Maths Tuition FAQs
How much does maths tuition cost in the UK?
Private maths tutors charge on average £28 per hour, and even more in large cities such as London and Birmingham where you’ll often be spending over £30 per hour. The price tutors charge additionally depends on the years of experience tutoring they have, their qualifications (i.e. Are they a qualified maths teacher? Do they have a DBS, PGCE or QTS?) and the materials they will use.
In-person tutoring typically costs more than online tutoring as online maths tutors save money on overhead costs, including travel. The EEF has found that online tutoring is just as effective as face to face tutoring, so it can be an economical and effective option to go online. Schools can additionally use National Tutoring funding to help cover up to 50% of the cost of tutoring in 23/24, up to a maximum of £18 per pupil per hour. Third Space Learning is the most DfE-approved one to one tuition provider.
Is maths tuition worth it?
Yes, high quality maths tuition is worth it. It is one of the best evidenced interventions to support learning in any subject, however it can be challenging to get it right.
Maths in particular is a subject that lends itself to tutoring. This is because maths is cumulative, i.e. concepts build on one another. This is in contrast to subjects such as English and often why subjects such as maths and physics are considered to be so difficult. It means that students need to have a strong understanding of foundational concepts before they are able to progress. If students have gaps in their learning, they’ll struggle to keep up with their peers. High quality maths tuition will identify those gaps and address them early, so that students can catch up and keep up with their classmates. One of the main benefits of maths tuition is this opportunity for personalised teaching adapted to a child’s needs. This is why one to one maths tuition is more effective than small group tuition - children aren’t working through generic programmes or worksheets and are focusing on the areas that will have the most impact. Going online can help reduce the costs typically associated with one to one tuition, without reducing impact.
What is the best age for tutoring?
Schools often prioritise their exam years (e.g. SATs, iGCSE, GCSE and A-level Maths) for tutoring. This is why we at Third Space Learning have developed targeted tutoring programmes for SATs and GCSE Maths. These can give students the extra boost and individualised attention they need before their exams.
However it can be beneficial to start early, closing learning gaps early before they widen. In our primary programme, we identify and plug gaps as far back as KS1 to give pupils the best chance of progress in maths. Similarly for our Year 7 programme, we ensure students have a strong foundation in content from Years 5 & 6 before moving into Year 7 content.
What does a maths tutor do?
A good maths tutor will conduct a diagnostic assessment before they begin tutoring sessions to understand a students’ working level in maths. In our own diagnostic assessment, we additionally identify learning gaps and misconceptions. We find this helps to propel progress further and faster.
Next, a maths tutor will need to understand the goals for the learner - at GCSE, a pupil aiming for a grade 4 in maths will need a different approach to a student aiming for a grade 9 in further maths. At primary school, a main goal may be to increase confidence in maths or even to develop a strong foundation in their times tables to allow them to access other areas of the curriculum in maths.
Using this information, a maths tutor will develop a sequence of sessions to help pupils progress. These should be tailored and adapted to the individual, but not all tutors provide this so ensure to ask about this: What curriculum do they use? How do tutors tailor lessons to pupils? Are they familiar with different exam boards (AQA, Edexcel)?
Maths tutors will then teach the sessions, whether online or in person, providing live feedback to pupils. Throughout, the tutor should conduct assessment to measure pupils’ progress and understanding and adapt accordingly. This may be informally in sessions or through written assessments.
Looking for something else?
To discover more about in school tutoring with Third Space Learning follow these links:
- Online maths tuition personalised for every pupil
- Boosting progress in maths with one to one tuition
- Plug gaps with personalised maths interventions
- An online maths tutor gives each student that personalised teaching they need