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SQA 2020 Exam Results

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Never has the anticipation of your exam results been so nerve-racking for so many students than the SQA 2020 exams. With exams not taking place, students have little control over the outcome, causing confusion, frustration and anger towards the SQA and education secretary John Swinney.

There has been a bag of mixed results, some good and some not so good. Here is a quick explainer of how we believe the results were predicted and confirmed to help parents and students get a better idea of where the final grade came from…

How did it work?

The teacher’s assessment is based on several factors. Firstly the prelim results, followed by class test results, coursework and extra curriculum work.

Secondly, the teacher took into account the behaviour of students, along with their attitude and work ethic in class. This is where things get tricky. This is down to the tolerance and judgment of the teacher and thus is the missing link to a lot of confusion; which we will discuss in just a minute.

Lastly, the SQA reviewed the teacher’s decisions and made a final judgment on whether they required regulating or not. Now the problem here is that 75% of teacher recommendations were accepted by the SQA. The remaining 25% were altered, with 96% being taken down at least one grade.

What does it all mean?

As we mentioned previously the missing link we found when speaking to teachers, students and parents was the behavioural and non-academic proportion of the prediction. As a tutor myself I have seen this first hand with several of my students. One, in particular, who was “predicted a B” and based on his behaviour was lowered by 2 grades. The teacher admitted if his behaviour was better their recommendation would have been lowered by one.

Now, this is a controversial topic as depending on your results is whether you agree or disagree with the points being made here. It can be said across the board that students “predicted” A’s could not and would not be lowered to a D or a “no award” it is simply not possible; although some will disagree, the SQA would not lower any students mark by 45%. Either there is more to the situation or the teacher’s recommendation is lower than expected. We do sympathise greatly with students who were genuinely lowered for no apparent reason based on their previous performance in school.

The word “Predicted”

Controversial to popular opinion, the term predicted doesn’t mean guaranteed when it comes to exams. The predicted working grades were 60% of the time wrong. With this in mind it’s hard sometimes to accept that even though you were predicted and “A”, it doesn’t mean you are defiantly going to achieve that in a regular exam situation, vice-versa for being predicted a “B / C”, there’s still no reason why you can’t achieve an “A”. I believe the term predicted need to be taken with a pinch of salt at times.

Where it all went wrong!

So far we have tried to look at the situation from both sides, however, it stops here! What we completely disagree with is the school’s postcode and reputation to determine the student’s final grade. No student should be judged by the ability of their predecessors! This is a major bad call by the SQA, this model inherently undermines the final decision significantly. Each and every student should be judged individually – just as they would have been in a typical exam.

What’s next?

We advise all students not happy with their results to appeal their grades, you can click on the link to take you directly to the SQA Appeals Page for more information. Remember if you are in 5th year going into 6th year you have another shot and getting the grades you fully deserve. For students leaving, just remember this isn’t the end, it just means thinking outside the box, considering alternative options first whether its a college course, apprenticeship or full-time employment. It’s not the end of the world, things will work out.

Let us know your thoughts!

We would love to get your thoughts and experiences with this year’s results. Leave any comments below or contact us for further information or help and advice on appeals.  

Work with the Best Professional Essay Writers

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Work with the Best Professional Essay Writers

Dissertation, also known as a thesis, is a research assignment that acts as a part of a degree requirement. Students typically use dissertations to submit their finding with regards to a preposition or question selected by themselves. Universities use dissertations as mandatory assignments to check the students’ readiness for high studies. Consequently, dissertations play an important role in a scholar’s academic progress. If you are pursuing higher studies but are unsure of your writing skills, then you can work with the best professional essay writers to write an excellent thesis.

The professional essay writers in the UK would do all the groundwork for you from selecting a subject for writing the thesis, to finding all the relevant books and materials related to it. They would also give regular feedback on your writing should you need to have it evaluated by the professionals, and when finally, the essay is written, they can edit it and proof-read it to make it submission-ready. However, if you are pressed for time, and do not have the required time to write such a huge work, then you can also outsource the whole dissertation writing process to the experts and work with the professional essay writers in the UK.

