Does My Child Need Tutoring?

It’s a question many parents ask at some point during their child’s schooling:

“Does my child need tutoring?”

Tutoring has traditionally been seen as something for children who are struggling or falling behind but that’s no longer the whole picture. Today, tutoring can serve a wide range of purposes — from providing extra support to extending and challenging students who are already doing well.

Understanding why families choose tutoring can help you decide whether it might be beneficial for your child.

Tutoring isn’t just for students who need extra help

Every child learns differently. Some children grasp new ideas quickly, while others need more time or different approaches to understand a concept. Tutoring offers a flexible way to meet individual learning needs — whether that means filling gaps in understanding or exploring topics in greater depth.

In a school setting, teachers do an excellent job of balancing the needs of many students at once. However, class sizes and time constraints can make it difficult to provide sustained one-on-one attention. Tutoring gives children the opportunity to slow down, revisit areas of difficulty, or move ahead at their own pace.

Building confidence through personalised learning

Confidence plays a major role in how children engage with learning. A lack of confidence can lead to hesitation, avoidance, or frustration — even when a child is capable of success.

Tutoring provides a supportive space where children can ask questions freely, make mistakes safely and experience small wins that build self-belief. Because sessions are typically smaller and more individualised, tutors can quickly identify where a child’s understanding breaks down and address it directly.

This boost in confidence often carries over to the classroom. When children feel capable, they’re more likely to participate, take risks in their learning and persevere with challenging tasks.

Extending and challenging advanced learners

Tutoring can also be highly valuable for children who are performing at or above the expected grade level.

Extension-focused tutoring allows students to explore topics beyond the standard curriculum, engage in deeper thinking and develop advanced problem-solving skills. This might involve tackling more complex mathematical problems, build mathematical reasoning skills or exploring higher-level comprehension and writing tasks.

Rather than simply moving ahead academically, the goal is to encourage curiosity, critical thinking and a love of learning that continues well beyond school.

Supporting engagement and motivation

Some children benefit from tutoring not because of academic difficulties, but because they’ve lost interest or motivation in learning. This can happen for many reasons.

A tutoring environment that’s calm, engaging and tailored to the student’s needs can reignite their enthusiasm for learning. Tutors can adapt activities to match the child’s interests, provide hands-on learning opportunities and help them see real-world connections to what they’re studying.

This sense of relevance and enjoyment can make a big difference in how children view themselves as learners.

Creating structure and consistency

Regular tutoring sessions can provide useful structure for children who benefit from predictable routines. Having a set time each week to focus on learning reinforces good study habits and helps children take responsibility for their own progress.

For some families, tutoring also serves as a bridge between home and school — a chance to monitor how their child is tracking, clarify expectations and provide continuity in learning.

Developing lifelong skills

Beyond academic improvement, tutoring can help children build skills that are valuable throughout life. These include:

Resilience: learning to persist when things feel difficult

Organisation: managing materials and time effectively

Goal setting: working towards achievable outcomes

Growth mindset: understanding that ability develops through effort and practice

Tutoring can give children the tools and mindset to become more independent, reflective learners — skills that extend well beyond their school years.

Deciding whether tutoring is right for your child

There’s no single answer to whether a child needs tutoring. Some children benefit from short-term support to build confidence or address a specific learning goal, while others thrive with ongoing enrichment or extension.

If you’re noticing changes in your child’s attitude towards schoolwork — such as frustration or lack of motivation — it may be worth exploring whether tutoring could help. A conversation with your child’s teacher or a qualified tutor can provide insight into what type of support or extension would be most beneficial.

Ultimately, tutoring is about providing the right environment for each child to grow — whether that means catching up, keeping up or moving ahead.