Key Facts
| Taylor Tuition online tutoring fee | From £50 per 50-minute session, depending on tutor level and subject. Source: https://www.taylor-tuition.co.uk/fees-pricing |
|---|---|
| Taylor Tuition in-person tutoring (central London) | Quoted on enquiry, depending on tutor level, subject and location. Source: https://www.taylor-tuition.co.uk/fees-pricing |
| Registration fee | None. Source: https://www.taylor-tuition.co.uk/fees-pricing |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
When comparing one-to-one tuition vs group tuition, the deciding factor is usually whether a child needs lessons shaped around a specific gap, a confidence issue or an unusual syllabus, or would gain from working alongside peers at a pace set for the group. One-to-one tuition tends to suit the first situation, and small group tuition tends to suit a confident, motivated child who enjoys discussion. The costs and the questions worth asking a provider also differ between the two formats, which affects how a family briefs and compares them.
What is the difference between one-to-one and small group tuition?
One-to-one tuition is a tutor working with a single child in each session, and small group tuition is a tutor teaching several children together in the same session. Either format can be delivered online. The practical difference is who sets the direction: in one-to-one the pace, content and questions follow that single child, whereas in a group the pace has to suit all the children present, so the tutor balances several needs at once.
What does one-to-one tuition allow?
One-to-one tuition lets the pace and content be set by a single child's needs, which makes a specific gap or a confidence issue easier to address. A tutor can return to an earlier topic when a misunderstanding surfaces, or move quickly through material the child already knows, without adjusting for anyone else. An unusual syllabus is also easier to cover, since the lessons can follow exactly what the child's school or exam board requires.
Feedback is immediate, because the tutor sees each answer as it is given and can correct it before the error is repeated. There is no waiting for other children to finish a task or catch up, so session time goes on the child's own work. A child who might stay quiet in a classroom also cannot hide in a one-to-one lesson, which gives the tutor a clear view of where the difficulty lies.
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Enquire about this tutorWhat does a small group offer?
A small group offers peer discussion and a steady rhythm of sessions that a child works through alongside others. Hearing other children's questions and explanations can help a child who thinks best by talking ideas through, and a fixed group timetable gives the lessons a regular structure that families can plan around. Some children also find it reassuring to see that other children meet the same difficulties.
The trade-off is that each child receives less of the tutor's attention, and the pace has to suit the group as a whole. A child who needs longer on one topic, or who has already mastered it, may spend part of a session on material that does not match the point they have reached. Individual feedback is also shared across the group, so each child's questions compete for the same time.
Which children suit one-to-one tuition, and which suit a small group?
One-to-one tends to suit a child with a specific gap, a confidence issue, an unusual syllabus or a level far from where a group would be working, whereas a small group tends to suit a confident, motivated child who benefits from discussion. Neither format is better for every child, and the right choice follows the child's present needs and the goal the family has set.
When a child's needs are mixed, it helps to name the single main goal first, such as closing one gap, building confidence or keeping up regular practice, and let that goal choose the format. Writing the goal down in a sentence also gives a tutor or provider something specific to respond to when you enquire.
- One-to-one may suit a child who stays silent in class and needs questions drawn out gently.
- One-to-one may suit a child working well ahead of, or well behind, the usual level for the subject.
- A small group may suit a child who enjoys explaining ideas to others and hearing them explained back.
- A small group may suit a child who is already keeping up and wants regular practice in company.
How do the costs of one-to-one and small group tuition compare?
Where a group is priced per child, the cost per child is usually lower than one-to-one, because the tutor's time is shared between several families. One-to-one carries the full cost of the tutor's time for a single child, which is why it tends to be the higher-priced option. A fair comparison also asks how much of each session is directed at the child's own gaps, since shared time in a group goes on material pitched at the group.
When comparing quotes, check whether a group price applies per child or to the whole group, whether any registration or joining fee applies, and what sets the rate, such as tutor level and subject. Written quotes make it easier to compare like with like, particularly when one provider quotes per session and another quotes for a block of sessions.
For one-to-one tuition, the fees and pricing page sets out the fee for online tutoring, which depends on tutor level and subject, and explains that in-person tutoring in central London is quoted on enquiry, depending on tutor level, subject and location; there is no registration fee, and each placement is priced by tutor tier, reflecting the qualifications and teaching experience behind it.
What should you ask a small group tuition provider?
Ask any group provider how many children there are in the group, how children are matched by level and how individual progress is reported to parents. Written answers are useful to keep, because a group's size and make-up can change between the first conversation and the first session. Asking before you pay or agree a start date also gives the family room to compare several providers.
The answer on mixed levels is the most revealing. A tutor who can describe plainly what a child at the lower end and a child at the higher end of the group each do in a typical session has probably planned for it, whereas a vague answer suggests the pace is set for the middle of the group.
- How many children are in each group?
- How are children matched by level, and what happens if one turns out to be behind or ahead of the others?
- Within a single lesson, how does the tutor handle different levels?
- What does an individual progress report contain, and how often does a parent receive one?
How does one-to-one tutoring work?
Families who choose one-to-one tutoring receive sessions matched to the child by subject, level, learning style and personality. Sessions run online for families across the UK and internationally, and in person in central London, so a family outside central London would use online sessions. The one-to-one tutoring service page describes the format in more detail, and the fees and pricing page covers how rates are set.
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Tutoring with Taylor Tuition
Families who come to us for this stage usually want a tutor who can diagnose where the marks are being lost and then build a steady routine around it, and that is how our programmes are set up. Our tutors are drawn from a pool in which more than half hold Qualified Teacher Status, around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and which includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools.
Sessions run online for families across the UK and internationally, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject. There is no registration fee. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check and families receive progress reports after sessions.
Frequently asked questions
- Should my child have a say in whether lessons are one-to-one or in a group?
- Asking the child is sensible practice, because either format only helps when the child is willing to ask questions and say when something is unclear. Some children find it easy to speak up with peers present, whilst others find it easier with only a tutor listening. Put the choice as a practical question, such as who the child would feel comfortable asking to explain a topic again, and compare the answer with the goal you have set.
- What should parents tell a tutor before one-to-one lessons start?
- Give the subject, the child's current level and the school syllabus or exam being followed, then describe the specific gap or confidence issue in a sentence or two. Mention how the child prefers to learn and any experience of previous tutoring. Because the pace, content and questions in one-to-one tuition follow the single child, a precise description at the start gives the tutor a clearer place to begin and makes the first sessions easier to plan.
- How can parents tell whether a small group is working for their child?
- Watch for the child's own comments and for what the progress reports say. A child who mentions that the lesson moves too quickly or too slowly, who rarely gets a question answered, or whose reports describe only the group as a whole may be getting less from the format than hoped. Ask the provider for comments specific to your child, and raise any mismatch early, since a different group or a move to one-to-one may fit better.
- Can families change from a group to one-to-one tuition, or the other way round, later?
- Usually yes, and reviewing the format is sensible practice whenever the child's needs shift. A gap that has been closed, a gain in confidence or a change of syllabus can all alter what suits. Check the provider's arrangements for changing format before you start, including whether a change means joining a different group or being matched with a different tutor, so that a switch does not catch you by surprise.
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