This post explains why it happens and how to keep everyone working towards the same goal.
What if your child’s school and tutor disagree about English?
First, check whether the disagreement is real or just worded differently. Most clashes are about emphasis, not contradiction. One adult may stress structure while the other stresses analysis, and both can be right.
So slow down and work out what each person is actually saying before deciding anyone is wrong.
Why do disagreements usually happen?
A class teacher sees your child among many students and teaches the general priority for the group. A tutor sees one student’s work closely and may spot a personal habit that a class hides. For example, the teacher may push planning, while the tutor targets shallow analysis.
Timing matters too. Early in the year a teacher builds broad skills, while a tutor may focus on one gap before an exam.
They are working on different parts of the same task. Our guide to what a good English tutor does explains this supporting role.
What if it is a genuine clash?
Sometimes the advice really does conflict. On exam matters, the school usually carries extra weight, because it enters your child and teaches towards the paper. On individual habits, a tutor who reads the child’s own writing closely may see more.
If the clash is about what the exam rewards, check a neutral source. Our qualification pages and our guide to what examiners look for can help.
Advice like this is easier to act on with a teacher beside you. A paid one-hour trial starts from your child's own writing.
What if they disagree about your child, not the subject?
Sometimes one adult sees a coasting student and the other sees a struggling one. Both can be partly right. A student can seem relaxed in a class of thirty but stretched in a one-to-one hour.
Treat the two views as pieces of a fuller picture. A big gap between them often reveals something useful, such as a child who shines alone but fades in a group.
How can parents keep everyone aligned?
Act as the link, even if the teacher and tutor never speak. Ask the teacher what they most want reinforced and pass it to the tutor. Tell the school what the tutor is working on, where helpful.
Above all, do not leave your child to settle the disagreement. Avoid criticising either adult in front of them. Saying “let’s find out which fits the exam best” protects their trust in both.
How our teachers work with your child’s school
Our experienced English teachers treat the school as a partner, not a rival. In one-to-one IGCSE English tuition, they strengthen the skills the exam rewards and fix the personal habits a class cannot reach. When a school has flagged a priority, our teachers build lessons around it, as described in how we teach.
If you want a teacher who works with your child’s school, book a paid one-hour trial lesson. Share the school’s latest feedback, and the teacher will build on it from the first session.