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 to start A-Level tutoring usually comes down to four points in the course, namely the first term of Year 12, when the jump in difficulty from GCSE first shows, the period after the Year 12 mocks, the weeks around coursework and non-exam assessment deadlines, and the months in Year 13 when mock results turn into a revision plan. Most families choose the point that matches what the student is finding hardest, and each gives a tutor a clear job from the first session.
Starting in the first term of Year 12 lets foundations settle before the course moves on, whilst starting after mock results lets sessions target named topics, so the choice usually follows what the school has reported and where the student loses marks. The A-Level tutoring page sets out how sessions are arranged for Year 12 and Year 13, and the fees and pricing page sets out the fee once a tutor level is chosen.
Should a student start A-Level tutoring in the first term of Year 12?
The first term of Year 12 is the most common starting point, because that is when the jump in difficulty from GCSE first shows. Students who arrive with strong GCSE results often find the pace and depth of the new courses harder than expected, and a tutor in place from the autumn can make sure foundations are secure before the course moves on. Early signs include homework that takes far longer than before, teacher comments about the depth of answers, or a student saying that lessons move quickly. A first session then lets the tutor see where the gaps sit.
Is it better to start after the Year 12 mocks?
Starting after the Year 12 mocks is the second common choice, since the results show which topics need work and there is still a full school year to act on them. Ask the school for the marked papers and any topic breakdown, then list the topics where marks were lost on each paper. That list becomes the first brief for a tutor, who can work through the topics in order and check understanding with short written questions before moving on. Starting from named topics usually keeps early sessions focused, whilst a general request to improve tends to spread effort thinly.
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Master TutorI have a First in Economics from York and an MSc from UCL, and have tutored for seven years, including SEN students. I teach maths, economics, physics, chemistry and biology to GCSE, A-Level, IB and AP. I build strong foundations so advanced questions feel intuitive.
Enquire about this tutorDo coursework and non-exam assessment deadlines justify starting?
Coursework and non-exam assessment deadlines are a third moment to start, because a tutor can help a student plan, draft and refine independent work. A long piece of independent work comes with little day-to-day direction, so it helps to ask the school for the submission deadlines and the exam board's assessment criteria at the outset. Sessions can then be placed ahead of each deadline, with the tutor reviewing a plan, then a draft, then a final read-through. The work stays the student's own, with the tutor giving feedback on structure, argument and use of evidence.
When does Year 13 tutoring turn mock results into a revision plan?
The months after the new year until Easter are when Year 13 students turn mock results into a revision plan. The usual method is to take the specification, rank the topics from weakest to strongest using the mock papers, and then practise timed past papers against that ranking. A tutor can mark those papers, explain where marks were lost and adjust the ranking as topics improve. The run-up to final exams is the busiest period, so it helps to arrange a regular weekly slot early and agree which subject each session covers.
What is different about A-Level compared with GCSE?
A-Level asks for longer written arguments, unfamiliar problem types and far more independent reading than GCSE, and a weekly tutor can address each of the three. For written arguments, a tutor can set an essay, mark it against the exam board's mark scheme and show how to build a line of reasoning across paragraphs. For unfamiliar problems, sessions can work through questions that match no taught template, talking through the first step and the choice of method. A tutor can suggest what to read for independent study and check what the student took from it.
How does a tutor follow the school's own teaching?
A tutor follows the school's teaching by working from the same subject, exam board and specification as the classroom. Matching tends to begin with the subject, the exam board, the student's goals and the timetable, so those four details are worth having to hand when making an enquiry through the A-Level tutoring page. Parents can then share the school's topic order, recent homework and mock feedback, which lets the tutor reinforce what the class is covering at present or revisit earlier topics when a gap appears. A short note from the tutor after each session keeps everyone aligned.
How do university applications affect the tutoring timetable?
University applications through UCAS share the Year 13 timetable with revision, so tutoring sessions are best agreed around the application work. Personal statement drafting and any admissions tests or interviews compete for the same evenings as homework and past papers. Ask the school for its internal deadlines and the UCAS dates that apply, then mark them on the same calendar as the tutoring slots. Where a deadline is close, a session can be shortened or paused and then resumed afterwards, which is easier when there is a regular weekly slot to return to.
What can a parent do when the school's A-Level teaching is stretched?
When the school's A-Level teaching is stretched, a tutor can give the student a steady weekly place to work through the course, provided the parent first confirms what the school has covered. Typical signs are frequent cover lessons, changes of teacher or a class that has fallen behind the specification. Ask the school for its scheme of work, compare it with the exam board's specification, and give the tutor the list of topics not yet taught. The tutor can then teach those topics in specification order whilst school lessons continue, so classwork and sessions stay on the same path.
Related guides
- A-Level tutoring
- Fees and pricing
- A-Level revision guide
- How to create a revision timetable
- Study skills and executive function
- University application tutors
A-Level Art tutoring with Taylor Tuition
Families who come to us for A-Level Art 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.
Read more about our A-Level tutoring, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- Should families use an independent tutor, an agency or a marketplace?
- An independent tutor is arranged directly, so the parent usually carries out identity, qualification and safeguarding checks personally. An agency matches a tutor to the family and usually handles those checks and offers a point of contact. A marketplace lists many profiles for the parent to browse and compare. Whichever route is used, ask whether tutors who work with children hold an enhanced DBS check, and ask what qualifications and teaching experience sit behind the tutor offered.
- What happens at the start of a tutoring placement?
- Placements arranged through the A-Level tutoring service begin with a complimentary initial consultation to understand the family's requirements, followed by an introductory session with the matched tutor. If the fit is wrong after that session, the family is re-matched at no extra cost. Having the subject, exam board, the student's goals and the weekly timetable written down beforehand makes the consultation quicker and the match more accurate.
- Can A-Level tutoring take place at home?
- In-person tutoring is available only in central London, so families elsewhere in England use online sessions. Online tutoring suits a student who already revises at a desk with a laptop, and it removes travel from the weekly slot. Families in central London can choose either format, and the choice can reasonably follow where the student concentrates best and what the timetable allows.
- How is A-Level tutoring priced?
- The fees and pricing page sets out the fee for online tutoring, and in-person tutoring in central London is quoted on enquiry. Each placement is priced by tutor tier, which reflects the qualifications and teaching experience behind the tutor, and the price depends on the subject as well. There is no registration fee, so the figure on the page is the main number a family needs to compare.
- How can families tell whether sessions are working?
- Ask for a progress report after sessions and agree a single point of contact for questions, so concerns reach the right person quickly. Then compare the tutor's notes with the school's evidence: marks on timed past papers, comments on marked essays and the next set of mock or class test results. Sessions that cover the topics the school has flagged, and that show up in better-structured answers, are doing their job.
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