What sets Home-School Tutoring (HST) apart from other tutoring agencies? In the current largely unregulated tutoring market, it can be difficult for parents to find a tutor they can be sure is suitably qualified, vetted and really knows what they’re doing with genuine concern for the children they teach. That is, unless they choose HST!
No matter where you live, a Google search for a tutor throws up a bewildering number of choices. Unfortunately, unlike school teachers, anyone can set themselves up as a home tutor, regardless of whether they have the qualifications, experience, aptitude or outlook to do a good job. They don’t even need to complete a DBS check.
This isn’t the case if you want to join HST’s register of tutors though! All our tutors are vetted by their local Area Advisor, who checks qualification certificates and references, and ensures an enhanced DBS has been completed. They don’t stop there, either. Only tutors who clearly demonstrate that they share HST’s core values are accepted onto an area’s register.
HST’s core values
At the heart of Home-School Tutoring is the belief in the power of patient and supportive tuition. We believe that everyone has the ability to learn and enjoy learning and that education prepares you for life itself. We believe that pressure-free tuition can help to overcome difficulties with learning and build confidence. We believe that creating a calm and un-pressured environment is a vital element to private tuition. And we believe that these core values are fundamental to improving greater academic success and encouraging a new enjoyment and curiosity for learning.
Our membership of The Tutors’ Association
As a corporate member of The Tutors’ Association (TTA), Home-School Tutoring also adheres to the TTA’s Code of Ethics and Child Protection Policy, which sets out that a tutor’s role ‘is to encourage and enable pupils to achieve their unique potential as independent learners through acknowledgement, encouragement, understanding, and personalised attention.’
A tutor wishing to join us may have been successful in drilling students to perform in tests. However, if their methods do not encourage an enthusiasm for lifelong learning, they’re not HST material! Our tutors prefer to help students to build their confidence and fulfil their potential using positive encouragement with a pastoral concern for each individual child.
An area advisor explains
Anne-Marie has been the Home-School Tutoring Area Advisor for West Yorkshire for 25 years. Now approaching retirement, she explains what is expected of the next person to take on the management of this area and the tutors who work here.
“As an Area Advisor for HST you work as the intermediary between parents and tutors. As such, Area Advisors must have a pastoral gift and a deep concern for the students and parents they help. Like teaching, this work is a vocation – you care for the youngsters and you do your best for them.
“When selecting tutors, I always looked for passion and enthusiasm. Tutors must show that they are eager help children. I want them to be buzzing about what they do in teaching and what they want to do as a tutor.
“The real essence of being a good tutor is pastoral care along with the way they impart their knowledge. As a tutor you laugh with a child and you commiserate with them. It’s about relationships.
“Many of my tutors have been with me for many years because they value the way HST works. Some agencies just operate with lists of tutors and don’t get to know them. HST provides a very personal service to its students and parents as well as to its tutors.”
Find a tutor
If you would like to speak to your local Area Advisor to arrange home tutoring or find out more, please visit our Locations page and select your area or enter your town or postcode in the search box.
Become a tutor
Your Area Advisor will also be pleased to hear from you if you are a tutor who shares our values and would like to apply to join Home-School Tutoring. Visit Become a Tutor to find out more.
Area Advisor opportunities
To find out more about opportunities to run a Home-School Tutoring area as a self-employed Area Advisor please visit www.homeschooltutoring.co.uk/become-an-area-advisor.
As well as Anne-Marie’s area in West Yorkshire, we currently have opportunities available or becoming available in Derbyshire, Staffordshire and some parts of London. As we continue to expand, additional opportunities may also become available elsewhere in the near future so if running your own area of Home-School Tutoring appeals to you, Margaret Sweetland would love to hear from you.
To contact Margaret please email office@homeschooltutoring.co.uk with your contact details.
