How to Choose an Online Tutor: 9 Questions to Ask Before You Book

Finding the right tutor for your child can feel like a genuine gamble. Tutoring is an unregulated market - anyone can describe themselves as a tutor, set any rate, and make any claim about their effectiveness. Parents are left trying to assess strangers with very little information and a lot at stake.

These nine questions are designed to cut through the uncertainty. They're built around what the evidence shows actually matters - and structured so that Tugo's own answers to them are transparent.

Question 1: Are You DBS Checked?

This is not negotiable. A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check confirms that a tutor has no criminal convictions or barring orders that would prevent them from working with children. Any tutor who is hesitant to confirm their DBS status - or whose platform doesn't verify this - should not be working with your child. The tutor should be able to share with you an Enhanced DBS check paper which lists as one of the options their ability to work with children.

Tugo's answer: All Tugo tutors are DBS verified before their first session. This is confirmed on every tutor profile.

Question 2: What Are Your Teaching Qualifications?

There's a meaningful difference between knowing a subject and being able to teach it effectively. A PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) or QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) indicates training in pedagogy, not just subject knowledge. Students with strong degrees can be excellent tutors too because of their recent experience in the exams that they are teaching - but ask directly what their background is.

Tugo's answer: Tugo tutors are qualified teachers (PGCE/QTS) or students from Russell Group universities.

Question 3: What Is Your Teaching Methodology?

This is the question most parents never think to ask - and it's arguably the most important. "I cover the syllabus" is not a methodology. A tutor who cannot articulate how they teach, or why their approach produces results, is almost certainly not using one intentionally.

Strong answers reference specific techniques: structured retrieval practice, spaced repetition, Socratic questioning, formative assessment, deliberate practice. Vague answers ("I explain things clearly and check understanding") are not sufficient.

Tugo's answer: Every Tugo session is structured around three evidence-based techniques - spaced repetition, interleaving, and retrieval practice - all rated by the Education Endowment Foundation as high-impact interventions.

Question 4: How Do You Track Progress?

A tutor who doesn't track progress cannot tell you whether the sessions are working. Progress tracking should involve more than "they seem to be doing better." It should include specific topic coverage, assessment of understanding at session level, and communication to parents of what was covered and what gaps remain.

Tugo's answer: Tugo uses AI-assisted session tracking to log topic coverage, identify errors in real time, and soon generate monthly progress notes shared with parents.

Question 5: What Do Your Reviews Say?

Independently verified reviews are far more reliable than testimonials on a tutor's own website. Look for reviews on Trustpilot, Google, or independent school review platforms. Pay attention to: specificity (vague praise is less reliable than specific results), recency, and whether negative reviews exist and how they were handled.

Tugo's answer: Tugo has only 5 star reviews on Trustpilot from verified parents.

Question 6: What Happens in the First Session?

A good first session should include an assessment of what the student knows and doesn't know - not just jumping straight into syllabus content. How a tutor diagnoses gaps tells you a great deal about their pedagogical approach. If the answer is "we just start from the beginning of the topic," that's a red flag.

Tugo's answer: The first session includes a brief diagnostic exercise so tutors understand each student's specific gaps before the session begins.

Question 7: What Is Your Cancellation and Refund Policy?

Flexible, transparent policies are a sign of confidence in the quality of the service. Tutors or platforms that require long-term upfront commitments or have opaque refund policies are transferring financial risk onto parents. A first-session satisfaction guarantee is the gold standard.

Tugo's answer: First session satisfaction guarantee - if it's not the right fit, you get another session with a different tutor for free. No long-term commitment required. Sessions are bookable on a rolling basis.

Question 8: How Do You Handle a Student Who Is Struggling or Disengaged?

This question reveals a tutor's pastoral awareness. Students who are struggling often present as disengaged, difficult, or disinterested. A good tutor recognises this as a confidence issue, not a motivation issue, and has strategies to address it. A poor answer focuses on the student's responsibility rather than the tutor's approach.

Tugo's answer: Tutors are trained to identify confidence barriers specifically. Our group format also has a social motivational benefit - students are often more energised in a peer environment than alone with a 1:1 tutor.

Question 9: Can I See a Sample Session or Lesson Plan?

Transparency here is a good sign. A tutor with a clear, consistent methodology should be able to show you what a typical session looks like. If the answer is "every session is different because I tailor to the student" - that can be true, but there should still be a structural framework you can see.

Tugo's answer: The Tugo Method is documented in full, including the research basis for each technique and a clear description of how every session is structured.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do online tutors need to be DBS checked in the UK?

Yes. Any tutor working with under-18s should be DBS checked. This is a safeguarding baseline, not an optional extra. Always confirm DBS status before allowing any tutor to work with your child - whether in-person or online.

Is it safe for my child to have online tutoring sessions?

Online tutoring through a verified platform with DBS-checked tutors is safe. Reputable platforms record sessions and have clear safeguarding protocols. Tugo sessions are conducted through a secure, monitored platform and all tutors are verified before their first session.