FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General questions
Who are your tutors?
All of our tutors are qualified and experienced classroom teachers. But we don’t let just anyone sign up with us: it takes a special person to become a Red Bird tutor.
Not only are our tutors exceptional teachers, they’re also kind people who are passionate about helping each of our learners succeed. They’re the sort of teacher you love your child having in school!
We follow the principles of safer recruitment. All of our staff hold a recent DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service criminal record check).
Are your tutors specialists in their areas?
Yes!
All of our tutors are trained and experienced in their subjects. We hear of some tutoring companies offering secondary science tutors to support primary learners with maths – we don’t do that.
We know all of our tutors well and will only match you with a tutor who is right for your child.
How do your tutors know what to teach?
We don’t use a computer program or curriculum to tell our tutors what to teach. Our tutors are professional teachers. They know how to quickly assess your child, identify areas for support and close those gaps.
We trust our tutors to plan and deliver the support your child needs.
How does tutoring support my child's work in school?
Because our tutors are all qualified and experienced teachers, they know the National Curriculum inside out!
However, it’s important to us that tutoring doesn’t just give your child more of the same as they’re already getting in school.
Our tutors know their curriculums well, so they’re able to track back to areas of previous learning that might not yet be secure. By re-teaching these areas and by practising key skills, your child will go into their school lessons with confidence and ready to learn!
How do you use coaching?
Alongside academic teaching, our tutors use coaching in several ways.
They help learners:
- unpick how they learn best and how they revise most efficiently;
- identify their own barriers to learning and how they can best overcome these;
- engage actively with their own success: the more effort they put in, the more success they’ll see;
- improve their well-being and emotional stability, which is key to academic success.
Do you give homework?
No, we don’t give homework.
However, we do help our learners to set their own weekly goals. These might be academic (areas they think they need to practise further) or personal (organising their time or breaking through a barrier to learning).
We encourage our learners to get into the driving seat of their education: they have enough people in their lives telling them what to do. We teach them how to decide for themselves what steps they need to take to be successful. We show them how to set their own goals, how to make sure they achieve them and how to overcome setbacks.
Do you have space for my child?
We generally have good availability, but at some times of year it can get very busy!
Get in touch and we’ll be able to let you know our current availability.
When is the best time to start tutoring?
We tutor learners from Year 3 up to and including college students re-taking GCSE English and Maths and A-Level learners.
We generally don’t recommend tutoring for children before Year 3 due to their young age. However, we have some great primary tutors, so if you think your younger child might benefit from some additional support, please do get in touch and we can have a chat about options.
It’s never too late to start tutoring: our tutors can build confidence and skills quickly. However, the earlier you start, the more progress you’ll see.
Do you prepare children for the 11+?
No. We don’t offer tutoring to prepare for the 11+ exams.
1:1 Online Tutoring
Which subjects do you offer?
We offer a range of subjects at GCSE level, as well as the core subjects of English, Maths and Science for younger learners. We also offer some subjects at A-Level.
How much does 1:1 tutoring cost?
£55 per hour for KS2, KS3 and GCSE tutoring.
£65 per hour for A-Level tutoring.
Prior to your first tutoring session, you will set up a payment method. Invoices for tutoring are sent after the end of the tutoring month, e.g. the invoice for January tutoring sessions are sent at the beginning of February.
How will you match me with a tutor?
We don’t believe that showing you a list of tutor names and pictures and making you guess who you might like, is the best way to match a learner with a tutor.
We know all of our tutors really well, so when you get in touch, we go to work!
We’ll chat with you (on the phone or through email) to get to know your child and their needs. We’ll then personally match you to the best possible tutor for your child.
We haven’t got it wrong yet – but if we do, just get back in touch and let us know so that we can fix it.
Can I meet the tutor before we start?
Absolutely!
Once we’ve matched you with a tutor, we’ll share your contact details with each other.
Your tutor will then arrange a 5-10 minute ‘get to know you’ chat. This is a good opportunity to get a feel for your new tutor, as well as to arrange days and times for your sessions.
How long are the sessions?
That’s up to you.
While most learners will have an hour of tutoring at a time, some – particularly younger learners – might benefit from a 30 or 45 minute session each week.
How do we access online tutoring?
We use a secure online platform for our tutoring.
Our platform provides a shared whiteboard space for your tutor to work with your child. Both tutor and child can write/draw in the shared space, helping to make sessions interactive and fun.
You’ll receive an email reminder 24 hour before each session, which contains the link you’ll click to join.
All online sessions are recorded and you’ll have access to these recordings as soon as the session is finished and for the next 90 days. This is a great tool to help learners review their learning!
Small Group Tutoring
Which subjects do you offer?
We offer small-group online tutoring in:
Secondary: English Language, Maths and Science
Primary: English and Maths
New to Red Bird in September 2026
Sue will be offering small-group in person tutoring for AQA English Language retakes.
How much does small-group online tutoring cost?
Small Group Online Tutoring (1:3)
£30 per session
Small Group In-Person Tutoring
AQA English Language for November 2026 retake
– Tuesdays, from 4:30 – 5:30 pm
– 8 September to 13 October inclusive
– Six week intensive package
– AQA exam specification
– Maximum of 5 learners per group
£180
Where are your tutoring centres?
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Granary Suite 4, Brook Farm, Ellington, Huntingdon, PE28 0AE
When are the group sessions?
1:3 Online Tutoring
Saturday 10 – 11 am
Thursday 5 – 6 pm
Samll group tutoring in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
AQA English Language for November 2026 retake
– Tuesdays, from 4:30 – 5:30 pm
– 8 September to 13 October inclusive
– Six week intensive package
– AQA exam specification
– Maximum of 5 learners per group
What are your tutoring centres like?
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Our centre is based at our main Red Bird office.
Comfy sofas provide a great place to sit and learn!
Can I meet the tutor before we start?
Absolutely!
We encourage you to pop into to our tutoring centres before you start if you can to get a feel for how the groups run.
Give us a call before you come and we’ll be able to let you know the best time to visit to see your group (and tutor) in action!
Online, you will have a Meet and Greet with your tutor before you start, so that you can pass on any information about your chld and ask and answer any questions so you can get off to a flying start.
Who's Betty?
Betty is our Red Bird dog!
She’s a Schnoodle (a Schnauzer/Poodle cross) and she’s a regular visitor to our tutoring centres.
While lots of our learners love to have a cuddle, don’t worry, she doesn’t get to roam around on her own – there’s always someone there to look after her. She does like to come and say hi to our groups, but she’s always on a lead, so you don’t have to pet her if you don’t want to.
Got a different question?
Get in touch with us and we’ll get right back to you!
What PARENTS are Saying
"The difference that Red Bird has made to my son in the few weeks that he has attended has been nothing short of miraculous."
"Red Bird really make the effort to find out what makes each child tick, which is so important when inspiring young people to learn well.
My son willingly gives up a chunk of his valuable loafing time every Saturday morning for his Red Bird sessions - no complaints - and he comes out smiling and happy to tell me what he's been learning.
I consider this very high praise, coming from a teenager and I am happy that his confidence in this subject is growing well in advance of his GCSEs."
"My son says he wishes his experience at school was like that at Red Bird. He feels able to ask questions and learn without feeling under pressure."
What LEARNERS are Saying
"All of the tutors are very lovely and supportive. They helped me improve my skills in English, which I am incredibly grateful for. They also taught me good revision techniques and how to manage stress."
"I learn AND have fun - that’s crazy! My grades got much better and it’s made me more productive."
