How online tutoring works – information, practical considerations, fees, scheduling and getting started

What happens in a lesson?

* I start by explaining the selected topic on the Zoom whiteboard, to make sure foundational knowledge is completely solid before tackling higher-tier concepts.

* Once this has been achieved, we move on to working through past exam questions on Google Docs, steadily increasing the difficulty level, as student skills and familiarity develop.

* The Zoom whiteboard is interactive, so I can use it for real-time problem-solving, and live testing of exam technique. This way I can immediately see where a student needs more help on a topic, or what they might be doing wrong in exams.

* I can give suggestions to help students organize their independent study effectively to maximize retention and performance.

* I give guidance on how to approach exam questions, and how to write structured answers. Any questions not done in the session can be done as homework.

My sessions are student-led i.e. I tailor the lesson to the student’s requirements (as long as they give me enough notice), e.g. if a mock is coming up, I can prepare questions on mock topics.

There is a heavy emphasis on working through past paper questions, as I believe this is the best way to improve grades. I have been an expert A level examiner in Biology and Chemistry for many years.

What software will I need?

I recommend that all students download the latest version of the Zoom app, to make the most of Zoom features. Zoom can also be used via a web-browser.

Google Docs can be accessed via the web-browser, and allows students to download a pdf of the questions onto their hard drive once we have finished a topic.

The student will receive a unique username and password to log into Zoom, and a link to Docs. I only use the audio/whiteboard function on Zoom – my video remains off.

Rates and Payment

Lesson Fees

Lessons are charged at £55 per hour on weekdays, and £70 an hour on weekends. Fees are subject to change on an annual basis.

Payment: 

First lesson is paid for separately.

If the student wants to continue, lessons going forwards are paid on a monthly basis, by the 25th of each month, in advance of the month (ie. by 25th October, for November lessons).

    For monthly payment, I divide the total cost of all lessons of the academic year into equal monthly payments, so it is easy for you to set up a standing order should you wish to do so. You will receive an invoice with all details, including teaching dates and payment deadlines, once we agree to go ahead with tutoring.

How often do lessons take place?

I only take on students who want weekly lessons, and are able to commit, at a minimum, to weekly lessons between now and the end of May, excluding the Christmas & Easter holidays.

I also offer lessons in June as needed, on an ad-hoc basis.

Lesson Times and Availability

My lesson slots usually run between 1 pm and 8 pm, though evening slots get booked rapidly. If you’d like to arrange a trial lesson, let me know which days and times work for you.

I encourage students to book a one-off slot first, before committing to long-term tutoring.

Cancellation and rescheduling

Up to 2 lessons can be rescheduled between now and May, with 48 hours’ notice.

Rescheduling of more than 2 lessons, and lessons cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice will incur the full lesson fee.

Lessons are non-refundable, however, you can always stop lessons at the end of each month, provided you give two weeks’ notice by email.

Terms and Conditions

My cancellation, late arrival and late payment policies are set out in the full Terms & Conditions, which will apply to all lessons, and will be sent by email once we agree to a tutoring arrangement. I will need a written agreement, via email, to the T&Cs, before we start with lessons.

A few things that will help the student get the most from lessons

It is the student’s responsibility to turn up to the lesson on time, or let me know by text or email if they are running late for any reason. I do not send reminders if the student is late to lessons.

If there is no communication from the student within the first 15 minutes of the lesson, the lesson will be treated as a cancellation and no refunds will be issued.

MORE INFORMATION

Why is there a commitment to a minimum number of lessons?

If the student decides to continue with lessons, I will send you a list of teaching dates for the 26/27 academic year.

To reserve a weekly slot at the same time each week, I would need students to commit to at least 95% of the lessons offered for the academic term.

There are two reasons for this.

(a) A student’s understanding of a topic builds up gradually over time – their comprehension of the subject naturally improves over several lessons. Often students come to me in the middle of a year, so time is often required to go back to the basics, before I can progress on the current topics they are being taught in class. This requires a longer-term vision and commitment, not just a commitment to a few lessons here and there.

(b) A second reason is that I only accept a limited number of students each year, to ensure I can give every student the personalized attention they deserve (i.e. preparing tailored question sets and mocks). If a student cancels too many lessons outright, I am left with many empty slots in my diary that I cannot use.

This doesn’t affect your option to reschedule lessons in the year as per the T&Cs, nor does it commit you to payment for the year – you can stop at the end of any month, should you wish to do so, and you give two weeks’ notice.

After you have confirmed how many lessons you need to cancel outright, I will use the rest to make up the invoice for the year, and divide the full payment into equal monthly instalments. Once the invoice is made, lessons can only be rescheduled – you won’t be able to cancel lessons (i.e. get payment back from that month).