| Feature | Tuition in a centre | Tuition provided by an individual tutor | Tuition provided by Think Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is it personal to the student? | Centres only offer a small range of subjects. As youngsters are taught in groups, they will only go at the pace of the learner who is furthest behind. | A tutor working for themselves is only likely to be able to offer one subject area (eg. Maths). The danger is ‘death by worksheet’! | Think Tuition offers personal tuition in all subject areas and all ages and stages. You can relax knowing that your child is being tutored by a specialist. |
| Is it convenient? | Parents have to drop the child off at specified times, and at their centre. | If the tutor visits your home it is convenient. But not all tutors offer this service. | Think Tuition’s service is built around your busy schedule. |
| Is it safe? | All centres will keep records of DBS checks. | It is up to the parent to get assurances of DBS checks being in place. | All Think Tuition tutors are DBS checked and vetted on their references. |
| Is it quality assured? | Usually there are a small number of teachers involved in recruiting tutors. The danger is handing your child over to an unqualified sixth form student. | If a tutor is working for themselves, parents have no way of checking how relevant or recent their experience and skills are. | Think Tuition tutors go through a rigorous interview and vetting process to make sure that they can get the job done. |
| Is it founded on sound educational practice? | Centres often rely on pre-designed computer programmes for learning. | Individual tutors who are not up to date risk teaching children in an outdated way. | Think Tuition is run by teachers who know their stuff, and many of our team are teachers. Our tutors are effectively supported to be the best. |
| Is feedback on progress is timely and accurate? | Feedback is given after a number of weeks. | This is up to the tutor concerned. | Think Tuition tutors give written feedback after every session. This in turn is monitored by parents and Think Tuition to make sure progress is made. |
Top Ten Tips for getting the most out of your Open Evening
It’s that time of year again, when Colleges and Sixth Forms put on the razzle dazzle for A Level and BTEC students. Here’s 10 top tips to help you get the most out of your Open Evening.
1. Know your stuff. Find out what courses you think you might be interested in. It is worth thinking about your best subjects in school, and using those as a starting point. Play to your strengths. There will probably be a few colleges offering similar courses. The best advice is to go to as many open evenings as you can, so you can get a feel for what college life will feel like there.
2. Don’t be a sheep! Just because your friend is going to Hogwart’s, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you! Think for yourself, make your own choice. If you are true friends, you will stay in touch.
3. Plan your visit. Make sure that you go and visit every department that offers the subjects you are considering. It’s a great opportunity to talk to teachers and find out what you will be learning, and often there will be other students there to talk to. This will give you a better idea of whether it is the subject and college for you.
4. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask other students how life is for them at the college, they will be happy to talk. They’ll be honest!
5. Seek support. Chat to your school teachers, careers advisers, parents and friends about the options available to you when you leave school. They will be able to support and guide you in making this important next step.
6. Gather freebies. Every department will have information for you to take away and read later. You will get course leaflets on what it entails. How it will be taught, and what it can lead to. Gather as much information as you can, to digest later.
7. Explore. There are lots of different areas to visit, apart from departments. Check out the social areas, library and canteen. You’ll be spending a lot of time here over the next two years!
8. Attend the Principal’s talk. This is not just for parents. It will give you a good overview of college life, and how they will teach, support and guide you.
9. Step out of your comfort zone. You may have already planned what you want to study at college. Challenge yourself to visit at least one subject area which intrigues you – it is a great way to discover new courses and career options.
10. Come back! Open evenings are always buzzing, busy and exciting. There’s a lot to take in and lots to think about. If you aren’t sure, most colleges will allow a second visit. It’s a really important decision, so make sure it’s right for you.
Good luck!
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