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Tutoring GCSE English

Hiya! I need some advice from anyone who has tutored/been tutored before!
Basically, I got grade 9s in both English language and literature, and my mother's friend has asked for me to tutor her son in English. She is not English, but both her and her son have a decent English level.

I'm really happy and pleased to have such an opportunity (something to put on the CV and earn some extra money!), but I also want to do a good job, and I have never formally tutored anyone before. I really enjoy explaining things to friends and helped a couple of them out (mainly in Maths, but occasionally in English), but I have never been tutored or tutored anyone properly before, and I'm unsure on how to start.

For those who've been tutored before(especially if it was for English (GCSE)!) : how did your tutor structure your lessons? Did any of you have tutors who were only a year older than you, and did you mind/feel patronised? Would the tutors normally have a lesson plan or did you just bring in your stuff for them to look at? Did you find it helpful?

Anyone who has (formally) tutored others: How did you prepare? Where is it best to begin on a first lesson? Was it an enjoyable/useful experience?

I have already talked to his mum a little, and she's very reassuring on the fact that she doesn't expect me to be accountable for all his grades. As in, if he does badly on results day, she knows that I'm not (solely) to blame.

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(edited 5 years ago)
Also, what price would be a fair price to ask? I'm thinking either £10 or £15, maybe just £10 because I haven't got much experience.
:bump:
Reply 5
I would say just £5 per hour as I doubt anyone would be willing to pay a 16 year old with only GCSEs a lot to teach their kids GCSEs.
Also are you Asian, if yes then you could charge higher as a lot of tutors are Asian from my experience.
Original post by The RAR
I would say just £5 per hour as I doubt anyone would be willing to pay a 16 year old with only GCSEs a lot to teach their kids GCSEs.
Also are you Asian, if yes then you could charge higher as a lot of tutors are Asian from my experience.


Haha well, first off , she has already asked me to do it and told me to let her know the price, and no I'm not going to do it for only £5 an hour because it's a lot of work and a big commitment so I feel I should be paid accordingly.
Secondly, I'm not asian:laugh:

Any tips for how I should go about this guys????
Reply 7
Original post by DeepInTheMeadow
Haha well, first off , she has already asked me to do it and told me to let her know the price, and no I'm not going to do it for only £5 an hour because it's a lot of work and a big commitment so I feel I should be paid accordingly.
Secondly, I'm not asian:laugh:

Any tips for how I should go about this guys????

I am pretty sure a lot of 15/16 year old guys would love to have a 16 year old girl as their tutor! You could charge higher for that excitement:wink:
:bump:
Original post by DeepInTheMeadow
Hiya! I need some advice from anyone who has tutored/been tutored before!

For those who've been tutored before(especially if it was for English (GCSE)!) : how did your tutor structure your lessons? Did any of you have tutors who were only a year older than you, and did you mind/feel patronised? Would the tutors normally have a lesson plan or did you just bring in your stuff for them to look at? Did you find it helpful?



Hi there,

I agree that £10 to £15/hr sounds reasonable. This isn't babysitting - they are expecting you to work, and to prepare lessons, and that rate is still a lot lower than professional tutors would charge.

I can't really give specific tutoring advice, but I would make sure that you're familiar with the syllabus of the exam board your student is taking, and take it from there. If you can, it would be a good idea to try and identify your student's particular weaknesses, then work out a plan to try and improve them. Looking at their school work can be a good place to start from to help you see where they're currently at.

You may also find these articles written by English tutors on our site helpful:

https://www.thetutorpages.com/gcse-english-tutors

Do take a look at our advice page for tutors:

https://www.thetutorpages.com/private-tutor-advice

Good luck!

Emma
Original post by The Tutor Pages
Hi there,

I agree that £10 to £15/hr sounds reasonable. This isn't babysitting - they are expecting you to work, and to prepare lessons, and that rate is still a lot lower than professional tutors would charge.

