A good tutor is not simply someone who knows the subject. They need to know your syllabus, explain clearly and fit the way the student learns. These seven questions help you find out.
1. Which board and level do you teach?
Ask for the exam board and the level by name, for example Cambridge IGCSE or Edexcel International A Level. A tutor who answers specifically is more likely to be familiar with the papers.
2. How will you find out where my child is now?
A good first lesson looks at what the student can already do. Listen for a plan to check past work or a short diagnostic, not a promise to start at page one of the textbook.
3. What will a typical lesson look like?
Look for a mix of explanation, practice and feedback. For exam classes, ask how past papers and mark schemes are used.
4. How will I know it is working?
Ask how progress is tracked and shared: short notes after lessons, a periodic review, or timed practice papers at agreed points. Decide in advance what you will look at after the first month.
5. When are you available, and in which time zone?
For online lessons across countries, agree the time in each person's local time and double check around clock changes. Ask about regular slots and what happens when a lesson needs to move.
6. What are the terms?
Agree the rate, how often it is paid and how cancellations are handled before the first lesson, so there are no surprises.
7. Can we start with a trial lesson?
A trial shows whether the student and tutor get along. Ask whether one is possible and on what terms.
What verification does and does not tell you
On this platform a tutor's profile is reviewed before it is published, and a qualification can be marked as verified after the supporting documents have been checked. That tells you the document was seen and matches the profile. It does not tell you how well someone teaches. That is why the questions above, and a trial lesson where available, still matter.