How Much Does a Home-school Tutor Cost?

 Even before the pandemic, home-schooling had seen a significant increase, and that's likely to increase. Parents who are now going to be working from home much of the time, for example, may for the first time see an opportunity to home-school their children. With the best will in the world, however, most parents are going to need professional help with home-schooling their children, especially when they get to GCSE and A-level study. It makes sense to hire one or more private tutors in order to make sure your child gets expert teaching — and that means budgeting for the costs. So how much does a home-school tutor cost?

Subject and Level

 Overall, a home-school tutor is likely to cost anywhere between £15 and £35 per hour, and this is partly dependent on what subject they'll be teaching. In general, the more popular the subject among students, the higher the price is likely to be, although this can also be true of subjects with very few tutors. For core subjects like English, Maths or Science, the average price is likely to be between £20 and £22 per hour. However, this will vary a little depending on the level required. Although not absolute, the general principle is that tutors will charge more the higher the level. Thus, tutoring for A-level, which requires specialist knowledge, will tend to cost more than for primary level, where only the basics need to be taught.

Location

 Like most prices, the fees charged by home-school tutors tend to vary depending on where in the country you are. As usual, the most expensive tutors are likely to be in south-east England, and particularly in London, with the north of England generally cheapest. If the tutor has to travel to deliver the lessons in your home, the price is likely to increase to reflect that. Of course, if your child goes to the tutor's home, that won't be reflected in the price, but you'll still have the expense yourself. Online lessons may be a little cheaper, although there will still be expenses to cover for equipment and Wi-Fi.

The Tutor's Experience and Qualifications

 Besides subject and location, a major factor in the prices charged by a home-school tutor will be the level of experience and qualifications they have. In theory, there's no obligation for a private tutor to have either qualifications or experience, but in practice they're unlikely to get work without some of each. In general, a tutor teaching at primary level may only need an A-level in the subject, although qualifications in areas like education or child psychology may give them a distinct advantage, especially if they're teaching children with special needs. On the other hand, a tutor who's teaching A-level students will almost certainly need a minimum of a first degree in their subject.

 Other factors may also apply. For instance, if you're hiring a tutor to teach a foreign language, it's likely that a native speaker will be able to charge higher prices than someone of otherwise similar experience who's learnt the language. And, needless to say, a tutor with twenty years experience in education will almost certainly charge considerably more than someone just starting out as a tutor.

How to Get the Best Price

 Needless to say, as always when comparing prices, the cheapest option isn't necessarily going to be the best bargain. On the other hand, your child may not need the most expensive option, especially at primary level. The important thing isn't always to go for the tutor with the highest qualification, experience and reputation (and therefore the highest price), but to identify a tutor who will best meet your child's needs and learning style. Register with TutorExtra, where you can browse our extensive database of tutors and choose the best home-school tutor for your child at the best price.