Private tuition is a practice older than the school system itself; in ancient times only the children from wealthiest families were given access to any form of education, usually from a privately hired tutor. Later on through the ages private tuition was seen almost a status symbol, with only the poorer children going to school, whilst wealthier children were privately educated by tutors or governesses. These days there is still a widespread demand for private tutors, who are available across all subjects and whose services can be engaged for a number of reasons.
Private English tuition can be engaged to help either you or your child, and has a number of real and tangible values and benefits.
Grades – at any level your grades and results are important. I remember many of my classmates grumbling about ‘what’s the point of GCSE’s?’, but even now I know that having 11 A* and A grade GCSE’s on my CV is an instantly impressive point. Sometimes even though you are working well in your classroom environment it’s that one to one tuition that can be the difference between an A and an A*. Also grades are not just important at GCSE Level, think about further education and even reaching the desired level at Key Stage 2, to help tip the balance in your favour at the local grammar or secondary school.
Confidence – there’s nothing worse than feeling that you’re failing on your own, and as much as I would never want to disparage the excellent work that teachers do, there comes a limit to how much they can realistically achieve in under an hour with 29 other pupils to teach. Private tuition in these circumstances can help to give the freedom to express any doubts or worries that are stopping you getting over that stumbling block. Simply knowing that there is another way and someone else that you can turn to, can be the boost to help you achieve that which you have always been able.
Feedback – yes of course your essays etc are marked and graded, however the value of getting some serious, in depth feedback, explaining exactly why you were awarded that particular grade can be invaluable. Learning from your mistakes and building on your strengths may be a cliché – but it doesn’t make it any less true.
Private tutoring is available throughout the country, but I can recommend the private English tutoring in the Manchester and Bolton areas of Dr Janet Lewison. Also the free English study resources are fantastic!