What is Methodology in Dissertation Writing

The most popular query with regards to the dissertation is what is methodology in dissertation writing. Knowing what methodology in dissertation writing is, empowers the students to progress in their written works in the right manner. The methodology is the specific technique or procedure undertaken by the researchers to identify, choose, process, and evaluate data related to any subject or topic. The methodology section deals with two major queries- the approach used to collect a particular set of data, and the method by which the author analysed it. With this section, readers can critically assess a paper’s reliability and validity. Thus, just by having a clear idea of what is methodology in dissertation writing, a student can work on writing a compelling and valid thesis.

How to Write a Dissertation

Academic students must know how to write a dissertation. Dissertation writing is a tedious and difficult process, although for interested students it is highly rewarding in terms of an intellectual upgrade. You should devote adequate time to plan and structure your dissertation writing to make a readable and informative end product. Knowing how to write a dissertation would allow you to contribute significantly to the academic community. Hence, you must keep a few pointers in writing your academic essay. To start with, you must carefully select your research topic. A meaningful and engaging topic would fit well with your career aspirations. Next, you should check on the essentials of essay writing and familiarize yourself with the ethical protocols of your teacher. You should also possess a clear structure and goal for your writing. Assign yourself weekly word targets. This would help to ease the burden of the final essay. Possess a critical mind and edit and proofread your work. Hence, by pre-planning how to write a dissertation, you can submit the best work to your teacher.

How to Structure a Dissertation

Students frequently puzzle over how to structure a dissertation. Well, a dissertation is generally divided into a minimum of four or five chapters for both social science and science discipline. The most common structure contains an introduction (of the topic), a literature review (that contains relevant sources), methodology (that explains the working process of the dissertation), result (that provides an overview of the study), discussion (discusses the result and its implication), and conclusion (that sums up the overall study). Scholars in the humanities stream also wonder about how to structure a dissertation. These students need to write their dissertation in the form of a long essay and build their arguments by evaluating the primary and the secondary sources.

If the whole process of dissertation writing is difficult for you, and you are unable to know how to write a dissertation, or what is the structure or methodology in dissertation writing, then you can work with the professional essay writers have a great work written for you. This would pave the way for a great career ahead.

Author Bio: Madelyn Nectar is an essay writer, living in Nottingham. She is the Chief Content Officer of Uniresearchers. Madelyn is passionate about helping the students to find perfect academic writing solution.

Video Tutorials

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Direct Tutoring is proud to announce the opening of our own YouTube channel. We aim to deliver tutorials, past paper solutions and helpful guides and advice for national 5 and higher maths.

Here are some examples of our work…

Solving National 5 Pythagoras Questions

National 5 2019 Past Paper Solutions
How to sign up to Direct Tutoring

Be sure to like and subscribe to our Youtube channel, to help us grow as a community. Leave any comments and suggestions to help us improve your viewing experience. If you have any video requests, drop us a message and we will be happy to create personalized content.

School Coronavirus Closures

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PM Boris Johnson says “we don’t think schools should be closing” during the coronavirus outbreak, which has already killed eight people in the UK. Amidst school coronavirus closures fears.

Some schools around the UK are already closing their doors due to fears of a break out from staff and students returning after their short term break. This is becoming more common in public and private primary schools and is quickly spreading into high schools and universities.

Will Schools Actually Close?

An emergency “Cobra” meeting will be held later on today (March 12th). To discuss the potential closure of UK schools which is part of a so-called “social distancing plan”.

The UK is set to enter the “Delay Phase” which aims to encourage more people to work from home and stay away from mass public hotspots.

The P.M Boris Johnson has said that the government wanted to avoid locking down classrooms and schools, for the domino effect it will have later in the academic year.

Further information about your local school, can be found on your councils/schools website or by contacting them directly.

School Coronavirus Closures after Boris Johnson's Statment Today March 12th.

PM Plans For Tackling Coronavirus

Taken from The Sun newspaper, this video outlines Boris Johnson’s plans for tackling the coronavirus as we move into the next phase of the protocol.

At this stage, it is unclear how the closure of schools will effect exams, coursework deadlines etc. All we know is schools are preparing “Take home booklets” so students can work at home through the course material.

PM Layout Plans for School Closures Over Coronavirus Fears

How Can Tutors Help?

