FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Got stuck? Hopefully our collection of frequently asked questions will help you find what you're looking for. If not please don't hesitate to contact us.
For Parents & Students
I’m looking for tutoring for my child who is under 18 - what do I need to do?
Register for free and create an account on the ThePeerTutor website, after which you will be able to invite one or more of your children to the Platform using their unique email(s). Once they’ve accepted your email invite from within the Website, you will both be able to search for a tutor by subject or by examination body. Once you have selected a suitable Tutor, you can then book an Online Lessons with them using the built-in calendar function for a time and date suitable to you both. You will also be able to send the Tutor a message via our built-in Note function in advance of the lesson. For example, you may want to let them know what subject and topic you want to cover or send a link to a past exam paper that you/the student would like to work through. This allows the Tutor to prepare in advance of your lesson. You pay for the Online Lesson when you book it using a Visa or Master credit or debit card. The payment is credited to the tutors Stripe connected account, but the Tutor is only paid once the lesson has taken place and is marked by our system as completed. If the lesson doesn't take place due to a cancellation or for whatever reason, the money can be held for a future lesson as a credit or refunded back to your card.
Do I pay for Online Lessons individually (pay as you go) or can I top up my account with say 5 lessons or more in advance?
You can pay as you go, where you will have to provide authorisation for card payments each time, or top up your account with for example 5 lessons payment credits in advance (which isn't paid out to the Tutor until the each lesson takes place and is marked as complete on our system), which may be easier for you as you won't have to authorise for 5 lessons individually. Any credits not used will be refunded on request.
I’m a student looking for tutoring - what do I need to do?
Register for free on the ThePeerTutor website. There are two options for you to connect with a Tutor: 1 - If you are over 18, you can sign up and invite yourself (you will need acccess to 2 unique email addresses) and begin searching for Tutors in the subjects that are of interest to you and be able to schedule and pay for your lesson(s). 2 - If you are under 18, you will need a Parent or Responsible Adult to register on ThePeerTutor Platform and they can then invite and add you to their account. You will then have access to your own restricted account to allow you to search for Tutors. You will then be able to search for Tutors and book your online lesson(s) with your Parents or Responsible Adults approval.
How do I book an Online Lesson with a Tutor?
To book a lesson you need to be registered as a Student first. See above. Find a Tutor by typing in the subject (and exam board if you wish) you need help with. You will see a selection of Tutors that hopefully meet your criteria. All Tutors who appear in our search function are fully verified using our triple-check system. Choose from the selection of Tutors presented and check their availability on their calendar. Pick a time and date suitable to you both, then book and pay for the lesson. Add a Note to the lesson booking that will help the Tutor prepare in advance of the lesson e.g. the topics you'd like to cover or a share a link to a past exam paper or question that you'd like help with.
I/my child missed my pre-booked Online Lesson - what should I do?
We understand that cancellations are sometimes unavoidable. Inform us at support@thepeertutor.com as soon as you can and will will contact the Tutor to either cancel the session or we ask you to rebook for another time that is mutually agreeable to you both. If the lesson is cancelled with less than 12 hours notice, the Tutor may decide to charge you for the lesson. We find that rescheduleing to a new time/date works best for everyone usually.
How do I reschedule a previously booked online lesson?
You have to give a minimum of 24 hours notice to your tutor(s) to have the lesson rescheduled/refunded. Between 12 & 24 hours notice, a refund is not guaranteed. The lesson can be rescheduled to a future time and date, but only with the Tutors agreement. Less than 12 hours notice the online lesson can be rescheduled at the Tutors discretion or the Tutor may decide to charge you for the lesson.
What equipment do I need to receive tuition on ThePeerTutor.com?
As long as you have access to a laptop or desktop computer (running a supported version of Windows or MacOS), connected to the internet via a stable Broadband connection, you should be able to participate in Online Lessons on the Website without the need for any additional specialist equipment. If you have access to a compatible Graphics Tablet, it will be easier to make annotations on-screen during Online Lessons whilst exchanging ideas and concepts with your Tutor(s), but if not, you will still be able to use your text facility, mouse/keyboard and a pen/stylus for touch-screen device if you have access to one.
As a Parent, how do I add a child to my Parent Account?
Once you register as a Parent or Responsible Adult, on your profile page you will see an "Invite a Child" button and you will be able to add your child's details. They will require a unique email address of their own that they can access via an email client to be invited. You can invite more then one child to link to your account and manage their accounts as well as pay for lessons.
