FAQs | Explore

FAQs

Choosing a tutor can be a daunting task. You are likely to have several questions. Below are answers and advice on some of the frequently asked questions which arise regularly in conversation in the many individual consultation meetings I have had with clients across the years.

Which is right for me - face to face or online tuition?

This is a personal choice. Some students prefer face to face tuition. However, there are natural limitations on finding the best tutor for you if you only rely on local providers. By choosing an online tutor, you open up your options to tutors nationally - and even internationally - allowing you to find the right tutor for your precise needs.

That is not to say all online tutors are equal. There are lots of cheap providers of tuition out there, but as a general rule, you get what you pay for. It is worth considering if the tutor you are considering is qualified, experienced and can offer quality, effective tuition whether you are looking for someone who works face to face or online.

See below for more details on the 'benefits of online tuition'.

What should I expect to see a tutor provide in terms of documents and qualifications?

There are unqualified, inexperienced tutors working in both face to face and online capacities, and it is important to check the credentials of anyone you are considering.

At Explore Online Learning, I provide electronic copies of the following to all clients:

A full, enhanced DBS
A current Safeguarding Level 2 certificate
My degree certificate
Evidence of Qualified Teacher Status

What are the benefits of online tuition?

There are several practical benefits to online tuition:
No time is wasted in travel, or setting up time; tuition starts the minute the session begins
You learn in the comfort of your own home
I give the student my full, undivided attention for the entire session - no distractions
There is no waiting for feedback; it is instantaneous, and I talk you through the feedback and annotation of work in our lessons
I prepare bespoke Teaching Documents which are fully interactive and collaborative
These can be converted into PDFs as detailed revision resources
We have the infinite resources of the internet at our fingertips throughout every class; we can access critical articles and journals, watch videos, research academic resources, etc

What are your qualifications and experience in teaching and tutoring?

I have a 2:1 MA Hons in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh. I graduated in 2005, and started working in education in 2009. I worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and the University of Essex in 2009 before spending a year as a cover supervisor at Uplands Community College in East Sussex in 2010. I completed my PGCE at the Institute of Education in London in 2011, and began work at the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk as a Newly Qualified Teacher in 2012. I gained my Qualified Teacher Status in 2013 and worked as a full time teacher of English until 2018. I left full time teaching to work in supply teaching and self-employed tutoring until 2020, when focused solely online teaching and tuition, working with a range of providers. I set up Explore Online Learning Ltd in February 2022.

Which exam boards do you teach?

I have extensive experience in teaching the following exam boards and specifications:

A Level:

OCR English Literature
Edexcel English Literature
AQA English Literature
AQA English Language
AQA English Literature and Language (combined course)
Edexcel International English Literature

GCSE:

AQA English Literature and Language
Edexcel English Literature and Language

How do you monitor progress across sessions?

When I begin working with a student, I create a Programme of Study which keeps a record of every session. This is a table including the focus of each lesson, the resources and tasks for that class, and a comment/feedback on the lesson.

Where the student completes essays or any other written work these are marked and a record of the marks/grades are kept in the Programme of Study.

Feedback is given with specific targets for each piece of work, to ensure that we keep a focus on the areas for improvement.

We can also hold periodic reviews to discuss progress.

How long should sessions be?

This is individual to each student. In the majority of cases, classes are an hour long. However, some students like to have longer sessions with a break in the middle. We can discuss this in our initial consultation meeting.

How long should the tuition run for?

Again, this is individual to each student. I tend to work with students on a longer term basis than many tutors; I do not, as a rule, take on students who are seeking short term 'cramming' in close proximity to exams, as my methods are designed to maximise benefit across a longer period of, ideally, at least 6 months before the exams themselves.

Generally for A-Level students, ideally we would start working together sometime towards the end of Year 12/early in Year 13.

Do you offer small group sessions?

Yes, I can offer small group sessions. The maximum ratio is 1:3. If you are looking for small group tuition, either privately or through a school, please get in contact to discuss what I can offer and the pricing for small group sessions.

Can you help with coursework?

I do not work with students on any NEA (Non-Exam-Assessment) or coursework. This is due to professional integrity; the JQC (Joint Qualifications Council) has strict criteria on the submission of NEA work - the student and school have to sign documentation to prove the work is the student's own work - and therefore I do not offer to work with students on coursework at all.

How much do sessions cost?

Standard, individual one-to-one classes are charged at £45 per hour.

This includes:

The planning, preparation and creation of bespoke Teaching Documents and other resources for each class

The hour of contact/teaching time

Marking and feedback on one written task per class (as applicable)

In the case of any more extensive written work which the student wishes to complete for marking - ie) mock papers in advance of exams, etc - this would be charged pro rata at the hourly rate as offline work and billed accordingly.

How is payment made?

Clients are invoiced for each class after the session. Payment is expected within seven days or before the next session, whichever is sooner. The next session cannot go ahead with outstanding payments due.

Payment is made via bank transfer to the Explore Online Learning Ltd account; the details are provided on the invoice and also in the confirmation email when we start working together.

What are your Terms and Conditions?

My terms and conditions are as follows - these are also included in the confirmation email when we start working together:

1) In the event of non-attendance at a scheduled and agreed session, I will need to charge 100% of the missed lesson fee

2) Clients are reminded of the following:

All classes are individually planned, with bespoke resources. This requires substantial planning time in advance of a class. If a class is not attended or cancelled with at least 24 hours notice this impacts beyond the designated class time itself
Sessions are also managed within a timetable which means that non-attendance without prior notification can incur substantial losses, as that session cannot be offered to another student

3) Where the client arranges ongoing, regular sessions, the expectation is that these will be attended, unless there is good cause

4) In the event of the client needing to cancel a session in advance, please give 24 hours notice

5) I create tailored, bespoke resources and materials for my students. These are for the individual client, and not for wider dissemination/sharing with others – materials are copyrighted and watermarked