Online and in-person tutoring can both be useful. Choose by the learner's defined goal, access, attention, subject tools, safety setup, continuity and practical friction—not a claim that one format always produces better results.
Use the fit matrix
| Factor | Online questions | In-person questions |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Does it widen relevant tutor choice and remove travel? | Is a suitable tutor/location realistically available? |
| Technology | Are device, connection, platform and input tools adequate? | Are necessary physical/digital resources available at the location? |
| Attention | Can the learner work on-screen with agreed boundaries? | Does physical presence help, or does travel/environment add strain? |
| Subject/task | Can equations, diagrams, texts or practical materials be shared well? | Does the task benefit from physical materials or paper observation? |
| Safety/privacy | Are accounts, recording, parent availability and reporting clear? | Are venue, other adults, arrival/departure and communication clear? |
| Continuity | Can the same suitable tutor attend reliably? | Is travel/weather/schedule likely to interrupt? |
| Learner voice | Can the learner ask, think aloud and show work comfortably? | Does the learner feel able to do the same face to face? |
Do not use “learning style” as a shortcut. Observe the actual learner and task.
Separate format from teaching quality
In either mode, a tutor should:
- understand the subject/course job;
- inspect current thinking rather than only ask for a grade;
- explain and then remove support;
- use a fresh independent attempt;
- record evidence and next steps;
- maintain appropriate boundaries;
- be willing to adjust or refer when tuition is not the right support.
EEF's one-to-one tuition evidence mostly comes from education settings and does not establish a universal consumer verdict between online and in-person private tutoring.
Check safety for the chosen setting
Use current official guidance. For England, the DfE parent guide covers tutors and out-of-school settings. Online questions include platform access, recording/data, direct messages and who is present/available. In-person questions include venue, supervision, household/centre arrangements, collection and how concerns are reported.
Disclosure systems and eligibility differ across UK nations. A check is only one part of safer selection.
Run the same bounded trial test
Before either trial, share the goal and baseline work. Afterwards, record:
| Evidence | Online/in-person result |
|---|---|
| Learner could explain the task and ask questions | |
| Tutor adjusted explanation to the attempt | |
| Learner completed a fresh step with less help | |
| Technical/travel friction was manageable | |
| Boundaries and communication felt clear | |
| Tutor proposed a specific next action and review |
Ask the learner privately what helped and whether anything felt uncomfortable.
Decide
- choose the mode with the strongest overall fit;
- change setup before changing format if the problem is fixable;
- compare another tutor if teaching evidence is weak;
- stop if safety or conduct is concerning;
- revisit after the first agreed review, not after every minor inconvenience.
Use the online tutor scorecard and first-session checklist. The private tuition parent roadmap keeps format as one decision in the full cycle.
Compare the learning job first
| Learning requirement | Online questions | In-person questions |
|---|---|---|
| Handwriting or paper working | Can the tutor see and annotate it clearly? | Can the learner preserve independent working? |
| Specialist software/resources | Are tools accessible and secure on the platform? | Are they available at the location? |
| Discussion/essay feedback | Can both parties share and reference work easily? | Is travel worthwhile for a conversational task? |
| Practical or physical materials | Can the task be taught safely and legitimately online? | Is the tutor/location equipped and appropriate? |
| Frequent short support | Does online access improve continuity? | Does travel make the schedule unsustainable? |
| Attention/access need | Which environment reduces barriers for this learner? | What reasonable setup is available? |
Do not decide from an assumed “learning style”. Test the actual task and learner experience.
Run a fair trial
Use the same bounded goal in each plausible format:
- share the same work sample and course context;
- ask for a learner attempt before teaching;
- observe explanation, questioning and prompt reduction;
- use a comparable fresh task;
- record practical friction;
- ask the learner separately;
- compare evidence, not production polish.
If only one format is realistically available, review it against the goal rather than an imaginary perfect alternative.
Worked comparison
A learner needs help with GCSE Maths working that often becomes difficult to read.
Online trial: document camera setup is unreliable; tutor often asks the learner to type final answers, hiding intermediate working.
In-person trial: working is visible, but a long journey causes missed sessions and leaves little time for homework.
Possible decision: improve the online camera/tablet setup and trial again with a clear working protocol, or seek a closer in-person tutor. The mode label alone does not decide.
Compare safeguarding and privacy arrangements
For either format, ask about:
- agreed adults and communication channels;
- location and who may be present;
- recording, storage and access to data;
- platform account and waiting-room controls online;
- transport, arrival/collection and private spaces in person;
- how the child pauses or reports a concern;
- backup if technology, location or tutor availability changes.
The current national and provider guidance relevant to your nation and setting applies; do not treat online as automatically safer or riskier.
Copyable format scorecard
Learning goal/task:
Learner preference and concern:
Work visibility/tools:
Attention/access:
Travel/technology reliability:
Safeguarding/privacy setup:
Continuity and scheduling:
Independent fresh-task evidence:
Practical cost/terms:
Decision and next review:
Sources
Keep reading
A parent's guide to private tuition in the UK
A seven-stage roadmap for defining a learning need, checking alternatives, choosing tuition safely, setting goals and deciding when to stop.
Read article →
How to prepare for the first tutoring session
Use separate parent, learner and tutor checklists to make the first session safe, informative and focused on real teaching evidence.
Read article →
How to choose a good online tutor
Compare online tutors using evidence of goal fit, teaching, subject knowledge, learner independence, safeguarding and clear practical terms.
Read article →