How are Tutors vetted or checked?
We apply a triple-check system for accepting Tutors onto our Website: 1 - Tutors have to provide us with verifiable educational certification that shows they achieved the grades they've stated upon registration. Tutors are required to have achieved a minimum level of numeracy and literacy in English and Maths to be accepted by us to tutor. 2 - We obtain written references for each Tutor from authorised academic referees or equivalent, endorsing the Tutors credentials and suitability to register on our Platform as a verified Tutor. All verified Tutors will have a blue tick to confirm they have been approved. 3 - We also conduct periodic ad-hoc checks where additional details are required by us to verify a Tutors credentials, eg confirming application details directly with the Tutors academic referee(s) or equivalent.
Can I get help to find a new Tutor?
All our Tutors details are online. Once registered, select the subject or examination body you need help with and the Tutors who are available to Tutor that subject will appear using our intelligent search function. Select the Tutor that most appeals to you. Tutors are asked to complete or update their personal Bio's with details of their educational achievements, grades and attainments and any relevant information that shows their suitability to Tutor in their chosen area(s) of specialism, including awards received to make it easier for you to choose the Tutor that meets your needs.
Why do Tutors charge different prices?
Our pricing is transparent and fair and we believe represents excellent value for money. Tutors charge according to the bands we have set, so tutors in Year Groups 12 & 13 who have just aced and completed their GCSEs will be charging less than a university student who has completed their A-levels, as an example. A graduate or postgraduate student can set thier own rates for fees and will generally charge more than a University or A level student.
Are Tutors DBS checked?
At present, a DBS check is not mandatory on our Platform. All our Tutors are self-employed and are required to provide appropriate insurances and indemnities legally required of them. But we do ask for copies of each Tutors verifiable exam grades and for their educational reference(s). Only Tutors meeting our strict entry requirements and who are given a satisfactory academic reference can proceed to tutor via our website. We encourage our Tutors to sign up as members and adhere to a tutoring body or association who will provide appropriate code of conduct guidelines for Tutors. For Students who are minors (under 18), we strongly recommend that Parents or Responsible Adults either stay close by during Online Lessons or check in on them regularly and ensure the tutoring sessions are held in a room that is a safe space for the student and is accessible, so that you can oversee the student-tutor interactions and that the student feels safe and secure at all times.
For Tutors
Are there minimum grades I need to register as a Tutor on ThePeerTutor.com?
To register as a verified Tutor you need a minimum of a grade B or level 6 in both GCSE (or equivalent) in GCSE Maths and English Language. We ask for this to ensure that all tutors have achieved a minimum level of numeracy and literacy to be effective tutors. You will also need a minimum grade A / Level 7 or above in the subject you wish to tutor. We ask for this to ensure that only the highest performing students in each subject area are selected as Tutors, as that is what Parents and Students want - to be taught by those who are more academically able.
I don't have copies of my certificates - what should I do?
If you cannot find your exam certificates, you can request copies from your school, who may hold them on file or the relevant exam board for additional copies. There may be a small fee to pay to get replacements. We can not authorise you as a tutor without proof of your grades.
How do I become a tutor on ThePeerTutor?
If you are over 18 years of age, you can register for free via our Tutor Login page. You will need to have copies of your exam certificates and one or more academic references from your chosen referee(s). For quality purposes we may speak with or email your referee(s) to validate or corroborate your application and stated credentials. Once your referee has confirmed your qualifications and given you a satisfactory reference you will be authorised on our system and your details will appear on our Websites search facility, accessible to all registered users. If you are under 18 the process is the same but you will need Parental or Responsible Adult approval to be allowed to join as a Tutor and invited to the Website and its Services. This is for safeguarding purposes. We will email your Parent or Responsible Adult using the email you provide and once they send a confirmation with their approval back to us, you can proceed to the verification and validation stage. So it's super-important that you tell them to watch out for our email and reply as soon as they can!
How do I get noticed on ThePeerTutor as a new Tutor?
The best way to get noticed by potential Students is to get verified! Update your Bio with your educational and extracurricular accomplishments. The more information you put about your suitability as a tutor e.g. grades achieved and academic awards that you have received, the more likely you are to be selected. Extra curricular achievements also make your profile stand out from the crowd, as this allows users to see your interests and hobbies e.g. playing a sport or maybe any charity work you do may help you 'connect' with someone with similar interests.
