Parents across the UK are unknowingly placing their trust in an unregulated tutoring industry, with most believing standards and qualifications are in place when, in reality, they’re not.

At Tutors International, we’ve recently uncovered a surprising statistic – a massive 93% of Brits don’t realise that the private tutoring industry is entirely unregulated.

In a time when more and more families are turning to private tutors to support their children’s education, this gap in regulation raises serious questions for parents who want the best for their children.

We conducted a survey that revealed some fundamental misconceptions about the tutoring industry in the UK. Here are the key findings:

Public perception:

• 91% of respondents did not know that a qualification is not a requirement for tutoring.
• 54% of respondents tutors must hold a UK-recognised teaching qualification.
• Only 7% of respondents knew there is no UK regulatory body overseeing private tutors.
• 39% of respondents believed tutors must currently be registered with a regulatory body.
• 53% of respondents believed tutors must have passed a DBS check.

Parental demands:

• 38% would only hire a tutor with a UK-recognised teaching qualification.
• 36% would only hire tutors who are a member of a regulatory body.
• 47% would only hire a tutor with a valid DBS check.

In reality:

There is no need for teaching or tutoring qualifications to be a private tutor in the UK, and no requirement to hold a valid DBS check, and there is no official regulatory body in the UK for private tutoring.

There's a widespread lack of awareness about the tutoring industry

Right now, anyone can operate as a tutor without any formal oversight, which makes it challenging for families to feel fully confident in the quality of tutoring they’re getting.

Safeguarding (which has been discussed a lot lately) and quality assurance in tutoring are two distinct needs.

Our founder and CEO, Adam Caller, believes this knowledge gap shows a real need for clearer standards:

Parents expect tutors to have formal qualifications and a level of oversight that simply isn’t in place at the moment.

Why we’re calling for standardised tutoring qualifications

It’s not just about awareness; we’re advocating for standardised qualifications across the tutoring industry.

In a recent interview with Sky News, Adam emphasised that parents often assume that private tutors are qualified, but in reality, there’s no formal qualification or pathway to become a certified tutor. This lack of standardisation means parents have little assurance of their tutor’s ability to provide effective education.

From a parent's point of view, it's this assumption that the person that they've got coming to teach their children at home has some kind of qualification for doing it when in fact they don't. And what that means is that there's really no way for a parent, particularly, to know if they're getting what they think they're buying.

We need a distinct, standalone qualification to ensure tutors can deliver quality one-on-one learning, as this is a unique skill set not covered in standard teaching credentials.

Why?

Because according to our survey, parents expect, and demand, tutors to be qualified and regulated.

Because setting standard qualifications would protect children’s education and help parents make more informed choices.

Because by implementing standardised qualifications, we could build more transparency and trust in the industry.

A rising demand amidst uncertain standards

The demand for private tutoring is high, yet the industry has been slow to address concerns around consistent standards and quality assurance.

The private tutoring sector is huge, but without national standards, families and students are potentially at risk. A specific tutoring qualification could help address these risks and give families confidence in the tutors they’re choosing.

At Tutors International, we’re leading the way in advocating for better regulations that align with what parents are already expecting. As the industry expands, it’s becoming ever more important to establish a regulatory framework that ensures students receive safe, high-quality educational support.

Listen to Adam's full interview with Mix 96.2 FM on the topic of qualifications and regulation in private tutoring:

About the Research

This research, conducted by Tutors International, explored public perceptions of private tutoring in the UK.  It was an online survey conducted between 11th and 17th October 2024, with 2,010 UK adults participating. The research adhered to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2023) and complied with the DPA (2018).

The research covered several key areas related to private tutoring and broke down these findings by demographics such as gender, age, relationship status, region, city and BBC region. If you’d like a copy of the survey results, email marketing@tutors-international.com.