The first five years of life lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Investing in education at this stage isn’t an extravagance - it’s an opportunity to give children the best possible start.

The first five years of a child’s life have an immense impact on their future. The fastest period of brain development in the human lifespan happens within the first three years of life. That’s when billions of neural connections are forming, shaping how a child thinks, learns, and interacts with the world.

But here’s the surprising part: despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, these crucial early years are often treated as a placeholder. Like learning doesn’t really start until uniforms and homework enter the picture.

“Many parents assume that formal education begins with school. It doesn’t.” - Adam Caller, CEO of Tutors International.

The research is clear: Children who receive structured, high-quality early education tend to:

• Perform better academically in later years.
• Develop greater emotional intelligence and social adaptability.
• Experience a lifelong love of learning, setting them apart in an increasingly competitive world.

A crucial, but often overlooked, part of early learning is emotional regulation. Before children can sit and focus, they need to learn how to manage their emotions, impulses, and attention - a process known as co-regulation.

When a child is overwhelmed, distracted, or frustrated, their ability to learn is compromised. By being around calm, attuned adults, such as a tutor, children learn to mirror these emotional skills and learn to self-regulate. Over time, this helps them manage distractions, persist with challenging tasks, and develop resilience - skills that will benefit them for life.

If you wait until your child starts school - whether that's Pre-K, kindergarten, or primary school - you’ve already missed their most transformative years.

Parents are seeking better early years support

A highly successful entrepreneur recently explained to us that he was frustrated by his son's early education.

He and his wife had chosen one of the most prestigious early years programmes in their city. It had a long waiting list, an exceptional reputation, and an eye-watering price tag. Their son was bright, inquisitive, full of energy - and yet, even in a class of 12, he was getting lost in the crowd. Something wasn’t clicking.

"I just want my son to be curious. To love learning … I just want someone who can keep up with him. Who actually sees him." 

They had a top-tier nanny, of course, but her expertise was in care, not education. That’s when the conversation turned to private early years tutoring.

How a private tutor nurtures a child’s natural curiosity

As Dr Sanchia De’Cage, an educational psychologist and former TI tutor, notes:

"The flexibility of the tutor can support this curiosity with a motivational approach that is linked to the child’s interest. This can then be used to widen interests by building from where the child currently is (in interest-level) with exposure to novel areas of learning."

In other words, in the Early Years, children learn best when they are excited, engaged, and allowed to follow their interests. A skilled tutor recognises this and creates a learning journey tailored to the child - helping them deepen their passions while introducing them to new areas of discovery.

“Is my child being stretched enough?”

A frequent concern among parents is that their child isn’t reaching their full potential because they aren’t being stimulated enough in a mainstream classroom.

When children feel under-stimulated, they naturally seek engagement elsewhere - sometimes through fidgeting, distraction, or acting out. This isn’t ‘bad behaviour’; it’s a sign that their needs aren’t being met. A tutor who understands how to keep a child challenged, engaged, and emotionally regulated can transform learning from a passive experience into something dynamic and deeply fulfilling.

Why even the best nurseries and nannies can’t offer it all

Many parents assume that a great nursery, Pre-K setting or an experienced nanny are enough. And while both can play an important role in a child’s development, they’re not designed to provide the level of individual attention, structured learning, and intellectual stimulation that a private tutor can.

Even in an elite Early Years programme, a class of 10-15 children means shared attention. And a nanny, no matter how experienced, is usually a caregiver first rather an educator.

A private tutor bridges this gap, providing:

• A personalised curriculum tailored to a child’s interests, whether that’s dinosaurs, space, music, or engineering, to build and maintain motivation and curiosity.
• Seamless language immersion. Bilingual and trilingual children have a cognitive advantage, but only if the exposure is immersive and consistent.
• Play-based learning that builds learning and cognition, such as baking to understand measurements, storytelling to develop emotional intelligence, and puzzles to work on problem-solving.
• Continuity in education, wherever you are. Whether in London, Dubai, or the Amalfi Coast, learning doesn’t have to stop when you travel.

Children in the early years learn best through play - a method proven to enhance brain development, social skills, and emotional intelligence. Unlike traditional classroom settings, private tutors use structured play, related to their interests to help children develop focus, self-regulation, and problem-solving skills in a way that feels natural and exciting.

This is why more families are pairing a private tutor with their child’s early education - or even replacing traditional nursery with full-time, bespoke tutoring.

Is it really worth it at this age?

A better question is, What’s the cost of not doing it?

Dr De’Cage recalls an early tutoring case that illustrates this point. She worked with a young boy in mainstream education who was struggling with focus and engagement. His off-task behaviour was interpreted as disruption, and the school considered removing him from class. However, his challenges were not behavioural – they were rooted in a lack of inclusion and an unmet need for engagement. Without specialist support, he risked falling through the cracks.

For families who invest early, the difference is striking. One of our clients – a family with a demanding international lifestyle – hired an early years tutor for their daughter when she was three. Within two years, she was fluent in three languages, had a strong foundation in numeracy and literacy, and, most importantly, really enjoyed learning.

There was no academic pressure. Her tutor was there to support her natural curiosity and make learning an engaging and exciting part of her everyday life. At this age, a play-based approach is ideal.

Early intervention for Special Educational Needs (SEN): A specialist approach

Dr De’Cage, reflecting on her earlier time working for Tutors International, and recalls tutoring pupils with learning disabilities in a fully rounded educational approach. This included academics, creativity, life skills, social skills, emotional literacy, and age-appropriate independence skills.

SEN children often require specialist support that mainstream education cannot always provide. One of her youngest pupils, just 2.5 years old, had difficulty transitioning into nursery - often overwhelmed and unable to engage. With carefully tailored tutoring, the smallest skills were broken down step by step.

What might seem like disruptive behaviour can actually be an unmet need – whether hunger, bids for connection, sensory overload, or a lack of inclusion.

Even in well-resourced schools with SEN support, provision is often broad rather than specialist. Tutors trained in early intervention can ensure that children receive the individual attention and support they need to thrive.

A first-class education doesn’t start in the classroom. It starts now.

At Tutors International, we specialise in placing world-class private tutors in early years roles tailored to the unique needs of each family.

Whether you’re looking for a tutor to work alongside a nanny, travel with you, or provide full-time early education at home, our tutors provide an education that is entirely bespoke and tailored to the child and their specific needs.

The first five years of life lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Investing in education at this stage isn’t an extravagance - it’s an opportunity to give children the best possible start.