The questions families most often ask us. If yours isn't here, please get in touch — we're happy to talk through anything.
Every tutor on our roster holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or an equivalent professional teaching qualification, with current or recent classroom experience. We do not place undergraduates, regardless of their academic background.
Before any tutor is introduced to a family, we collect and verify their QTS certificate, Enhanced DBS check (within the last 3 years or registered with the update service), photo ID, and two professional references — at least one from a current or recent headteacher. We also meet every tutor personally before they join the network.
Primary tuition (KS1 and KS2) is £45 per hour. 11+ preparation is £55 per hour, or £1,650 for our 30-session Intensive Programme starting in September. Full details are on our pricing page.
You pay only for sessions delivered. There are no sign-up fees, no monthly subscriptions, and no hidden costs.
Three options, depending on what works for your family:
All three options use the same vetted teachers and follow the same standards.
Our primary focus is KS1 and KS2 — children aged 5 to 11 — with particular specialism in 11+ entrance examination preparation. We also work with families preparing for 13+ Common Entrance and early KS3 (Years 7 and 8) on request.
If your child is older than this, we may not be the right fit, but we can often suggest reputable alternatives.
Yes. Continuity matters enormously for children's learning — building trust with a tutor, understanding their teaching style, and developing the working relationship that lets a child take risks and ask questions.
Once we match a child with a tutor, they stay with that tutor for the duration of the arrangement. If the match doesn't work for any reason, we will arrange a different tutor — but switching is rare.
For the most thorough preparation, we recommend starting at least 12 months before the entrance exam — typically beginning in September of Year 5 for an exam in September of Year 6.
That said, we have helped children prepare effectively in shorter timeframes. The earlier you begin, the more comfortable the pace can be. We would rather a child have time to absorb concepts properly than be rushed through a curriculum.
For our Intensive Programme specifically, we begin signing families up in the spring before a September start, and the programme often fills before the summer.
This is very common, and worth taking seriously. We talk about it openly during the initial conversation. Some children thrive with a structured tutor; others find it overwhelming on top of full school days.
Where anxiety is a factor, we typically suggest starting with one shorter session per week, focused on confidence and enjoyment rather than performance. The right tutor — patient, encouraging, calm — can transform how a child feels about a subject. The wrong tutor can make it worse. We take care over the matching.
It happens occasionally, and it's no one's fault. If the chemistry isn't right after two or three sessions, please tell us. We will arrange a different tutor without difficulty or judgement. No family is ever locked into a tutor who isn't working.
Hourly sessions are billed monthly in arrears via Stripe payment link or bank transfer. Programme fees are billed in three instalments — typically at the start of each term.
You pay Thames Valley Tutors, not the tutor directly. We pay the tutors. This is part of why we can offer ongoing support — we are the contracting party with both sides.
From late 2026 we are introducing small-group Saturday morning classes for 11+ preparation — one qualified teacher, four students, weekly sessions. This makes 11+ preparation more affordable and adds a useful element of peer learning.
Group classes will be available for families based in or near Maidenhead. Sign up to our journal newsletter to be notified when sign-ups open.
Yes. Thames Valley Tutors holds public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Our tutors are required to confirm equivalent coverage or be covered under our policy. Documentation is available on request.
Yes. We handle personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). We do not share family or tutor data with third parties, and we delete data when it is no longer needed. A full privacy policy will be available on this website shortly.
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