How to Choose a Safe Private Tutor in the UK: A Parent Checklist

1. Start with a specific learning goal

Write down the subject, level and outcome you want to discuss. “GCSE Maths” is a useful starting point, but “quadratics and exam-question technique for AQA GCSE Maths” gives a tutor much better context. Note whether the learner needs confidence, regular practice, revision, a qualification or support with a particular topic.

2. Check subject and level fit

Read the tutor’s public profile carefully. Look for the subjects, levels, exam boards, topics and learner age range they actually describe. A precise offer is more useful than a broad claim such as “all subjects”. Ask how the tutor would approach the first few lessons and what the learner should bring.

3. Ask what evidence and checks mean

Ask the platform or tutor what it means when a profile says “checked”, “verified” or “approved”. A DBS certificate is one safeguarding indicator, not a guarantee of teaching quality, suitability or a particular outcome. The type of check and the role it relates to matter. See the current DBS guidance for self-employed people and keep certificate numbers and private documents out of public messages.

4. Be clear about qualifications and experience

Ask the tutor to describe relevant qualifications, awarding bodies, subject experience and teaching or professional experience accurately. For regulated qualifications in England and Northern Ireland, families can consult the official Register of Regulated Qualifications. A platform’s summary is not a substitute for the family or school’s own checks where those are needed.

5. Agree safe communication boundaries

Keep initial questions, lesson requests and documents on the platform’s approved route. Do not share a child’s full name, address, diagnosis, safeguarding history or unnecessary contact details in a first message. For a child, agree which responsible adult will supervise the arrangement and how concerns can be reported. The Department for Education’s guidance for parents and carers using tuition and community activities is a useful starting point.

6. Understand the lesson format

• Ask where the lesson takes place and what classroom or whiteboard tools are used.
• Confirm whether lessons are recorded, how resources are shared and what happens if a connection fails.
• For in-person tuition, confirm the location, adult presence and practical arrangements before committing.
• For online tuition, check devices, privacy and whether the learner knows how to leave or report a session.

7. Compare the whole cost and cancellation terms

Look beyond an hourly headline rate. Check lesson length, platform or service fees, payment timing, refunds, cancellation windows and what support is available if the fit is poor. A clear written total before confirmation makes comparisons fairer and reduces surprises.

8. Treat the first lesson as a fit check

The first lesson should make the next step clearer. Did the tutor listen to the goal, explain ideas in a way the learner could follow, invite questions and agree practical next steps? Progress is not guaranteed, so review the learner’s experience and evidence of understanding rather than relying on promises of grades.

Questions to ask before booking

• Which topics and exam board do you support for this level?
• What would you want to know before the first lesson?
• How do you explain, practise and review a difficult idea?
• What information is public, and what stays private?
• What happens if the learner or tutor needs to cancel?
• Who should a parent or learner contact if something feels unsafe?

Use a focused, privacy-safe first conversation

Tutorium publishes a review-led public directory, safeguarding information and a free tutor match brief builder so learners can prepare a focused first conversation. Public profiles are only intended to appear after the tutor’s learner-facing details and the requested DBS and qualification evidence have been reviewed; a published profile or availability window is not a guarantee of an outcome or booking.

Read how Tutorium checks tutors, the safeguarding policy and the shorter tutor-choice checklist before you decide.

Common questions