for: a structure with your child doing most of the work. For example: a quick review of last time, a new idea explained briefly, then guided practice, then a few problems solved alone, with feedback.

Be wary of: lessons that are mostly the tutor talking. If your child watches the tutor solve problems for an hour, they'll understand it in the moment and forget it by Thursday.

3. "How will you know if it's working?"

Listen for: clear goals and checkpoints. A good tutor might say they'll set a short review task every few weeks, compare it with the starting point, and adjust.

Be wary of: vague answers like "you'll see their confidence grow". Confidence matters, but you also want evidence of learning.

4. "How do you keep parents updated?"

Listen for: a simple, regular update: a short message after each lesson, or a summary every few weeks covering what was covered, what's improving and what to practise.

Be wary of: no plan at all. You're paying for the lessons and you know your child best. You should hear how it's going.

5. "Have you taught this exact syllabus or exam before?"

Listen for: specific experience. If your child is preparing for a particular exam board, an international curriculum or an entrance test, a tutor who knows its format, mark schemes and common traps saves a lot of time.

Be wary of: someone who knows the subject but has never seen the exam. That's not a deal-breaker for general support, but it matters close to an exam.

6. "What do you do when a student just doesn't get it?"

Listen for: several different approaches. A diagram, a real-world example, breaking the problem into smaller steps, going back to an earlier idea that's missing. Good teachers have many ways to explain the same thing.

Be wary of: "I explain it again more slowly." Repetition helps, but if the first explanation didn't land, the same one slower often won't either.

7. "How do you handle a child who's shy, anxious or distracted?"

Listen for: patience and specific strategies. Asking low-pressure questions first, celebrating small wins, short breaks, keeping the camera on but making mistakes feel safe.

Be wary of: impatience or a one-size-fits-all approach. Children who struggle at school often carry some anxiety about the subject; the tutor's manner matters as much as their knowledge.

8. "What happens between lessons?"

Listen for: short, specific practice tasks, matched to what was taught. Ten or fifteen minutes is often enough. Learning sticks when it's practised a few days later.

Be wary of: either nothing at all, or a huge amount of homework that your child will quietly not do.

9. "What's your approach to safety in online lessons?"

Listen for: comfortable, professional answers. Lessons on a proper platform rather than private social media accounts, contact arranged through you as the parent, and no objection to you being nearby.

Be wary of: a tutor who wants to contact your child directly on private apps, discourages you from being around, or asks for personal details that aren't needed for lessons.

10. "Can we start with a trial lesson?"

Listen for: a yes, or a short introductory session. Many good tutors are happy to do a first lesson so both sides can see if it's a good fit.

Be wary of: pressure to pay for a large block of lessons upfront before you've seen them teach.

During the trial lesson

If you can, stay within earshot for the first lesson. You're not there to judge every sentence, just to get a feel for it. Notice:

• Who's talking more? Your child should be speaking, writing or solving for most of the lesson.
• Does the tutor ask good questions? "What would you do first?" is better than "Do you understand?" (Children nearly always say yes to the second.)
• How does the tutor respond to mistakes? Calmly, with curiosity, using the mistake to teach. Not with sighs.
• Is the technology smooth? Clear audio, a shared whiteboard or document, and a working camera make a big difference online.
• How does your child feel afterwards? Ask them simply: "Would you like to have another lesson with this teacher?" Their answer counts.

Safety basics for online lessons

These apply whichever tutor you choose, and especially for younger children:

• Lessons happen in a shared space at home, like the living room or kitchen, not behind a closed bedroom door.
• Contact and scheduling go through you, the parent, or through the platform you booked on.
• Your child knows they can always tell you if anything in a lesson makes them uncomfortable, and that they won't be in trouble for saying so.
• Payments go through a clear, recorded method, not cash to a stranger or unusual payment requests.
• You know the tutor's full name and how to reach them, or the platform that introduced you.

Reputable tutors expect these precautions and won't be offended by them.

Red flags at any stage

• Guarantees of specific grades. Nobody can honestly promise that.
• Reviews that all sound the same, or no way to check the tutor's experience.
• Pressure to decide quickly, or discounts that expire today.
• Reluctance to explain their approach.
• Frequent cancellations or lateness in the first few weeks.

Thinking about price sensibly

It's natural to compare hourly rates, but the cheapest hour isn't always the cheapest result. A slightly more expensive tutor who diagnoses the real problem in the first lesson and fixes it in eight weeks costs less overall than a cheaper one who takes six months, or never gets there.

A few practical points help:

• Compare like with like. Experience with your child's exact exam, a structured plan and regular updates are worth paying something for.
• Ask about the length of sessions. A 45-minute focused session can be better value than a 90-minute one that loses your child's attention halfway through.
• Check the cancellation rules before you start, for both sides.
• Budget for the whole period, not just the first month. Stopping after three weeks because of cost usually wastes what you've already spent.

Give it six to eight weeks, then review

Research on tutoring suggests that regular sessions over six to eight weeks or more are where clear gains tend to show. After that period, sit down with your child and ask: what can you do now that you couldn't before? Is schoolwork easier? Do you feel more confident? If the answers are positive, carry on. If not, talk to the tutor about adjusting the plan, or try someone else. Switching tutors isn't a failure; fit matters.

The bottom line

The best online tutor for your child isn't necessarily the most qualified or the most expensive. It's the one who finds out what your child needs, keeps them actively thinking, communicates with you clearly and makes lessons feel safe. Ten good questions and one trial lesson will tell you most of what you need to know.

If you'd like to compare teachers, you can browse reviewed teachers by subject on Next Gen Remote Learning. Every profile is checked by our team before it goes live, and you can read reviews from real students.

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