In our many years as an agency, we have met very few tutors who weren't what they purported to be. The probablility of this happening to you is very small but it is not zero. Of those few we know, multiple names, multiple social security numbers, and phoney referees and qualifications are not unheard of however the application of commensense can overcome even these elaborations of deceit.



When talking to a tutor, never lose sight of the fact that they are providing you with a service and that your wishes count. Decent tutors will not only be experienced in dealing with concerned clients, they will also be able to see things from a client's point of view. Remember too, that no self-respecting tutor would wish to be put in a spot where their reputation is unnecessarily put at risk.

Here are ten simple tips to be secure and to make sure you are getting what you are paying for.

1. When you first speak to the tutor, tell them about the student and what you want to achieve. Ask the tutor how he or she thinks this can be achieved. A good tutor will have lots of ideas and will be full of 'we can do this or this' and 'I know just what you mean - two of my other students - we ... ' and so on. A bad one will want you to come up with all the ideas or not have the confidence to decide themselves.

2. Tell the tutor that you will want to be nearby while the lesson is taking place (eg an adjacent room with the door open). Surprisingly enough, any decent tutor should refuse to take the booking on if they (the tutor) didn't feel that adequate chaperoning was on hand.

3. Remember that the tutor has a job to do and this involves gaining the trust of your child so don't cause the child to feel threatened - make the 'being around' as commonplace and as natural as you can. After a few lessons both you and the tutor may feel that there is no need for full-time chaperoning and you can go off and leave them for a while but always go with the most cautious vote.

4. It is generally considered unacceptable to do tuition in a room containing a bed. Tuition should take place in a quiet room, free of distractions with both student and tutor comfortably seated in highback chairs at a big table.

5. Listen to the way the tutor talks to you about the business side of the tuition. Someone who speaks plainly about how much and when they get paid is clearly driven by the commercial aspect of the work and probably perfectly safe. On the other hand, a tutor who wants to tell you about their altruistic drive to spread knowledge is most definitely one to avoid.

6. If the tutor is going to you, get their full name, address and phone number. This needs to be verified and a nice way to do that without being obvious is to offer to post directions or call the tutor back to confirm a proposed lesson time.

7. If the tutor is coming to you, ask them to show you a Utility Bill (gas, electric or the like) with their name and address on and/or something containing their National Insurance or Social Security number. If you get any adverse reaction to this you can respond that it is for the purpose of identifying the parties entering the contract (it should also make you suspicious).

8. If the lesson is at your home, nip in half-way through and offer tea and coffee (don't offer it immediately, let the student and tutor settle down for a while). This will give you a legitimate reason for intruding and, no doubt, be well-received as well. If you really want a fail-safe (more applicable for older students), have a pre-arranged code - "No, I don't want a drink, Mum" means "This is awful" or "A cup of tea please." means "Brilliant - this tutor's really good!" - whatever.

9. Go into the lesson room 5 minutes or 10 minutes before the end of the lesson with a cheque correctly made out or cash for the correct amount. Use the remaining time to debrief the tutor and to obtain some practice work to reinforce the tuition in between lessons. Don't waste this time fumbling about with change or expect the tutor to hang around while you sort it out or bend their ear. A good tutor has other clients and they deserve the full lesson time as much as you do.

10. Ask your child to tell you about the lesson immediately afterwards. Let them do the talking. Say what did they like most, like least and what did they think to the tutor. Be very careful not to put words in their mouths. A good way of reinforcing their learning (and you keeping tabs on the tutor) is to ask the student to 'teach' you.

Private tuition is a highly efficient way of learning - follow this advice and reap its benefits.