Rates, practicalities and my cancellation policy:

Tuition sessions are £30. For most students, I recommend weekly sessions of half an hour. Shorter sessions are highly productive and therefore the best value for you. If we agree that your child would benefit from an hour or more per week, splitting that time into separate sessions will mean you get a great deal more for your money. I am firmly committed to the one-to-one model as I believe it is the best way to help someone who requires intervention, so I do not offer group sessions. If you'd like to read more about why I believe in shorter one-to-one sessions you can do so here and here.

I ask for payment via bacs transfer prior to sessions and my policy is not to continue with sessions unless payment for previous sessions is up to date. I also reserve the right to withdraw my services at any time if a client makes frequent, excessive cancellations or is unreliable when it comes to paying.

If your child is ill or you have a genuine emergency, I understand that cancelling with notice can be difficult and am always willing to be flexible for regular clients. I ask for at least 24 hours' notice if possible and with more advance notice than that, it may be possible to re-schedule a session that your child cannot manage, but I cannot guarantee it as I will be relying on cancellations by others. If you/your child simply forget about a session, or you cancel on the day when circumstances are foreseen, my policy is to expect payment for that. I send a WhatsApp message or a text within the first 5 minutes of the session if the client has not appeared and I will keep the session open in the the hope that they will make it. Your slot remains reserved for you for as long as you want it, including into the next academic year. If you wish to change slots you will need to provide me with plenty of notice as my calendar fills up months in advance.

To acccess my one-to-one Zoom sessions you will need a reliable internet connection at a decent speed, a microphone and speakers: integrated is okay, although a headset can help with focus. You must ensure that your child has a quiet space, with minimal noise intereference; if you're cooking or chatting in the background, this carries through your child's mic and is unbearably loud at my end, meaning I will struggle to hear your child speaking. Please also note that Zoom calls will drain your device's battery faster than you might think, so if your child is using an iPad or a laptop to access the session, the device must be fully charged or preferably on charge during the call. Finally, to aid their concentration, do consider what else your child has access to during the session, both on the device that they are using and on their phone: if they have access to online chat or games, the temptation may be simply too great for them and they will be distracted during the session. 

Most students find that tutoring makes such a difference to them that they are only too keen to stick with it. However, there are always exceptions and it is up to you and your child whether and for how long you wish to continue. Tutoring relies on student buy-in and while I'm very experienced at encouraging young people to engage with the process, I have to admit that I can't win them all! If I feel that your child is not engaging with the sessions in a way that will ensure that they will see the benefits in the longterm, I will advise you to discontinue.