Online tutoring options for kids

Whether it's trying to sign our children up for the best extracurricular activities (coding classes, anyone?) or getting them into the top schools, London parents have always had a reputation of leaving no stone unturned when it comes to finding the best resources, teachers and classes for their children.

Never has this skill been more useful than in our present situation, where online tutoring hasn't just become a London-obsessed issue for those trying to ace their 11-plus exams (or even 7 or 8-plus) or GCSEs, but a daily reality for many parents trying to manage their children's education while attempting to juggle the daily roster of our own work, homeschooling and maintaining our sanity.

From stories of London families moving in full-time tutors for their kids, to parents simply looking to round out their kids' educations with a live Zoom class or two because school isn't providing them, there's no question that online tutoring is more in-demand than ever.

The online tutoring live streams, apps and resources below put expertise at parents' fingertips - and also help give children the confidence to engage with and complete their work on their own. We've also included a few of our favourite screen-free alternatives to add another dimension to home learning.

Photo: EasyA

Tutoring apps for kids

EasyA: Easy A has quickly become an indispensable tool in our household. The premise behind the maths app is simple: just take a photo of whatever question your child is struggling with, send it in and an Oxbridge-educated tutor will talk them through how to solve it, messaging them questions, explaining concepts and ensuring they understand each step in the problem.

Sessions typically last 30 minutes, but the tutors don't hesitate to spend more time with the kids if required. The tutors can tackle anything from the basics through to GCSE-level problems. You can do a Pay As You Go offer, which includes a £10 monthly membership fee and then 50p/min.
Click here for more information on EasyA

Brainly: This online knowledge-sharing community can be useful for parents who are stuck on a homework problem (and don't want to admit it to the kids). Get help from students and teachers, on everything from ratios to French, chemistry to SATs.
Click here for more information on Brainly

Photo: Charles Deluvio

Virtual tutoring services

Braintrust Tutors: This tutoring service is designed to help children with learning differences, so tutors have specialist qualifications, from ADHD to dyslexia. The US-based service matches tutors to a child's specific needs, with video interviews ahead of committing. Sessions are offered for kids from pre-K through 12th grade.
Click here for more information on Braintrust Tutors

Click here for information on Planet BOFA

Click here for information on MyTutor

Photo: Charles Deluvio

The Golden Circle: With 150 teachers offering expertise on a range of subjects, Golden Circle can guide your primary child through the early years curriculum, secondary school exams and all the way up to A levels and university entrance interviews. Classes are delivered online via Skype.
Click here for information on Golden Circle Tutors

Juni Learning: Developed by former Google alums and computer scientists, Juni Learning offers computer science, maths and English courses for kids, taught by instructors from top-tier US unis, like Stanford.
Click here for information on Juni Learning

JK Educate: JK Educate offers Skype tutoring to students from Year 1 onwards, and can help with anyone looking to do 11+ revision, GCSEs and A-Levels, too.
Click here for information on JK Educate

Tutorful: Find-a-tutor-site Tutorful usually matches students with face-to-face tutors - and has moved to online sessions during lockdown. There's 1:1 learning, a virtual whiteboard and shared documents and screens.
Click here for more information on Tutorful

Holland Park Tuition and Education: From early-years classes to extra-curriculars like cooking, comic-book making and choir, through to anyone who needs 11+ or GCSE tuition for their children, Holland Park Tuition and Education is now a virtual hub.

There's also a comprehensive curriculum of online classes for 12 and ups who want to brush up on their Latin or get to grips with medical ethics. Sign up for a taster class for £5.
Click here for more information on Holland Park Tuition and Education

Photo: Mayku

EdPlace: An on-the-go learning platform that reinforces what kids have been learning and tests them on their knowledge and progress, EdPlace rewards kids with points and badges and gives children - and parents - access to thousands of activity sheets online. Sign up for a free account that includes a range of activities as well as specific test prep geared towards 11-plus and GCSE students.
Click here for more information on EdPlace
Mayku: Mayku Teach gives children a passion for STEAM subjects through online lessons and resources, as well as practical tools - the Mayku Formbox, a rather impressive piece of kit that can be used to explain a variety of maths lessons, like material properties and percentages (and it also makes confections). It's a pricey piece of kit, but the online resources are all free - just sign up with your email and get your kids creating.
Click here for more information on Mayku

Photo: Outschool

Click here for more information on Outschool

BBC Bitesize Daily: A comprehensive, 14-week learning programme for kids from Y1-Y10, with a twist: kids won't just be learning all about English, Maths, History and Science - they'll have teachers like Sir David Attenborough, Jodie Whittaker, Danny Dyer, Professor Brian Cox and Mabel. Plus, you don't need a device to access lessons - they're now available on the telly.
Click here for more information on BBC Bitesize Daily

Oak National Academy: The government-backed learning from home programme features hour-long vids for kids from Reception onwards, teaching them across a range of subjects. Schedule their day like a school day, or pick and choose the subjects they need extra practice in.
Click here for more information on Oak National Academy

Click here for more information on Varsity Tutors

Photo: Happy Little Doers

Helpful learning resources that don't involve a screen

If you're looking for some ideas that don't involve a screen - because you need a break from digital platforms, or perhaps have younger children - here are a few of our favourites below...

Happy Little Doers cards: This startup launched by a mum of two brings Montessori-style learning to your home in the most gorgeous, hands-on way. Happy Little Doers offers a range of cards - times tables, shapes, numbers - which encourage learning by doing, like using sticks to make a rectangle or making number sentences with cards, to help visual learners.
Click here for more from Happy Little Doers

Edx Education: Buy your own homeschooling kits in a box from Edx Education, which has packaged a range of early maths sets, like Numbers and Measurements and Geometry and Problem Solving. We're also obsessed with the Rainbow Pebbles, a colourful and fun educational toy for toddler-through-Reception kids.
Click here for more from Edx Education

Audio readers for kids: The lockdown boom in virtual storytelling has meant that kids are getting interested in audio stories from a younger and younger age - and older ones love audio readers like Yoto, Toniebox and Lunii, too, screen-free boxes that play stories, act as clocks/nightlights/cuddlies and allow you to pre-record your own audio. Cannot recommend enough...

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