Tutors around the UK should brace themselves for an influx in the number of students they are contacted by and the number of lessons existing students want, amidst the growing concerns of school closures. No one yet knows what that will mean in terms of exams, but one thing is for sure, tutors will be waiting and ready to provide continuous support for all their students when they need it most. 

Visit our search engine to find local tutors in your area, who can help provide extra support at this most critical time. For further information on how we can help please contact us and our dedicated team will be able to assist you in any way they can. 

What Are the Options?

The growing concerns of school closures see more parents holding their children from going to school. So what can be done in the meantime? Follow the advice of your local council and schools. If in the event the schools are closed for a substantial amount of time, rest assured if you have a tutor and they continue to offer tuition, they can be an important point of contact. Continue to stay up-to-date with the news for further information.

In the meantime, if anyone has any issues please feel free to contact us, and stay safe!

SQA Higher Maths

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What is Higher Maths?

The SQA higher maths course is the next stage in a students journey through their high school career. It expands on the work covered in the National 5 course and also introduces several new topics. Visit the link to the SQA website for full course content.

It is safe to say the Higher course is much more challenging than the National 5. However, the rewards are much greater. This is the most important qualification of your school career as this is what universities and some colleges look for; so the better the grades the more choice you will have! That’s why we have a long list of maths tutors waiting to help you pass with flying colours. Click on the like to find a maths tutor near you.

Is Higher Maths Worth it?

This question really depends on the individual. For example, a student looking to continue their studies to university studying History, won’t need an in-depth understanding of maths compared to someone studying chemical engineering.

If you are in mixed minds however, I would highly recommend you take on the challenge and go for it! It’s a universal qualification and one that will look great on a CV. If you can prove you can understand a complex subject like mathematics, then you make yourself stand out from the crowd.

What Can You Expect

I’d love to tell you its easy; however, I would be misleading you. It is tough (at times), but not impossible. Higher maths gives you a more in-depth understanding of numbers and develop techniques that are relevant to everyday life.

The course covers several main topics, ranging from Calculus to trigonometry to logs. Let’s break each one down to get a better understanding of what topics you should expect.

Calculus?

Calculus is a branch of maths which covers two main topics at higher level. The first is Differentiation, the second is Integration.

Differentiation

Differentiation is an application of mathematics that aims to explain and simplify analysis methods. This topic is vast and covers many sub-topics; some of which students will already be familiar with. Differentiation covers quadratics, straight line, gradients, parabolas, optimisation and more!

SQA Higher maths differentiation

Integration

Integration is the opposite of differentiation. This branch of calculus is more useful for modelling predictions based on graphs. Integration plays a vital role in developing a students understanding of quadratics, graphs, functions, optimisation and more!

SQA Higher maths integration

Trigonometry?

Almost everyone had heard of trigonometry; also known as “trig”. This word makes most people shiver with flashbacks to the horrible time at school learning about trig. Trig is one of the main and most challenging aspects of higher maths. Trigonometry focuses on two main elements in the higher course.

The first being the trig triangles. The study of non-right angled triangles using the sine and cosine rule is a continuation from the National 5 course; except this time it takes it up a notch. The second is trig graphs; using standard CAST diagrams as well as wave function analysis. When I say higher maths is hard; this is what I am referring to.

SQA Higher maths Trigonometry

Logarithms (Logs)

When you think of logs, you won’t instinctively think of maths. However, logs are very important for modelling in maths. In the higher maths course, logs are covered using natural logs and exponentials. Exponentials are the opposite to logs; similarly with the differentiation and integration in calculus. Overall, logs are fairly straightforward however at the beginning they seem like an impossible task. Rest assured it does get easier.

SQA Higher maths Logs and exponential's

So What’s the Verdict?

Overall high maths is a great course to take in your 5th of 6th year. It opens a lot of doors for you to choose from in terms of what you would like to do after school. The course is challenging, stimulating, exciting and interesting all bundled into one! It can be fast-paced at times and can be stressful, but the main piece of advice I can offer is… Ensure you have excellent time management skills, willingness to learn, don’t leave everything to the last minute and remember to stat on top of your notes and do LOTS of questions. Good Luck with your studies and do check our tutors out for further help and support!

