Listed below are some of the frequently asked questions that we are asked. These cover all aspects of the organisation and should hopefully give an insight into how Grampian Tutoring operates.

Trust and Safety

As an organisation we deem the safety of our students to be of the utmost importance. Due to this, we ensure that all tutors are legally allowed to work with young people through the use of the PVG Scheme. Any new tutors will have a PVG check completed through Disclosure Scotland.  

Many of our tutors are teachers, trainee teachers or undergraduate/postgraduate students and thus, you can have confidence that our tutors are well experienced in their chosen areas and that as an organisation, we trust in their abilities.

Lessons

Lessons are mostly conducted in your home (if this is something you are not comfortable with, alternative arrangements can be made). Lesson contracts will be created between the client and the organisation as well as with the organisation and the individual tutor who has been selected for the contract.

Payments for sessions begins with a two session deposit before the sessions start. Following this, invoices will be sent out on a monthly basis and will detail the sessions and the subsequent payments required.

Lessons are typically arranged on a weekly or fortnightly basis, at 60 or 90 minutes in length. However, frequency and length of sessions are discussed with each client individually and therefore tailored to suit the individual and what they require.

Prices

Pricing for tuition is discussed during the initial consultation. The pricing is usually an hourly rate, which is highly competitive. If you are requesting tuition for multiple subjects and/or pupils, there are discounts available. Experienced tutors, such as those holding degrees in teaching and tutors who have been with Grampian Tutoring Ltd for a number of years, tend to cost more than those who have less experience.

Throughout each month, the tutor will create a timesheet of the sessions which they will then give to the client to be signed and an invoice will be created from this. Once invoices have been received, they can be paid by cheque, bank transfer or paypal.  

Tutors are paid using a payroll system to allow us to deal with PAYE and NI contributions, tutors should never be handed cash or cheques directly.

Starting Tuition

We always recommend that sessions begin as early in the academic year as possible to ensure the necessary time is available for academic improvement. Once there has been an enquiry submitted for sessions, a consultation in the home of the client will be offered. Following this consultation, we aim for tuition to begin within two weeks, ensuring there are no setbacks or issues during the process.

As an organisation, we tend not to accept any new students in the month before the exam dates as it is difficult to guarantee improvement at this late stage. There is a theoretical cut-off date of the second week of March after which enquiries into beginning a tuition contract may be denied, and instead clients would be referred to the Easter school courses as an alternative.

For Private Entry Exams which take place in August, we recommend that students begin tuition between August and early November. We do not accept any tuition enquiries after these dates due to the nature of the work that is required for this kind of tuition.

Arranging a Tutor

To arrange a tutor, you can contact us by email at grampiantoffice@gmail.com, or by contacting us via our Facebook page. Once an enquiry has been made, a home visit and consultation will be carried out by either the director or the office manager. As part of this, a health and safety check will be carried out on the home as well as discussing the details of the tuition contract.

Cancelling Sessions

Generally, clients will not be charged for cancelled sessions if the session is rearranged with plenty of notice given to the tutor.

Short notice cancellations (cancellation requests given less than 24 hours before the time the session is due to start) will be charged if they are not rearranged with the tutor. If this occurs on a regular basis, some administration charges may be incurred for each subsequent late cancellation.

If a tutor has to cancel a session, they are required to give a suitable period of notice and offer alternative times to ensure no sessions are missed.