4th March 2014 9:00
By Blue Tutors
The Good Schools Guide has issued a warning to parents not to employ tutors for children under the age of five. According to the guide, parents should resist the mounting pressure to hire tutors to help their children get ahead at a young age, and avoid tutoring for primary school entrance exams. Parents were told that tutors who work with very young children are “charlatans”, and should be avoided. The rising popularity of home tuition, especially in London, has led the Good Schools Guide to start issuing advice to schools and parents on private tuition.
The guide defines “unnecessary tutoring” as the tuition of children aged two, three and four, and warned that tutors who work with this age group are exploiting the anxiety of parents. Ralph Lucas, editor of the guide, said that the rising number of independent primary schools using an entrance exam was fuelling the worries of parents who felt that they must have their children tutored in order for them to win places. He also pointed out that the prevalence of private tuition in London made parents feel as though it was something they must do, if everyone else is doing this for their children. He accused independent schools which rely heavily on entrance exams of being irresponsible, causing anxiety and distress for parents and children instead of taking a more rounded approach to admissions.
The guide went on to say that parents should be very careful when selecting a private tutor, ensuring that tutors were well respected and recommended. This comes after the rise in tutors claiming that they can transform the results of children as young as three. Some schools have also spoken out against tuition for very young children, with head teachers expressing concern that private tuition was denying students of their childhood, especially if they are coached from age three onwards. The Good Schools Guide has advised parents to think carefully before selecting a tutor, and to avoid tutors who offer their services for young children.