Top Scottish Schools

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The top Schools in Scotland have been released. Is your School among the best?

Top 100 Schools Scotland
2019 Top Schools in Scotland Revealed based on exam results.

The top Scottish Schools list has been published. This list ranks the schools based on exam performance. By achieving either 5+ Highers, 2+ Advanced Highers and 5+ National 5’s, students can contribute to their schools overall ranking. 

The top spot has been retained by Glasgow’s Jordanhill School. This high performing school has retained its place at the top with an outstanding 83 pupils achieving 5 or more highers. 

1 Jordanhill School (83, 48, 95)

2 Dunblane High School (76, 27, 92)

3 St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock (75, 30, 89)

4 Boroughmuir High School (71, 33, 91)

5 Mearns Castle High School (75, 24, 91)

6 Williamwood High School (73, 24, 92)

7 Bearsden Academy (70, 29, 89)

8 Gryffe High School (70, 15, 94)

9 Douglas Academy (69, 20, 89)

10 Bishopbriggs Academy (66, 25, 89)

11 Banchory Academy (62, 31, 84)

12 Boclair Academy (67, 15, 88)

13 Cults Academy (61, 28, 86)

14 Lenzie Academy (61, 19, 92)

15= Balfron High School (62, 25, 83)15= Aberdeen Grammar School (61, 27, 83)

17 Strathaven Academy (61, 18, 81)

18 Woodfarm High School (55, 19, 88)

19 North Berwick High School (55, 22, 82)

20= Westhill Academy (56, 19, 80)

20= Mackie Academy (54, 24, 79)

22 Peebles High School (57, 21, 75)

23 Eastwood High School (53, 16, 87)

24 St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School (55, 19, 79)

25 Linlithgow Academy (56, 17, 76)

26= Oldmachar Academy (55, 8, 86)

26= Turnbull High School (55, 11, 83)

28 Hyndland Secondary School (53, 18, 79)

29= Kirkintilloch High School (56, 15, 75)

29= Craigmount High School (51, 20, 80)

31= McLaren High School (56, 17, 72)

31= The Royal High School (52, 20, 77)

33= Currie Community High School (52, 21, 75)

33= James Gillespie’s High School (48, 28, 76)

35 Dalziel High School (55, 10, 78)

36= Balerno Community High School (53, 15, 75)

36= Plockton High School (47, 23, 79)

38= Clydeview Academy (51, 15, 76)

38= Monifieth High School (51, 10, 81)

40 Earlston High School (48, 20, 76)

41 Kemnay Academy (48, 14, 81)

42 Notre Dame High School (51, 15, 73)

43= Our Lady’s High School, Cumbernauld (51, 11, 76)

43= Wallace Hall Academy (44, 19, 82)

45 Aboyne Academy (46, 22, 73)

46 Hermitage Academy (45, 18, 78)

47= St Luke’s High School (49, 12, 75)

48= Firrhill High School (48, 17, 72)

49= Largs Academy (46, 15, 78)

50= Madras College (45, 23, 72)

51 Elgin Academy (48, 20, 67)

52 Mearns Academy (47, 16, 72)

53= Inverkeithing High School (44, 18, 75)

54= Arran High School (39, 27, 76)

55 Stewarton Academy (45, 19, 71)

56 Queensferry Community High School (48, 15, 68)

57= Kyle Academy (46, 12, 74)

58= The Community School of Auchterarder (46, 15, 71)

59 Kinross High School (42, 21, 72)

60= Dalbeattie High School (47, 13, 69)

61= Stromness Academy (44, 12, 76)

62= West Calder High School (47, 10, 70)

63= Larbert High School (44, 11, 75)

64= St Mungo’s High School (44, 14, 72)

65= Ullapool High School (44, 15, 71)

66= Alford Academy (40, 17, 77)

67= St Margaret’s Academy (47, 7, 72)

68= Grove Academy (44, 13, 72)

69= Holyrood Secondary School (43, 11, 76)

70= The James Young High School (43, 16, 71)

71= St Maurice’s High School (45, 8, 74)

72= St Ninian’s High School, Kirkintilloch (43, 7, 79)

73= Knox Academy (45, 16, 65)

