TutorMapper was launched last year by Max Blanshard to help parents in search of private tuition find vetted local tutors for their children. We caught up with him to ask about this new app.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I discovered my interest in education while teaching at a local school during my undergraduate studies at Durham University. I now live back in London, where I grew up, and have been a private tutor for nearly three years, while also studying for my biomedical PhD at University College London. I launched TutorMapper at UCL after winning the Bright Ideas award in 2015.
What was your inspiration behind TutorMapper?
When I began tutoring I registered with a handful of agencies and discovered that some took their selection process a lot more seriously than others—some websites required no checks at all! I spoke to some of the families I was tutoring and they had no idea that the industry was completely unregulated, and that some tuition providers never asked me for a DBS (CRB) check or evidence of any prior experience. I felt this was not only confusing for parents, but unfair on the fantastic agencies that had put in so much time interviewing and developing me.
I decided to start TutorMapper to promote these agencies, and at the same time give parents the peace of mind that any tutor they found on TutorMapper had been face-to-face interviewed, DBS checked, and selected by one of London’s best agencies.
Why use a tutor?
It’s easy to imagine the advantages of private tutoring, but it’s only when you’ve actually experienced one-to-one tuition that you discover its vast range of benefits. A tutor can improve confidence, adapt lessons to a pupil’s interests, and work at a pace that allows the student to develop a deeper understanding of the subject. In the classroom it is unfortunately rare to have the dedicated attention of a teacher, whereas a private tutor can see how you work through a problem, identify areas for development as they arise, and tailor support for immediate progress.
How does the service work?
It’s very simple! You use the drop-down menu to select your subject and level, then enter your postcode to view suitable, agency-approved tutors near you. You can then read the biographies of all the relevant tutors, and once you’ve chosen one you just contact their agency, either by phone or email, and they’ll arrange a time for you to meet your tutor.
What areas do you cover?
Currently we have tutors all over London and we are expanding all the time!
Why choose a local tutor?
The tutoring profession has seen huge growth in online video tutorials over the past five years, but we still feel that there is no comparison to interacting face-to-face, as this not only allows tutors to support their students more effectively, but also helps the student to build confidence and communication skills. Furthermore, when your tutor is based nearby it means you can easily organise sessions to fit into your busy schedule or arrange more revision lessons around exams. Our own research also indicates that a local tutor forms a longer relationship with the pupil.
What’s next for TutorMapper?
We’re hunting out the best agencies to expand our catchment area and improve our visibility.
For more information, visit: www.tutormapper.com
