The right maths tutor can help a student understand difficult topics, rebuild confidence and make progress towards their goals.
Finding that tutor is not always straightforward. Families need to consider the student’s current level, personality, learning needs, timetable and budget. They may also need to choose between online and face-to-face lessons and decide what experience or qualifications matter most.
There is no single type of tutor who will suit every student. The most important thing is to find someone who understands the mathematics, explains it clearly and develops a productive relationship with the learner.
Use the guides below to prepare for your search, compare the available options and make a more informed decision.
Browse maths tutor listings
ESHEETS is gradually developing its tutor and tuition-business listings.
Further tutor and tuition-business listings will be added as they become available.
Advice for choosing a maths tutor




What should you look for in a maths tutor?
A suitable tutor should normally be able to:
- teach the student’s current level or qualification confidently;
- identify gaps rather than making assumptions;
- explain methods in more than one way;
- choose work at an appropriate level;
- encourage the student to attempt questions independently;
- respond constructively to mistakes;
- communicate clearly about progress and practical arrangements;
- adapt lessons when the current approach is not working.
Qualifications and experience are useful, but they are only part of the decision.
A tutor may look impressive on paper but be unable to develop a good working relationship with your child. Another may have a less conventional background but be patient, reliable and particularly skilled at explaining difficult ideas.
The student’s response to the tutor matters.
Before arranging regular lessons
Before making a long-term commitment, try to establish:
- What support is needed?
Is the priority confidence, missing foundations, current schoolwork, examination preparation or a particular grade? - Does the tutor teach the correct level?
Check the qualification, exam board and Foundation or Higher tier where relevant. - How will lessons work?
Ask how the tutor assesses starting points, explains new ideas and gives the student opportunities to work independently. - What happens between lessons?
Find out whether the tutor sets practice and how it will be reviewed. - Are the practical arrangements clear?
Confirm lesson length, price, payment, cancellations, location and technology requirements. - Is the student comfortable?
An introductory conversation or trial lesson can help you judge whether the tutor and student are likely to work well together.
No responsible tutor can guarantee a particular grade. Look instead for a clear, realistic explanation of how they will support the student and review their progress.
Make your own checks
Tutor listings can help you discover possible tutors, but families should make their own enquiries before arranging lessons.
Ask about relevant experience, qualifications, safeguarding arrangements, fees and cancellation terms. Where appropriate, request references or evidence of checks and arrange an initial conversation or trial lesson.
Tutors and tuition businesses listed on ESHEETS are independent providers. A listing should not be treated as a guarantee that a particular tutor will be suitable for every student.
Does your child need extra support?
Private tuition is only one possible source of help.
Students can also benefit from:
- speaking to their classroom teacher;
- attending school intervention or revision sessions;
- practising specific gaps independently;
- using worked examples and topic guides;
- completing suitable past-paper questions;
- using free self-marking maths resources.
ESHEETS contains free worksheets, topic guides, puzzles and maths games covering a wide range of KS3 and GCSE topics.
Explore free maths worksheets →
Visit the ESHEETS parents section →
Are you a maths tutor?
This page is intended for parents and students looking for tuition.
Maths tutors can use ESHEETS to set self-marking homework, share tasks using short codes and monitor student results.
Explore ESHEETS for maths tutors →
Tutors and smaller tutoring businesses can also return to the main tutor section to see the available options.