74= Our Lady’s High School, Motherwell (44, 8, 75)

75= Grantown Grammar School (39, 17, 76)

76 St Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School (40, 19, 71)

77 St Columba’s High School, Gourock (43, 13, 70)

78= Anderson High School (41, 12, 74)

79= Dunbar Grammar School (41, 18, 68)

80= Prestwick Academy (41, 7, 79)

81= Wallace High School (45, 13, 64)

82= Broxburn Academy (44, 6, 73)

83= Culloden Academy (44, 10, 69)

84= Holy Cross High School (42, 8, 75)

85= Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School (41, 12, 73)

86= Park Mains High School (41, 11, 74)

87= Ellon Academy (39, 15, 74)

88 Crieff High School (41, 15, 69)

89= Milne’s High School (41, 14, 69)

90= Breadalbane Academy (36, 19, 74)

91= Millburn Academy (43, 10, 68)

92= St Kentigern’s Academy (40, 11, 73)

93= Glasgow Gaelic School (68, 27, -)

94= Lasswade High School (42, 10, 69)

95= Greenfaulds High School (40, 9, 74)

96= Queen Margaret Academy (38, 10, 77)

97= Hamilton Grammar School (42, 12, 66)

98= Biggar High School (40, 11, 71)

99= Marr College (39, 9, 75)

100= Belmont Academy (39, 16, 67)

The Glasgow suburbs made up the top 10% best schools on the list. The list was published by the Scottish Government, along with a list of each schools overall performance which doesn’t just look at exam results.

Is it all about the grades?

Results speak for themselves, however, they don’t provide a clear and accurate picture about the whole school experience.

Of the top 100 Scottish Schools, 40% of students who were interviewed said they disagreed with where they’re school was ranked. Surprisingly all within the top 30, saying “they felt the schools culture and environment wasn’t what you would expect from a high performing school”.

Schools all about grades
Are the top 100 Scottish schools all about grades and academic performance?

What about the others?

Granted there are more Scottish schools which are not even on the list. This doesn’t mean the school is bad or that people from those schools won’t achieve the same grades as those on the list.

These results are based on mass averages, so if your school doesn’t show up don’t feel discouraged that you can’t achieve 5+ Highers or 2+ Advanced Highers; because you can!

Students who perform the best at school know they have to work hard and more than half will have had the help and support of a private tutor. Take a look at our wide range of tutors in your local area.

Low Tuition: Study in Singapore, Tuition Fee, Living cost and Application Procedure

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Alicia Lim is a well-known blogger who has written this post to discuss the quality of education in Singapore. The quality of education is the primary reason for any students to pursue higher education abroad. Studying in Singapore and still wanting to pay affordable tuition fees? Then, this article is the cherry on top for you to list of low tuition. Universities in Singapore for international students.

Study in Singapore Image
Study in Singapore

Before you decide to be enrolled in any Singaporean university as an international student, you need to figure out some points that describe to you why you need to study in Singapore. Let us examine some of the most common reasons for international students who love to be enrolled in a Singaporean university:

Cost of Living in Singapore

Singapore has a strong economy and the high quality of living as a comparison with other Asian countries. It also costs high, when it comes to living expenditure in Singapore. Boasting some of the highest tuition fees in all over Asia. However, it is very much a relatively inexpensive and cheap option when it’s compared with the living costs of international Countries.

The living cost in Singapore varies according to an individual. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want them to be. However, the major cities in Singapore cost higher in accommodation, but this can be managed with living in university accommodation or homestays. Of which are relatively cheaper than city cost. The cost of food in the cities of Singapore are cheap, while public transport is excellent.

Let’s calculate a rough frugal for economical spending per month:

One-bedroom apartment (outside the city centre) costs around S$1,992

Dairy items like milk cost 2.93 S$/litre

Bread as the main source of meal costs around 2.28 S$/500g

Rice and other cereals cost approximately: 2.65 S$/1kg

Eggs cost 2.88 S$/dozen

Cheese: 21.49 S$/1kg

Chicken: 8.74 S$/1kg

Water: 1.75 S$/1.5Litre

Fruits and veggies

Apples: 4.41 S$/1kg

Oranges: 4.61 S$/1kg

Potato: 2.53 S$/1kg

Banana: 2.50 S$/1kg

Tomato: 2.49 S$/1kg

Onion: 2.23 S$/1kg

Halls of residence – This is solely for students who chose to live on campus.

