Is Online Tutoring Worth It for a 10 Year Old?

What the EEF research says about one-to-one tuition

The Education Endowment Foundation toolkit rates one-to-one tuition as moderate cost and about five months of extra progress on average. Its summary adds three points that matter to parents:

• Primary does better than secondary. About six months in primary schools, against about four in secondary.
• Regular works best. The EEF summary points to regular sessions over a set period, not occasional bursts before a test.
• It should link to school. Tuition works best when it is additional to, but explicitly linked with, normal teaching.

The EEF also reports broadly similar effects when tuition is delivered with digital technology. So online isn't a weaker option by default.

Two cautions. These figures are averages across many studies, so some children gain more and some less. And most of the studies are of tutoring arranged by schools, so a private arrangement may not give the same result. Treat the numbers as a guide to what to look for, not a promise.

Four signs online tutoring will pay off

• There is a clear gap. A child who finds fractions or spelling rules hard, and a tutor who can find out exactly why.
• There is a date. 11+ in the autumn of Year 6, or KS2 SATs in May. See our guides to 11+ timing and the Year 6 SATs.
• Confidence is the issue. Some children understand more than they show. One-to-one time gives them room to ask questions they won't ask in class.
• You can keep it regular. A little each week beats a burst before a test.

Four situations where tutoring is unlikely to help

• There is no goal. "Just in case" tutoring tends to drift.
• Your child is already worn out. A tired child learns little at 6pm. Check the timing first.
• The need is general and the budget is tight. The EEF notes small-group tuition can give comparable results at lower cost. Ask your child's teacher what support the school already offers.
• The tutor isn't connected to school work. Ask what your child is covering in class and make sure the tutor knows.

What to expect from a tutor in the first month

1. 1A short check of where your child is on the topic or test.
2. 2A plan with a goal, a number of sessions and the dates.
3. 3Short lessons, as often as your child can manage, with homework you can see.
4. 4A progress report after the first month that says what changed.

If you don't get these four, ask for them.

How a Super Sheldon one-to-one class works

Super Sheldon teaches live, one-to-one online lessons for children aged 5 to 17. Each child is matched with their own tutor, so the lesson follows your child's gaps and what school is teaching, whether that is fractions in Year 5, spelling rules, 11+ preparation or KS2 SATs.

The free first class is the quickest way to apply the checklist above. In one lesson, a tutor sees where your child is on a topic, and you see what a plan could look like:

• Where your child is today. The tutor works through the topic with your child and finds the exact point where they get stuck.
• What a plan could look like. A goal, a sensible number of sessions and how often to meet, so you can judge it against the EEF guidance above.
• How your child feels about it. You can see whether one-to-one time helps them ask questions and speak up before you commit to anything.