The Tutoring Company

The Tutoring Company is an Australian tutoring service that places one-on-one tutors with primary and secondary school students, either in the family's home or online. It is a learner product for parents: the company talks with the family, matches a tutor and runs the lessons, rather than offering a marketplace to browse. The home page says it specializes in "individualised, one-on-one instruction either online or in-home," and it headlines itself as "The most trusted online and home-based tutoring company." Its listed address is Level 30, 35 Collins Street, Melbourne, visited by appointment only, and the footer names home-based tutoring in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, plus online tutoring across Australia.

What a family gets

The core service is a tailored program. The home page says the company gets to know a child's specific needs and develops "a program designed just for them," and that sessions let a student work on areas of interest or concern, finish schoolwork, revise, or get ahead on new topics. Parents start by talking directly with what the site calls an education professional for advice, and the home page pitches the service to families whose primary or secondary child is struggling to keep up in English or maths, needs to catch up, needs confidence, or is managing a learning difficulty.

Three subject areas are described in detail:

• English: phonics and spelling, essay writing and structure, grammar, and comprehension and analysis, with the aim of helping a child "become a confident writer and communicator."
• Maths: core concepts taught step by step, problem-solving techniques, and exam and test strategies, under the line "We help students understand maths - not just memorise it." The page says students learn at their own pace.
• Science: biology, chemistry, physics and psychology, covering practical and theory concepts, plus study and revision strategies.

The menu also has a separate page for primary school years tutoring, and the latest blog post on the home page is about building maths foundations in the early primary years.

Lessons come in two settings, which the site presents as support "in a familiar and comfortable environment." Home-based tutoring sends a tutor to the student, in the five cities named. Online tutoring runs on what the site describes as its own collaborative platform, offering 1-on-1 tutoring, small group learning and live support for schoolwork and homework. The online menu lists an online tutoring program, online study groups, subject pages for online maths, English and science, a guide on how to use the online classroom, and a support page. The small group option is pitched so that students "can learn with friends and classmates."

Before tutoring starts, the company offers a free online assessment. The home page says it can point the tutor to "any underlying issues that may require attention," naming poor organization or concentration and difficulty remembering concepts, and invites parents to phone to arrange one.

Tutors and approach

The site describes its tutors as "highly experienced and passionate about teaching children." All tutors, it says, have either Teacher Registration or Working With Children Checks, and all have access to regular professional development training to pick up new teaching strategies and resources. The tutor recruitment section welcomes both experienced teachers and people training to become teachers, and offers opportunities to refine teaching skills, flexible hours, and student placements matched to a tutor's strengths and teaching style. That matching runs both ways: one parent review credits a staff member with "choosing the right tutor to fulfil my daughter's requirements."

The company calls its approach holistic: it works with the parent, the child's teachers and school, and other professionals "such as Educational Psychologists and Speech Therapists." Its stated values are "believe - strive - achieve," explained as helping students believe in themselves, strive to be their best and achieve their learning goals.

Payment and terms

The home page sets out the commercial terms in a short list. There are no lock-in contracts. Scheduling is flexible to suit busy families. Payment is described as "pay for the first lesson, then pay-as-you-go," and families "Only pay after lessons are completed," which the site calls "fair and transparent."

The site publishes no lesson prices on its home page; the rate comes from the conversation with the company.

Families and tutors each have a login on the site, and tutors have a separate resources area.

What parents say

The two copies of the home page carry eight short testimonials between them. Parents name individual tutors: one says a tutor called Robbie "has been fantastic for my daughter's confidence," and that her daughter scored 94% in her last test; another says Kathryn "has been amazing for both my daughters over the past couple of years." A student says their tutor "was always very well organised," and a parent from Croydon writes that "the standard of tutoring was excellent" and that the tutor made learning interesting for her children. Another parent describes a tutor who "was always professional, attentive, and prepared," and a tutor's own quote praises a staff member as "always helpful and efficient." They are first-name quotes rather than case studies, but they show the same tutor staying with a family over time.

Who it suits and who it does not

The Tutoring Company suits Australian parents of primary and secondary students who want a regular one-on-one tutor in English, maths or science, and who would rather have the company pick that tutor than browse profiles. It fits a child who has fallen behind, has lost confidence, or has a learning difficulty, particularly where the parent wants the tutor to coordinate with the school or with a psychologist or speech therapist. Families in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth can choose home visits; elsewhere the online classroom and online study groups are the option. The free assessment, no lock-in contract and paying after each lesson keep the first step low-risk.

It is a narrower fit for older or adult learners, since everything on the site is framed around school-age children, and for students who need subjects outside English, maths and the sciences. A family that wants to compare prices before calling will have to ask. And a learner after a self-paced course or a credential will not find one: the product is personal tutoring, arranged and supported by the company.