Homestays – When you live with a family, it presents you with the opportunity to learn more about a new country.

Cost of studying in Singapore

The cost of studying in the country somehow affordable as most of its Asian counterparts and international universities are relatively higher in costs, hereby the cost is still cheaper when compared to universities in the big three study destinations like the USA, UK, and Australia.

By comparing, the quality of education in Singapore from any country it always seems tremendous to what is obtainable in other Asian countries. You can easily discover its excellence in the quality of education by measuring up with its cost.

Those are some factors, which make Singapore an attractive destination for international students.

According to HSBC banks, Singapore is the second-most expensive academic destination after Australia. Therefore, if you are planning to study in Singapore, you must have well hands-on funds to afford to be tight-fisted.

The highlight of the cost of studying in Singapore is the uncharacteristically high cost of living, around $20,292, as the glance of it is been mentioned above. In addition, another aspect to be taken into account when calculating the cost of studying in Singapore is which level of education you are going to study in Singapore, as depending on the level tuition fee can vary.

Here is the average calculation of approx. value of study for an international student:

Diplomas

Duration: 1 – 2 years

Tuition Fee: Around S$8000 – S$15000

Bachelors

Duration: 2-4 years

Tuition Fee: Around S$24,000- S$40,000

Masters

Duration: one- 1.5 years

Tuition Fee: Around S$ 18,000- S$30,000

Admission Requirement

If you want to study in Singapore, then you must have to apply directly by yourself to the college or university you are interested in. Before selecting any university and institution make sure, you research thoroughly to understand all the guidelines peculiar to each institution.

Application Period

There are simply two intakes each year in Singapore (SGP):  August or January, and this period is subject to the selection and recommendation of students own choice. Although, every University reserves their right to admit the applicants in other semesters these two periods is the major month of intakes in SGP.

All applications were referred to the relevant Universities for consideration according to students when they are selecting the course of study and university. After that, their applications will be forwarded to the university management for approval.

The normal application process will take up to 4 months or more depending on universities criteria, so make sure to fill applications prior to the intake. Moreover, try to make it as fast as you can to complete your paperwork assessment by Universities and management.

Tuition fee

Tuition fees in Singapore vary according to the different UNIs and widely depending on universities and its courses.

For example, at the National University of Singapore, the courses may cost you between S$17,100- S$141,100 per semester for the first intake. This fee structure is also depending upon the course studied and whether or not the student is eligible for the MOE Tuition Grant.

Top 5 Tools to Help Teachers

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Teachers today face a never-ending uphill battle with a suitable work-life balance. Teachers are one of the top jobs in the UK that have the highest amount of unpaid overtime. The paperwork overload can be overwhelming for teachers which is why there are many tools for teachers to make their lives easier.

In this post, we will share our top 5 most useful apps/tech that can help teachers reduce their workload and speed up the marking process for tests and homework.

1. VidGrid

VidGrid software to help teachers with their workload.
VidGrid Software for Teachers

VidGrid is a great tool for content. Whether it is recording new content, editing or uploading VidGrid makes the process simple and easy to do. If you are looking for a user-friendly interactive software VidGrid is ideal for creating Quizzes, polls and even homework integration. It is compatible with existing software such as Moodle, Blackboard and Canvas.

VidGrid gives you the flexibility to try before you buy. Simply request a free demo. Once you are happy plans start from as little as $25 per month. This allows you access to annotation tools, email support, GIF creator and much more. Visit VidGrid today! This is a great tool for teachers.

2. Google Classroom

Google classroom is perfect for helping teachers with reducing their workloads.
Google Classroom for Teachers

Google classroom should be part of every teacher’s vocabulary. This software is easily integrated with any device and lets teachers share posts, images or worksheets in a simple click. Best of all its free. Simply sign in with your Google account and build your classroom.

The features this software has to offer are an excellent starter for any teacher. You can assign homework tasks to all your students simultaneously, which ensures everyone got it, and there are no excuses for late hand-ins. You can collaborate with students on a one-to-one basis. The grade book feature is exceptionally handy for marking assignments and homework in a fraction of the time, and feedback is always delivered in a timely manner.

