Maths tutors in the City and Borough of Leeds

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Upskill in maths with a private tutor in the City and Borough of Leeds

What to look for in a private maths tutor

Once you´ve decided to hire a maths tutor, there are a number of things you should look out for to ensure that you find the right tutor for your specific needs.

• Qualifications and experience. While a maths tutor doesn´t necessarily need a university qualification in maths or a degree in teaching, it's important that they´re passionate, skilled and experienced enough to teach the level of maths that you require. For example, if you´re looking for a tutor to help you towards your GCSE maths exam, they should have a good understanding of the GCSE maths curriculum and ideally experience of tutoring GCSE maths to other students. 

• Teaching style. An important aspect of tuition that is often overlooked when finding a tutor is the tutor´s teaching style. It's important that you can understand how the tutor explains concepts, that you have a good rapport with them, and that they can understand and adapt to your specific learning style.

• Reviews and testimonials from past pupils. When searching for a tutor, you want to find someone who is experienced and reliable. Don´t hesitate to ask a tutor if they have any reviews or testimonials written by past students. In this way, you can discover whether the tutor is trustworthy and if they've achieved good results with other students before you decide to invest in a maths lesson with them.

How tutors can help you prepare for GCSE maths

Maths is one of the subjects at GCSE that often causes the most difficulty or generates the most anxiety for pupils. That is why a tutor for GCSE maths can be of great benefit to many pupils.

There are a number of ways in which they can help students:

• If you´re struggling with particular topics within GCSE maths, your tutor can go over these topics with you, breaking complicated concepts down in ways that make them easier to understand. They can provide maths problems specific to these topics so that you can gain further practice in these areas and understand the techniques used to solve them. You may also feel more comfortable asking questions in this one-to-one setting than you would in a busy classroom full of students.
• By hiring a tutor, you can improve your overall confidence in maths. Maths tutors don't just help you memorise equations or formulas, they give you the correct techniques needed to solve problems by yourself. With the individualised attention you receive from a maths tutor, you can work at your own pace and the tutor can keep revisiting topics until it´s ensured you´ve fully understood them. This personalised approach allows you to feel more comfortable in maths, thus giving you the confidence you need to tackle maths problems or your maths exams with ease.
• Using past papers as a revision tool for your GCSE maths exams is more effective if you´re doing so alongside a maths tutor. They can provide you with resources for past papers and provide corrections and feedback on those you've completed so that you know where you need to improve and how you can do so.

Can I find maths tutors for A-Level?

Yes, you can indeed find tutors to help you with A-Level maths. A-Level maths can be quite a step up from GCSE maths, so students can often feel a little overwhelmed when they start the course. It might be beneficial to look into finding a tutor early on so that you can ensure you stay on top of the course content and understand each topic effectively before you move on to the next. However, it's never too late to find an A-Levels maths tutor. If you´re approaching A-Level exam time and you´re feeling a little overwhelmed or don´t know if you have the right approach with your revision, a tutor can help you manage your time, create a study schedule and prepare effective revision techniques so that you can go into your maths exam with confidence.

The rise in online maths tuition

In the last two decades, technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, and in the past few years, thanks to advances in technology and the pandemic, many tutors have moved their classes online. 

The decision to take face-to-face maths classes or maths lessons online is completely personal. You may find that with face-to-face classes, you can build a better relationship with your maths tutor and you can feel more motivated with someone physically present when you're learning. 

However, online maths classes offer a host of benefits which is why they remain so popular today:

• Online lessons eliminate the need for travel for you or your tutor, and can therefore be a cheaper option than in-person lessons.
• There are a number of resources available online that make online tuition as interactive as in-person classes. Your tutor can share their screen with you during your class, use a whiteboard to write down ideas and equations, or share documents with you which you can both edit.
• Finally, with online lessons, it's easy to record the lesson so that you can always go back to it in case you´ve forgotten some of the content or for revision purposes. 

What you need to take online lessons

In order to take maths classes online, there are a number of things you should have:

1. A computer or laptop with a webcam and microphone. You should ensure that all of the physical components you need for online maths tutoring work effectively before you start taking lessons.
2. A reliable Internet connection. There is nothing more frustrating than slow Internet or when a call cuts off halfway through. That's why it's important to have reliable internet in order to take maths classes online so that your classes go smoothly and without distraction.
3. A quiet place where you can focus. To ensure you don't have any distractions during maths tutoring, you should try to do your lessons in a quiet area.

In conclusion, there´s no doubt that hiring a maths tutor can bring a number of benefits, especially if you´re studying towards of the likes of your GCSE or A-Level maths exams. So start the search today, find a maths tutor in the City and Borough of Leeds, and start your journey towards maths success.