Ask how they will check where your child stands, how they will use your child's writing, and what results are realistic.
Why the questions matter more than the pitch
Most parents choose tuition with limited information. A confident manner or a reassuring promise can sway you. A few well-chosen questions are a far better guide.
You do not need to be an English expert to ask them. You only need to know what a strong answer sounds like and which replies should make you pause.
Ask how they will find out where your child stands
This may be the most revealing question. A strong answer describes a real diagnosis. The tutor looks at reports, marked work and their own assessment to see how your child reads and writes.
A weak answer is generic, with the same programme for every student. The value of one-to-one tuition is that the teaching responds to your child. Listen for whether the plan will be shaped around your child or imposed on them.
Ask how they will use your child’s own writing
IGCSE English is largely about writing, and writing improves when someone reads it closely. A good answer includes regular reading of your child’s work and specific feedback. It also includes tasks set and reviewed between lessons.
A concerning answer only explains concepts or works through past papers without reading your child’s answers. If a tutor will not respond to your child’s writing week to week, much of the value is lost.
Ask about the board and the facts
Ask which board and syllabus the tutor will teach to. Paper structures and wording differ between boards, so a strong tutor teaches to the exact board your child sits.
Details such as timings and mark allocations should come from the board’s current official materials. A teacher who says “I check that against the current syllabus” is showing good judgement, not ignorance.
Ask what results you can expect
This question is a test as much as a query. A trustworthy tutor talks about what is realistic given your child’s starting point and the time available.
A tutor who promises a specific result, or claims to know what will appear on the paper, is overselling. Treat that confidence as a warning sign. Honesty about what cannot be promised is the mark of a good teacher.
If this is on your mind, a paid one-hour trial with an experienced teacher is the simplest way to see how we teach.
Ask how they will keep you informed
Ask how you will know whether the tuition is working. A good answer includes a note on what was covered, an honest read on progress and a flag when something needs attention. This lets you follow the work between the school’s termly reports.
A poor answer leaves you in the dark with vague reassurance. You are paying, so you are entitled to see what is happening.
Ask about the practical arrangements
Ask whether the lessons are truly one-to-one, what the rate is and what the format looks like. Find out whether you are locked into a package or can change things as your child’s needs change.
Sensible answers are simple: a clear rate, real individual attention, and freedom to change the frequency or stop if the fit is wrong. Be cautious if you are pressed to pay for a large bundle upfront, or if the tutor avoids talking about cost.
Use a trial to see, not just to ask
Seeing the teaching tells you more than any answer. Expect the trial to be a real lesson. The tutor should assess where your child stands, teach something and be honest about what they see.
How a tutor handles that first hour shows you their normal practice.
How we answer these questions
We teach IGCSE English online and one-to-one, from RM70/hr. The first lesson is a paid, one-hour trial with the teacher who would continue with your child. It checks where your child stands and starts teaching.
We check where your child stands before we teach, and we read your child’s own writing closely. We teach to the exact board and check facts against the current syllabus. We talk with you openly and tell you honestly what we think is realistic.
Choosing with confidence
Ask how the tutor will find out where your child stands, and how they will use your child’s writing. Ask about the board, realistic results, updates for you and the practical arrangements. Then use a trial to see the teaching yourself.
Strong answers describe individual, honest, writing-focused teaching. Weak ones lean on generic programmes and confident promises.
If you want a tutor who works this way, our First Language English tuition is built around these answers. You can also compare online 1-to-1 with a tuition centre or see how our one-to-one lessons are planned. Put your questions to us on WhatsApp and Book a Trial Class when you are ready.