3. Nearpod

Nearpod for teachers

Nearpod is used to create interactive lessons, taking information from other applications such as Powerpoint, PDFs or Google Slides, to share them with students online and in real-time. They can be accessed from any device and remotely using a pin. There is a pool of ready to use content that can be accessed for lessons. Assessment tools are also available for teachers. Check it out today and make it another tool to make your life easier.

4. Edmodo

Edmodo for teachers

This may seem like an obvious choice, however with its popularity, we felt it deserves a place in the top 5. Edmodo acts as a social networking site for the world of education. It allows teachers to post assignments and include students parents into the app. This feature is particularly helpful in keeping parents up-to-date with their children’s progress.

5. TeacherKit

TeacherKit for Teachers

TeacherKit is the ultimate one-stop grade book. This is an essential part of every teacher’s classroom. Perfect for mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. You can create profiles for individual students.

Create course content and design assignments and tests, with specific weighted percentages. This makes grading a breeze. You are able to add in extra features such as behaviour logbook and generate high-quality reports.

The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Tutor UK

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Tutoring is rapidly becoming one of the UK’s biggest part-time money-generating professions. Some choose to tutor in their spare time and others enjoy it so much that they decide to make it their full-time career. In this post, we will show you all the essential steps to becoming a successful tutor.

Choose Your Subjects & Rates

This is the first crucial step in becoming a tutor. You must know yourself what you are good at and what you’re not so good at. If you are still in education then this should be an easy one. If you have been away from education for a while, it might be best to revisit some resources to decide which is the best subjects for you.

A word of caution. Don’t try to tutor many subjects. Focus on one or two, that way you can become an expert and have a strong understanding of the subject which makes teaching it much easier. Visit our Home Page to see which subjects we offer.

Do your research. What are tutors charging on average for the same courses you are thinking of doing? If they are charging £25 per hour, go for £20 or even £15 per hour. Don’t value yourself too low however as this could give people the wrong impression. A modest £20 per hour is a good starting point. The more experience and reputation you create you can charge a higher price. But always stay modest in your valuation.

Tutor thinking about which subjects they should choose to tutor.
Tutor Thinking About Subjects

What Type of Tutoring?

Great you’ve decided on which subjects to tutor! Now its time for you to consider the different types of tutoring that are available. You can tutor online, or face-to-face by going to students houses. Either one has its advantages and disadvantages.
Tutoring online allows you to reach a wider range of people, whereas face-to-face gives you a more personalized service.

Now you need to decide on how much time you can devote to tutoring. When I was studying at university I decided to tutor a maximum of 3 people to allow me time to study over the weekend. This didn’t last for long. Before I knew it I was working Friday, Saturday and Sunday and tutoring over 14 people. I know crazy! However thankfully I had the time available to do so, and so I decided to leave my job and make tutoring my main source of income.

Tutors deciding to tutor full time or part time.
Deciding to tutor full time or part-time

Prepare Subject Material

This step is one which many tutors setting up fail to do. Before an interview, you research the company you’re looking to work for and you learn as much as you possibly can. Preparing to tutor should be no different. Gather as much material as you can, build a portfolio of worksheets, notes, revision material and revision study guides you recommend. The better prepared you are, the better the tutor you will be. Many tutors that don’t prepare end up not enjoying the lessons as they don’t feel confident enough in their knowledge. So always make sure you do plenty of preparation work before setting out.

Tutor preparing teaching material for tutoring students.
Tutor preparing teaching material

Thinking of Advertising Methods

Excellent you’ve now done all the necessary preparation needed to be a successful tutor. You now know exactly what you’re going to tutor, how and when you’re going to do it, and you have a database of excellent material to choose from.

Now let’s get your name out there. The most obvious way of advertising your services is through word of mouth through family and friends. Move to social media like Facebook. Just let people know of your services and leave contact details and let the students come to you.

Make use of sites like Direct Tutoring. Where we can help showcase your profile page in front of targeted students that are looking for tutors specifically like you. Publish your services on educational blog posts to help generate awareness of your brand.