I don't have a grade B/level 6 in English Language or Maths at GCSE (or equivalent). Can I still become a tutor?
Unfortunately, at this present time, we are unable to register you as a Tutor without these minimum requirements.
I don't have a grade A /level 7 in the subject I want to tutor. Can you please advise?
Unfortunately, at this present time, you can only tutor subjects in which you have achieved these minimum grades.
How do I schedule Online Lessons with my Students?
A Student will send a Online Lesson request to you via our in-Platform messaging tool when booking their lesson(s). You will be able to see this on your Profile Page as a Pending Request (you may need to refresh if you are already on the page). Any new messages sent to you will be under the Bell icon - flashing in red. You can accept or reject the lesson request. If you accept, it will automatically update your availability on your personal calendar, so that others cannot book the same time slot.
Which subjects can I tutor?
You can tutor any subject that you attained a level 7 or grade A in or any subject at the level you want to teach ( eg if you want to teach A-level Geography you need a grade A as a minimum at A-Level. If you are studying at University, you should be on track for a 2:1 or higher to tutor at that level and we will require validation from your Uni referee(s). This is subject to satisfactory references confirming your educational attainments and achievements and your suitability to tutor.
What should I put on my Tutor profile to help me stand out?
To stand out on the site you should have: > A clear profile picture that you can upload via your account profile admin page. Remember to smile! > Clearly indicate the subjects and grades you have achieved to date and what you are currently studying and what subjects/level you are willing to tutor. > A Bio of yourself, which tells prospective Parents and Students a bit about your hobbies, interests and why you will make a good tutor - your passion and enthusiasm should shine through! Your Bio is particularly important as Students who have a shared connection be that sport, music, interests or hobbies with their Tutor tend to be able to get more out of their learning sessions.
Why is a good Bio section important?
A good Bio will help differentiate you from other tutors. The more you stand out the more likely you are to get selected as a tutor. It also enables Students to find someone they share common interests with. This helps them 'connect' and makes the learning experience better for everyone.
A Student or Parent has requested tuition outside of the ThePeerTutor.com, which is against the Websites policy. What should I do?
According to our Website Terms & Conditions, it is expressly against our policies of use for users to communicate or meet outside of the Website for tutoring purposes within a 12 month period of closing their account.
How do I set up as a self-employed Tutor?
As a private Tutor, you are legally required to register with HMRC as self-employed (please seek professional advice from HMRC or an accountant). As a self-employed Tutor you need to declare your earnings to HMRC. We strongly suggest that younger tutors new to tutoring will very likely need to seek Parental or Trusted Adult guidance and advice here. We recommend that you should keep a detailed record of all lessons that you have given and with whom, including dates, payments made or received and you should keep details of receipts and invoices. Your Tutor Stripe Connected account, where you will receive details of your payments made to you and payouts to your bank account, will hold some of this information already. Guidance on HMRC rules for self employment and self assessment tax returns can be found at www.HMRC.gov.uk
How can I ensure I get positive reviews for my tutoring sessions?
Positive reviews help prospective Students pick the best tutors. To improve your ratings, ask your student to rate you at the end of every session and after you have recapped the topics and subjects covered. Here are some tips for Tutors: > Make sure you are prepared in advance for every lesson and you give it your full attention. Have a lesson plan. Be punctual. > Don't cancel lessons at the last moment once you accept them or not show up for an Online Lesson, without good reason. Planning and active engagement is key to your success as a Tutor! > Be sensitive to your Students needs and requirements. Show kindness and treat them with respect and politeness. We ask the same of Students too. Show patience and understanding and provide a professional service. Be culturally aware. > Reply to messages promptly and complete admin such as making sure your calendar is up to date to avoid having to cancel lesson requests.
How much do I earn with ThePeerTutor.com? How do I change my prices?
We have a transparent pricing policy and a system in place that automatically deducts the fees and pays out according to which tutoring band you are in, according to your profile. The Tutors page has the most accurate up-to-date pricing structure. Graduates and Post-Grad Tutors can set their own fees. The fees are agreed in advance with the clients. We recommend that these are priced competitively to ensure that you do not price yourself out of the market.
How many hours can I tutor a week?
Tutors over the age of 18 are classified as adults and can work as many hours as they wish. Although we would strongly recommend that you strike a balance between tutoring, your studies and other interests for your own health and welfare. Tutors aged 16 to 18 are restricted by how many hours they can work per week and the latest guidance can be found on www.gov.uk/childemployment
My Pupil hasn't arrived or entered in the Online Lesson classroom - what should I do?
