Choosing a Tutor: A Printable Trial-Lesson Scorecard

Before the lesson: what to send the tutor

How well a trial goes depends heavily on what you exchange beforehand. A single message that states your child's level, weak areas and what you want from the trial stops the hour being spent on introductions. Cover: your child's year and curriculum or exam, the most recent test result and where marks were lost, one or two focus areas for the trial, and the practical terms — trial length, fee, and what happens if you need to reschedule. Then ask the tutor to confirm these points in writing; the Consumer Council advises keeping important arrangements in writing.

A template you can adapt:

• "Hello [tutor name], I'm the parent of [child], who is in [year] at a [district/school type] school. We're looking for help in [subject]. The most recent exam was [score], with marks mainly lost in [e.g. long questions in algebra, composition structure].
• I'd like to book a [60-minute] trial on [date, time], focused on [one or two specific goals].
• Could you please confirm: (1) the trial fee and payment method; (2) what you plan to cover; (3) if we continue, the regular fee, lessons per week, and cancellation arrangements.
• If there is any homework or past paper my child should bring, please let me know. Thank you."

During the lesson: what you can observe without hovering

For an in-person lesson, sit where your child cannot make eye contact with you but you can hear both sides. For an online lesson, stay in the room for the first fifteen minutes, then step out. Unless your child is visibly distressed, do not step in — the moment you intervene, you lose the chance to see how the tutor handles a wrong answer on an ordinary day.

Watch four things. First, the opening: does the tutor ask what your child has been doing and where they get stuck, or launch straight into prepared material? Second, the talk ratio: is the tutor explaining non-stop, or is your child answering questions and being asked to explain their thinking? Third, how errors are handled: when your child gets something wrong, does the tutor trace where the reasoning went astray, or simply supply the correct answer and move on? Fourth, the ending: does the tutor summarise what was covered and say what next lesson would build on it? Note the start and finish times too — punctuality is something you will live with every week.

The 10-point scorecard: five areas

Score each area from 0 to 2: 0 means not done, 1 partly done, 2 clearly done. Jot notes during the lesson and assign scores afterwards, when you can be fairer.

• 1. Diagnosis (2 points): Did the tutor look at your child's work or ask questions to find the actual weak spots, rather than assuming?
• 2. Clarity of explanation (2 points): Were examples pitched at your child's level, and did the tutor check understanding there and then?
• 3. Your child's engagement (2 points): Did your child answer out loud, attempt questions unprompted, and end the lesson more willing than they started?
• 4. Handling of errors (2 points): When your child got something wrong, did the tutor unpack the mistake instead of just giving the answer?
• 5. Practical fit (2 points): Punctual, the trial ran the agreed length, fees and arrangements stated clearly, and the schedule works for your family?

After the lesson: talking with your child

"Did you like the teacher?" usually gets one word. Specific questions get specific answers:

• "What did you do first today?" — tests whether the lesson had a structure your child noticed.
• "Was there anything you didn't understand but didn't want to ask?" — children rarely volunteer this.
• "Do you think the tutor knows what you find hardest?" — cross-checks your diagnosis score.
• "If you had another lesson next week, what would you want more of?" — a wish for more of something specific is a good sign; "it was fine" is not.

Comparing two tutors fairly

Use the same scorecard, send the same pre-lesson information, and trial both tutors within the same week if you can. Then compare the two sheets side by side — not the two children's moods. Give yourselves an evening before deciding.

Expect trade-offs. A cheaper university-student tutor with high energy may motivate your child but run an unstructured lesson; a more expensive, more experienced tutor may be solid but move at a pace your child finds fast. In-person saves travel time but narrows your choice; online widens it but demands more self-discipline from your child. No option wins on everything — the question is which trade-offs your family can live with.

Once you have chosen, confirm the fee, lesson length, weekly schedule and cancellation notice period in writing before the first paid lesson. The Consumer Council advises recording important arrangements in writing and avoiding rushed deposits. A tutor who resists putting these in writing has answered your last question for you.