One-to-one at home or online

Two ways to sit the same lesson

One-to-one tuition with Upward Grade Tutors happens either at your home or online. The same tutor and the same plan. The format is a practical choice about where your child concentrates best, not a different level of service.

We teach school pupils aged 7 to 18. That range matters. A seven-year-old working on reading confidence and a Year 11 pupil working through GCSE maths need different rooms and different amounts of adult presence in the room. Home suits a younger pupil who settles faster in familiar surroundings, and it gives you a clear view of the lesson. Online suits a teenager who works well with a screen and a headset, or a family whose week has no room for another car journey.

Online is a poor fit if your child needs an adult physically beside them to start work, or if the house has no quiet corner during the lesson. Home is a poor fit if the week has no fixed evening at home, or if a tutor travelling across the city would make the slot fragile. Say which worry is bigger when you call. We will tell you honestly if the format you want is the weaker choice for the subject and the term ahead.

You choose the format when we book. You can change it later, subject to tutor availability. If your child has a cold and the lesson would otherwise be cancelled, moving online keeps the appointment. If the online lesson feels too remote, we look for a home slot with the same tutor. Ask for the current fee when you book, because we confirm it before the first lesson.

What a home lesson looks like

The tutor arrives with a plan and the materials for the session. All our tutors are DBS-checked qualified subject specialists, and many are current secondary teachers. We ask for a table and two chairs in a room where the door can stay open. A kitchen table is fine. The bedroom desk is fine if your child works there and you can look in.

The first lesson starts with a short conversation and a task, not a formal test. The tutor needs to see how your child reads a question and sets out working, and watches how your child reacts when stuck. From there the tutor builds a sequence for the next few weeks, tied to the specification your child's school follows. For GCSE maths, English or science, that link to the board and paper matters more than a generic workbook. The tutor will ask for the board and tier, plus any recent marked work.

You stay in control of the room and the boundaries. You can sit in at the start. You can stay out for the rest. A parent in the room for every lesson can change how a teenager talks about a topic they find hard, so we usually agree the arrangement at the start and review it after a few weeks. If something is not working, tell the coordinator rather than waiting for the end of a block. Progress reports for parents give you a written record, but a quick message after a lesson is often the fastest way to flag a problem.

What an online lesson looks like

Online lessons run on a video call with a shared whiteboard. The tutor can see your child's page through the camera, annotate a question on screen and send a copy of the work afterwards. A laptop is better than a phone. A phone screen is too small for algebra, and a tablet on a stand works if the camera can show both face and page.

Before the first online lesson, we ask you to test the camera and microphone, and put the charger nearby. Close other tabs before you join. A wired connection or a room close to the router reduces the small interruptions that break concentration. Headphones help if the house is busy. The tutor will ask your child to angle the camera down at the exercise book when working, then back up for discussion. That sounds fussy. It makes a real difference to how much the tutor can see.

You can drop in at any point. You do not need to sit beside your child for the whole lesson. If you want a summary, ask the tutor at the end or read the progress report. We keep the same safeguarding expectations online as at home: a parent or carer should be reachable and the lesson happens in a shared part of the house where possible. The tutor will not ask your child to move to a private room with a closed door. Tell us at booking if your child needs a parent present throughout.

How the first month runs

The coordinator introduces a tutor who teaches the subject and knows the specification your child follows. You get a name, a short background and a suggested first slot. We confirm availability when you book; we do not publish a live timetable because tutor diaries change through the term.

1. Introductory call or message. You tell us the year group, the subject, the board and what has prompted tuition. The coordinator checks that the tutor teaches that specification.
2. First lesson. The tutor uses a short task to find gaps and talk through how your child approaches exam questions. No diagnosis is final after a single lesson.
3. Plan. The tutor writes a sequence for the next few weeks, with the format you have chosen and the frequency you have agreed.
4. Review. After a few lessons, the coordinator checks in. You can change frequency, switch between home and online or ask for a different tutor.

Progress reports for parents sit alongside this. They describe what was covered and what still needs work. They do not predict a grade. We do not promise a grade either. The work is planned around the paper your child will sit, and the report tells you whether the plan is being followed.

What you prepare, and what we bring

For a home lesson

Clear a table. Have the school exercise book, the topic list or specification, a calculator for maths or science, and any recent marked paper. You do not need to tidy the whole house. A dog in the room is usually fine if your child can still hear the tutor.

• The board and tier your child is entered for, if you know them.
• Any teacher feedback or mock result you are willing to share.
• A glass of water and a pencil case within reach.

We bring the tutor's plan and a small whiteboard. Printed questions come from the tutor's subject folder. The tutor will not rearrange your furniture or ask for equipment you do not have. If a topic needs a calculator or a ruler, we say so before the lesson.

For an online lesson

Use a laptop or tablet with a working camera and microphone. Have paper, a pen, a calculator and the exercise book ready. Photograph any marked work and send it before the lesson, or hold it up to the camera at the start. Join from a room where your child can talk without being overheard by a sibling's television.

• Charger plugged in.
• Headphones if the room is noisy.
• The lesson link open a few minutes early.

We send the link and any digital materials before the lesson. The tutor keeps a shared whiteboard and can send a copy of the notes afterwards. You do not need to print anything unless your child prefers paper.

Timing, fees and switching

Home lessons depend on travel. A late-afternoon slot on a Friday in Bristol can be tight if the tutor is crossing the city, and the same tutor may have more room in the early evening online. Online lessons depend on the tutor's diary and your child's energy. A lesson after a long school day can work, but a lesson at the end of a mock week often does not. We confirm the time when you book. Opening hours are confirmed when you book.

The fee depends on the format and on the level of the subject. We confirm it before the first lesson and before any change. Ask for the current rate when you book. We do not add anything to the agreed fee without telling you first.

Switching format is usually a diary question, not an academic one. Tell the coordinator as early as you can. The same tutor may not have a home slot on the same evening, so we may offer a different time or a different tutor. We will not move your child to a new tutor without your agreement. If your child is preparing for 11+ entrance, keep the format steady in the final weeks before the exam. The same applies to GCSE and A-level exam preparation. A last-minute change of room adds novelty at the wrong moment.

Questions parents ask

Can my child mix home and online lessons?

Yes. Some families use home lessons in the autumn and switch to online in the mock season, or use online for a rescheduled lesson when a club finishes late. The tutor keeps the same plan and the same exercise book. Tell the coordinator which weeks you need and we will check the diary.

What happens if the internet drops?

Tell the tutor at the start if your connection is unreliable. Keep a phone hotspot or a room near the router as a backup. If the call fails, the tutor will agree with you how to use the remaining time, and the coordinator will pick it up afterwards. Ask us when you book if you want to know how a lost connection is handled before you commit.

Are the tutors DBS-checked?

Yes. All our tutors are DBS-checked qualified subject specialists, and many are current secondary school teachers. The coordinator matches by subject and level, and you can ask for a tutor's background before the first lesson.

Can I sit in on the lesson?

Yes. At home, you can sit in at the start or stay for the whole lesson. Online, you can drop in at any point. For a teenager, we usually agree a balance: a parent nearby, not necessarily in the room. The important thing is that your child knows you are reachable.

Do you provide progress reports?

Yes. Progress reports for parents are part of the arrangement. They cover what the tutor has worked on and what still needs attention. We agree how often they arrive when lessons start, and you can ask for a written note after a lesson if something needs sorting sooner.