Ways that tutors can advertise their services in their local area.
Advertise Your Tutoring Services

Make a Long-Lasting Impression

Now that your name is out there and students are coming in abundance. It’s time to think differently about your strategy. Begin to focus on the service you provide, making sure you leave a good impression of yourself and your brand. The most powerful form of advertising is word of mouth. Those students you are seeing just now are 10x more valuable than any online advertising.

Make sure you go out and beyond to help and support your students. Give them extra support outwith the hours’ session. Tell them to email you with any questions they have, and that you are available to help anytime during the week via email. Provide them with extra worksheets for practice and give them the best advice on anything you can.

In the seven years, I have tutored, by far the best way of advertising is through students you already see. Having tutored over 115 people, about 60% of them have come from recommendations. So offering exceptional service and getting to know your students and their family personally can be a sure way of cementing your name as a reputable and valued tutor.

Making a good first impression as a tutor is extremely important.
Make a good first impression

Keeping Up-to-date

The hard work is finally paying off. You have a healthy regular stream of students reaching out to you for help. You are earning the extra cash you deserve and your reputation is growing strong. Fantastic! Now a key thing never to forget it always keep up-to-date with any new developments in your subject area, the education system or the tutoring industry. This will ensure you stay at the top of your game. When the new exam papers come out, get them. Write out the solutions and add them to your material.

By staying up-to-date, you are giving parents and students the assurance you are professional and fully committed to the job. That in itself can be essential in students returning to you. I tell all my students and their families this phase and I truly mean it. “If I won the lottery today I would still tutor but I would do it for free” People may think that is nonsense or simply a way of tricking people. I can hand on heart say I would do it for free if I could as it has to be one of the best jobs anyone can ever do, and I would highly recommend anyone to become a tutor.

Tutors need to keep up-to-date with changed in education
Tutors Staying Up-to-date

What Tutors Can do Over the Summer holidays?

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As the summertime approaches, students don’t want to think about school, and as a result, want to take a rest from tutoring. This can be a quiet time for tutors who rely on tutoring as a main source of income. It is for this reason we have put together a few things tutors can do over the summer holidays to keep themselves busy and maybe earn an extra few pounds as well.

What to do? What to do?

Depending on your situation you may be secure enough to go seven weeks without earning any money. If this is you then lucky you! We will start by looking at things tutors can do to earn some much-needed cash over the summer holidays. Then some things to help make their life easier when the schools return in August.

Green Note Card and Four Scrabble Tiles on Gray Surface
What to do for Tutors

Offer Online Tutoring / Support

This may seem a little contradictory however there is still money to be made in the online world. It may be that your local students are off enjoying the sun, but that doesn’t mean everyone is. So widen your student reach and offer online tuition at a discounted rate. Yeah, it’s not a huge bank boost but at least there is money coming in.

Offer to Mark Tests for Teachers

This is a good one if you have connections with a school, or know anyone who does. You may think that when the summer holidays begin the teachers don’t return until the start of the next term. This isn’t the case. Most of the time teachers will come in a couple of days a week to catch up on course writing or test marking etc.

This is your opportunity to dive in and offer your services. Offer to mark homework, assignments, tests or any other admin work the teachers may have for a reasonable fixed rate. Don’t charge by the hour, charge by the day. Rather than charging £20 an hour, maybe charge £50 / £70 a full day.

Image result for test marking images
Test Marking for Tutors

Work on Creating New Material

This is one that tutors often overlook. Just like teachers, tutors can take some time out to work on finding or creating new material for tutoring. This can include, updating the questions you use for a given topic, or writing your own personalized content to teach. The befits of this is you get to sort out all your admin with no distractions and so you are fully prepared and ready for the new term.

For tutors who teach National 5 maths, an excellent website to visit is “National 5 Maths” to see their extensive range of high-quality material.

Take a Well Deserved Rest

Contradictory to making money over the holiday period, but one that should be considered. Taking some time off. Speaking as a chemical engineer I know all to well the mental strain on juggling university work, tutoring and any other social activity. It’s always a good idea to take a few weeks off to relax your mind. Go day trips, take a holiday, relax in the sun and enjoy that well deserved time off. You’ve earned it!

Tutors Taking a Rest

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