Choosing a private tutor in Hong Kong: a shortlisting method you can finish in a week

Step 1: Turn the worry into one measurable sentence

“My daughter's Maths is weak” gives a tutor nothing to plan against, and gives you nothing to judge results by. Before you open a single profile, write one sentence with a number and a date, such as:

With the goal written down, collect the baseline evidence: the last two test papers, the teacher's written comments, one piece of your child's own work. Screenshots are fine. This is what you will measure against after the trial — without a baseline, you are judging a tutor by mood.

One trade-off to settle in advance: a narrow goal can hide a wider problem. A tutor who only drills past papers may lift one score while study habits stand still. If that concerns you, write the habit down as a second, softer goal rather than expecting one person to fix everything.

• “Move S4 Maths from Level 3 to Level 4 in the June school exam.”
• “Complete English homework unaided, four weeks running, before end of term.”
• “Lift writing scores from 4/8 to 5/8 across two marked pieces.”

Step 2: Compare evidence, not prestige

Qualifications on HKTutorPro profiles are self-reported, so read each one as a claim to be checked, not a fact. Prestige — a famous school name, a long list of titles — predicts results less well than fit and evidence. Compare every shortlisted tutor on the same five things:

On fees: HKTutorPro is free for parents and students, and you agree lesson fees directly with the tutor. Public fee tables published by tutoring platforms — the two commonly cited market reference tables included — are market examples, not independent authorities. Those figures are indicative and change, so check the current source before setting a budget. What you actually pay is whatever you and the tutor agree in writing.

• Subject and level match: DSE, junior secondary and primary are different jobs. Someone strong at A-Level is not automatically right for a Form 2 student.
• Verifiable qualifications: degree, subject, years of teaching, and whether they will show proof at the first lesson.
• Practical fit: real availability (not “flexible”), lesson mode and location, and a fee you can sustain for at least a term.
• Evidence they can produce: marked work samples, a lesson plan, or a method for assessing where your child actually is.
• Continuity: how long they can commit before the exams.

Step 3: Put the same 12 questions to every candidate

Send the identical script below to three to five tutors and keep every reply in writing (WhatsApp or email). Comparing like with like protects you from a smooth pitch — and the Consumer Council advises checking claims about a service provider and asking for important promises in writing; a written chat record does exactly that.

Fill in the bracketed parts with your own details. If a tutor answers by voice note, ask them to type the answers so you can compare line by line.

• How long have you taught [subject] at [level, e.g. DSE / junior secondary / primary], and roughly how many students?
• What are your qualifications in this subject, and can you show proof (certificate or transcript) at the first lesson?
• Which syllabus do you teach to — DSE, school-based exams, or [other exam]?
• My child is currently at [baseline level]. What would your first two lessons cover?
• How do you structure a typical one-hour lesson?
• Do you set homework, and how do you mark and give feedback between lessons?
• Which days and times are you genuinely available, and what is the minimum number of months you can commit to?
• What is your fee per lesson? How is payment handled, and what are the arrangements if we cancel a lesson, for make-up lessons, how much notice is needed, and for any other charges? What notice do either of us need to give to end the arrangement? Do you have a written cancellation or refund policy, and will you confirm these terms in writing before we agree to start? Do you have any specific experience or training for working with children of this age? Can we have an adult present or nearby for the first lesson or two?

Red flags: probe, or do not book

If you see any of the following, push back once. A vague or evasive answer is your answer.

• Promises a specific result (“guaranteed 5**”) — nobody can guarantee an exam outcome.
• Presses you to buy a large package or pay a lump sum before you have met.
• Refuses a short video call, or will not show qualification documents.
• Is vague about fees, or adds charges that only appear after booking.
• Brushes off your questions, or runs down your child's school or teachers.
• Cannot describe how they would assess where your child actually is.
• Asks for information they have no need of (your child's full ID copy, bank details before any lesson).
• Shows a pattern of last-minute rescheduling before lessons have even begun.

During lessons: protecting your child

Before the first lesson, complete three basics: verify the qualifications claimed on the profile (ask to see the certificate or transcript at the first lesson); settle the police check covered in question 12 above; and put the fee, schedule, cancellation notice period and make-up arrangements in writing — a message thread is enough. For early lessons, choose your home with an adult nearby, or online in a shared space; if lessons take place at the tutor's premises, ask whether you can observe or wait there.

Sit in quietly on the first two or three lessons. How the tutor responds in the moment your child says “I don't understand” tells you more than anything on the profile. And if you suspect a specific learning difficulty, raise it with the school first — a tutor works to your brief, and this guide offers no medical or diagnostic advice.

After the trial: one rule for deciding

Book per lesson rather than buying a package. In the trial, watch two things: whether the tutor assesses before teaching, and whether your child asks questions. After four to six lessons, retest with the same past-paper questions you used for the baseline, under similar conditions — only then is the comparison honest.

The goal sentence you wrote at the start of this guide, not the tutor's reputation and not your mood that week, is what decides whether the arrangement is working.

• Continue if: the baseline measure has moved within four to six lessons and your child is willing to work with this person.
• Adjust if: the relationship is good but nothing measurable has moved — change the structure (more past-paper time, written feedback) before changing the person.
• Stop if: after a fair trial, both movement and willingness are missing. Replacing a tutor costs one awkward message; keeping the wrong one costs a term.