I can't really give specific tutoring advice, but I would make sure that you're familiar with the syllabus of the exam board your student is taking, and take it from there. If you can, it would be a good idea to try and identify your student's particular weaknesses, then work out a plan to try and improve them. Looking at their school work can be a good place to start from to help you see where they're currently at.

You may also find these articles written by English tutors on our site helpful:

https://www.thetutorpages.com/gcse-english-tutors

Do take a look at our advice page for tutors:

https://www.thetutorpages.com/private-tutor-advice

Good luck!

Emma


Thank you very much, that was helpful! :smile: I have been reading a lot of your stuff, and so far it's been really interesting and useful.
Original post by DeepInTheMeadow
Thank you very much, that was helpful! :smile: I have been reading a lot of your stuff, and so far it's been really interesting and useful.


No problem - glad it's helpful!
Original post by DeepInTheMeadow
Also, what price would be a fair price to ask? I'm thinking either £10 or £15, maybe just £10 because I haven't got much experience.


i tutored for maths. I did it for free. Happy for the kid.
Original post by The Tutor Pages
Hi there,

I agree that £10 to £15/hr sounds reasonable. This isn't babysitting - they are expecting you to work, and to prepare lessons, and that rate is still a lot lower than professional tutors would charge.

I can't really give specific tutoring advice, but I would make sure that you're familiar with the syllabus of the exam board your student is taking, and take it from there. If you can, it would be a good idea to try and identify your student's particular weaknesses, then work out a plan to try and improve them. Looking at their school work can be a good place to start from to help you see where they're currently at.

You may also find these articles written by English tutors on our site helpful:

https://www.thetutorpages.com/gcse-english-tutors

Do take a look at our advice page for tutors:

https://www.thetutorpages.com/private-tutor-advice

Good luck!

Emma

£15 per hour sounds a bit too much for a 16 year old to be a tutor with only GCSEs as their qualification
Original post by brownguytorule
i tutored for maths. I did it for free. Happy for the kid.


Wow that's good. I've tutored a lot of my friends (for free of course), but since I'm doing A levels and I have so little time, I think it's fair for me to charge them, since they are a well-off family.
Original post by DeepInTheMeadow
Wow that's good. I've tutored a lot of my friends (for free of course), but since I'm doing A levels and I have so little time, I think it's fair for me to charge them, since they are a well-off family.


Well i should have been more clear. i'm tutoRING right now. I'm in year 12 too lol. I started about a week after results day. But if they are well-off and prepared, then you should charge them. If they seem like they arent easy with money, then dont.
Original post by brownguytorule
Well i should have been more clear. i'm tutoRING right now. I'm in year 12 too lol. I started about a week after results day. But if they are well-off and prepared, then you should charge them. If they seem like they arent easy with money, then dont.


Ok cool I see what you mean :smile: Yep, these guys are fine on the money front, so that's good. To be honest, I wouldn't have done it for free unless it was a close friend who I just really wanted to help, just because my family don't have much money ourselves, and I don't have a lot of time.
I hope that makes sense :smile:
Original post by DeepInTheMeadow
Ok cool I see what you mean :smile: Yep, these guys are fine on the money front, so that's good. To be honest, I wouldn't have done it for free unless it was a close friend who I just really wanted to help, just because my family don't have much money ourselves, and I don't have a lot of time.
I hope that makes sense :smile:


Yep it does.

This may not help you, but it may give u an overview on something. For my GCSe maths and science, i had a tutor who spent his entire day working at a school and his shop, but during the evenings, he help classes for students. Guess what he charged? £5 per an hour and half.

I think £10 is ok.
Reply 18
Hello, I have been asked by my friend to tutor gcse maths ,English and science however, I'm a primary school teacher. I have no idea where to start in regards to registering award bodies etc. This is a good will gesture to help her son pass gcse (which he failed at school). Any help would be appreciated on where to start...? Thanks

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