Online tutoring for kids that may just save you right now
Online tutoring platforms can help give the kids some structure while they're off school - as well as giving parents a chance to take that work call uninterrupted
Online tutoring platforms may be the answer to your prayers. Photo: Helloquence
If you have kids, then maybe your week's looked something like ours: WFH, trying to download online schoolwork for a range of ages, and then get the kids to do it, coordinating their schedule of Zoom hangouts and play dates, as well as cooking, cleaning and trying to stay sane in the process (thank you, Joe Wicks!).
Well, one thing has become perfectly clear: we'd like some help, please.
We're not the only ones thinking this: the online tutoring business is booming, as parents turn to virtual resources to keep their kids academically motivated while they're off school.
All kids benefit from routine and structure; those with exams looming, older children stuck at home or anyone who is trying to carry on with their own work while organising the kids will really benefit from these online tutoring live streams and resources below. Zoom and Skype sessions, here we come.
Photo: Antoine Dautry
MyTutor has also launched a free Online School supporting GCSE students, which includes daily live group tutorials on key GCSE subjects and pre-recorded YouTube videos in Maths, English and the three Sciences.
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.
Tutorful: Find-a-tutor-site Tutorful usually matches students with face-to-face tutors, but can do online sessions as well. There's 1:1 learning, a virtual whiteboard and shared documents and screens.
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, leading tutoring company, Holland Park Tuition and Education, is now a virtual hub. There are also 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.
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.
Photo: Annie Spratt
Maths: Dr.FrostMaths is a fantastic maths learning platform started by a teacher at Tiffin School, with a range of free resources for pupils and teachers, as well as videos and exam questions. There is especially useful info for older kids dealing with GCSE/A-Levels.
Carol Vorderman's The Maths Factor, matched to the UK Curriculum, is now free for children who need to brush up on their times tables or fractions.
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. Many of the worksheets are free, with a £1 trial that allows for unlimited access for 14 days.
Explore Learning: Looking for 1:1 tuition in maths and English - and a wealth of resources you can download too? Explore Learning's Explore at Home programme, designed for kids 4-14, brings teaching straight to your sofa, for anyone looking for 11+ help, an extra hand with maths or English or specialist support with creative writing or secondary school.
Head to the site's Facebook channel for daily games and activities. From Monday, April 6, at 10am, members and non-members alike can tune in to Facebook for a 30-min Mid-Morning Maths session with Bobby Seagull. Lessons are designed for 4-7s Mondays, 7-11s Wednesdays and 11-14s Fridays, and kids will also be set "Bobby Brainteasers" challenges to keep them going after the lessons have ended.
Well, one thing has become perfectly clear: we'd like some help, please.
We're not the only ones thinking this: the online tutoring business is booming, as parents turn to virtual resources to keep their kids academically motivated while they're off school.
All kids benefit from routine and structure; those with exams looming, older children stuck at home or anyone who is trying to carry on with their own work while organising the kids will really benefit from these online tutoring live streams and resources below. Zoom and Skype sessions, here we come.
Photo: Antoine Dautry
Virtual tutoring services
MyTutor: MyTutor offers one-to-one virtual tutoring, across a range of subjects and ages, with hour-long sessions starting from £18. All tutors are from leading UK universities and are knowledgeable in their fields. Plus, there are a loads of online resources and study guides for kids to use.
MyTutor has also launched a free Online School supporting GCSE students, which includes daily live group tutorials on key GCSE subjects and pre-recorded YouTube videos in Maths, English and the three Sciences.
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.
Tutorful: Find-a-tutor-site Tutorful usually matches students with face-to-face tutors, but can do online sessions as well. There's 1:1 learning, a virtual whiteboard and shared documents and screens.
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, leading tutoring company, Holland Park Tuition and Education, is now a virtual hub. There are also 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.
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.
Photo: Annie Spratt
Online learning platforms
Outschool: Outschool offers a range of live, online classes for kids aged 3-18, from $5 a class. Easy to use on any device, we're impressed by the incredible array of classes on offer, most of which we'd quite like to try ourselves. Kids can do courses like a Hogwarts escape room experience and house elf kitchen training (translation: cooking), as well as vocabulary building using Greek roots and suffixes, coding, raising chickens and much, much more. Your kids will want to be learning all day...
Varsity Tutors: The US company Varsity Tutors has launched a Virtual School, with live daily classes for kids, as well as flashcards, parent guides and 1:1 help for anyone who needs it.
Maths: Dr.FrostMaths is a fantastic maths learning platform started by a teacher at Tiffin School, with a range of free resources for pupils and teachers, as well as videos and exam questions. There is especially useful info for older kids dealing with GCSE/A-Levels.
Carol Vorderman's The Maths Factor, matched to the UK Curriculum, is now free for children who need to brush up on their times tables or fractions.
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. Many of the worksheets are free, with a £1 trial that allows for unlimited access for 14 days.
Explore Learning: Looking for 1:1 tuition in maths and English - and a wealth of resources you can download too? Explore Learning's Explore at Home programme, designed for kids 4-14, brings teaching straight to your sofa, for anyone looking for 11+ help, an extra hand with maths or English or specialist support with creative writing or secondary school.
Head to the site's Facebook channel for daily games and activities. From Monday, April 6, at 10am, members and non-members alike can tune in to Facebook for a 30-min Mid-Morning Maths session with Bobby Seagull. Lessons are designed for 4-7s Mondays, 7-11s Wednesdays and 11-14s Fridays, and kids will also be set "Bobby Brainteasers" challenges to keep them going after the lessons have ended.
