Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of people are your tutors?

Many tutors are retired teachers.

Some tutors are still working as teachers.

Some tutors qualified as teachers but did not enjoy working in schools and now work in other professional jobs while providing tuition in the evening.

Some tutors have professional training experience.

We do not register students who are still at school or on undergraduate university courses.

What tutor checks does the Agency do?

Each new tutor registered with Chelmsford Tutors is checked in the following manner:

• Identity checking of a photographic ID
• Right to work in the UK (Passport, NI number)
• Criminal Records Bureau check (Enhanced) to ensure that the tutor can work with children
• Academic qualifications certificates are seen as all our current tutors have at least one university degree
• Two written references are obtained. These are usually from professional sources such as schools.

Do I have to book a course of lessons?

No.

The tuition time needed, frequency and number of lessons is agreed with the tutor.

Up to GCSE this is usually one hour a week. For A level it is often a longer session once a fortnight.

How much does tuition cost?

Each tutor is self employed and can set his/her own fees. However, the Agency recommends that the tutor charges within the following fee scale.

If the tutor is travelling to the student after school, he/she may charge a petrol fee. This is usually between £1 and £4 depending on the distance and time taken to drive in rush hour traffic. Although the Agency can quote a guideline tuition fee for a particular tutor, it is up to the client to agree the fee with the tutor. To minimise travelling and expense, we try to fit the best qualified and nearest tutor to meet the client's needs. If a qualified tutor lives a long way from the client we try to arrange a sensible, mutually agreed arrangement e.g. tutor or student visits for a longer session when required.

How is the tutor and Agency paid?

The client pays the tutor direct. This is usually by cash or cheque.
The tutor pays the Agency a percentage of the tuition fee (not petrol) to cover advertising and administration.
The client does not pay the Agency.