Determining the right tutoring dosage is key to maximizing academic gains without overloading your child. The optimal weekly hours depends on multiple factors – your child’s baseline knowledge, skill levels, exam proximity, subject challenges, stamina, extracurriculars and more. With some personalization, consistency, and adjustments along the way, you can find the ideal tutoring frequency for exam success.
Tailor Hours to Baseline Ability
Students struggling significantly in certain subjects need more intensive tutoring to close knowledge gaps, strengthen skills, and elevate performance. If your child scored below expectations on recent assessments, increase weekly tutoring time in those weaker areas up to 2-3 hours if warranted. This accelerated reinforcement gets them up to speed.
On the other hand, students with solid mastery can thrive with less frequent tutoring. An hour a week per subject serves more as enrichment to advance skills rather than remediation playing catch-up on foundational concepts. Assess your child’s baseline competency in each tutored subject and adjust hours accordingly.
Evaluate Subject Difficulty
Not all academic subjects require equal time and effort. Adjust tutoring hours according to the inherent complexity of each subject for your learner. For example, if maths comes easier than English literature analysis, decrease maths but increase literature tutoring time. Or conversely, boost instruction for notoriously tougher courses while scaling back on more intuitive topics.
Increase Hours Closer to Exams
In the months leading up to consequential exams, consider ramping up tutoring for intensive preparation and revision. Experienced tutors provide focused exam practice, review high-yield topics, teach effective time management under pressure, and ensure peak readiness. This exam cram period warrants maximum tutoring.
Account for Existing Commitments
Before piling on excessive tutoring, audit your child’s existing schedule. What other enrichments, extracurriculars, family time and free time occupy their week? Avoid overscheduling. Leave space around tutoring sessions for assimilating knowledge plus downtime. Try alternating heavier tutoring days with lighter days.
Weigh Pros and Cons of Group Classes
For some subjects, small group classes may sufficiently supplement school learning 2-3 hours per week while allowing peer collaboration. Evaluate if your child thrives in this format or needs more personalized 1-on-1 attention to address specific weaknesses a group pace misses. Combine approaches as needed.
Start Low, Increase as Needed
When beginning with a new tutor, start conservatively with just 1-2 hours per week per subject. Gradually increase time as you evaluate your child’s response. Look for tangible improvements in understanding and academic performance. Ramp up tutoring strategically, not by default. More hours does not always equal more progress.
Remember Learning Happens Outside Tutoring Too
Tutoring serves as guided practice, not as a substitute for your child’s own learning efforts. Ensure they put in time reviewing material, completing assignments, and studying independently outside of sessions. The combination of tutored instruction plus student practice delivers results. Do not over-rely on the tutor.
Monitoring progress helps strike the right tutoring frequency sweet spot – sufficient for mastery yet not excessive. Partner with an experienced tutor to collaboratively land on optimal hours per subject as needs evolve. Avoid under or overdoing tutoring. Consistency plus personalised adjustments optimises outcomes. Reach out to trusted experts like A Team Tutors to evaluate the ideal tutoring plan for your child’s goals.
A-Team Academy is the perfect place for students who want to get ahead in their studies. Our free trial lessons and assessments are a great way to see if our teaching style is a good fit for you, we have experienced tutors that can help you reach your full potential.
A-Team Academy Birmingham