You should stay logged on until the end of the lesson as you will only be paid upon lesson completion. We log and register that you have been present. Then send an email to our Support team at support@thepeertutor.com to advise us that the Student did not attend.
How do I edit my profile?
You can edit your profile from your accounts Profile Page. You can update your email and Bio and add any new qualifications you may have attained recently or change your photo.
How will I get paid and how often?
Payments for Tutors are super-easy! When you register and open your free account on the TPT Platform as a Tutor, you will be required to sign up to and open a Stripe Connected account. This should be a seamless experience for you. Your Stripe Connected account is what we use to transfer your payments into, which enables you to draw out your earnings into your personal bank account. For Tutors over 18 years of age or classed as adults, you will be able open your own Stripe Connected account and will be required to provide relevant ID verification checks. This is minimally intrusive and takes just a few minutes to complete. Once approved, you will have a Strip Connected account that is linked to our Website and will receive payments into that account when you complete your lessons. Assuming you are in credit and no refunds, fees or chargebacks are marked against your account, you will be able to withdraw funds after a period of 7-10 days into your personal bank account. For Tutors who are minors or under 18 years of age, your Parent or Responsible Adult will be required to open a Stripe Connected Account on your behalf and they will be required to provide relevant ID verification checks which will be minimally intrusive and take just a few minutes to complete. Once approved, they will have a Strip Connected account that is linked to our Platform. You will receive payments into that account when you complete your lessons. Assuming you are in credit and no refunds, chargebacks or fees are marked against your account, you will be able to withdraw funds after a period of 7-10 days into your personal bank account. We as the Website provider, do not hold any funds or payments on your behalf. When a Parent or Student pays via a credit or debit card, the credits are transferred directly to your Stripe account, minus any Stripes fees and our transparent Services charges. The Stripe Connect account you hold will be a secure environment and you will be able to login and see all details on the Stripe Dashboard of what you have been paid and/or payed out to your personal bank account via the Payments and Balances options.
How do I handle and manage Refunds and Chargebacks?
Tutors are wholly responsible for refunds and chargebacks (where a lesson payment made by card is disputed for whatever reason). Where refunds are requested by Parents or Students, for example a Tutor does not attend a lesson as planned, the Tutor will refund the lesson fees back to the Parent or Student. If a dispute or complaint is raised by the Parent or Student against the Tutor, we as the Platform owners will look into the issue and make the appropriate and final decision, having investigated it. If we find against the Tutor, we will expect the refund to be made by the Tutor within a 24 hour period. If we find against the Parent or Student, no refund may be needed to be made by the Tutor but we may occasionally, as a gesture of good will, ask the Tutor to issue a partial or full refund to the Parent or Student or offer a free lesson as an alternative. We will aim to be fair and impartial in all such decisions. Where chargebacks are made by users on their cards, Tutors will be required to cover these charges. If unpaid, we will deduct these from any payments due to you from existing or future payments.
A Parent or Student has raised a dispute or complaint - what do I do?
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions. Email us at support@thepeertutor.com within 24 hours of the event with the details of the nature of the dispute or complaint. We will review the matter and act as fair and impartial arbiters between you and the Parent or Student to aim to get a mutually agreeable resolution within 14 days.
General Questions
How does ThePeerTutor.com work?
We are a Website providing a Service that allows Clients (Parents, Responsible Adults and Students) seeking educational tutoring services to connect with suitably qualified Tutors, providing those services. You are free to choose the Tutor that best meets your requirements from within our Website using the intelligent search function e.g. by subject, level, examining body or by name as examples. Our Platform enables Clients to view Tutor profiles and to book one or more tutoring sessions as agreed by both parties. The contract is directly between the Client and Tutor, not ThePeerTutor.com Ltd Platform. All Tutors understand that they are classified as self-employed individuals and as such are responsible for their tax status, filings and updates with HMRC and as such, subject to UK laws. Currently, we only cater to the UK tutoring market-space.
Do I need any special equipment to use ThePeerTutor Platform?
As long as you have access to a laptop or desktop computer (running a supported version of Windows or MacOS), connected to the internet via a stable Broadband connection, you should be able to learn or Tutor on the Website without the need for any additional specialist equipment. You may wish to purchase a compatible Graphics Tablet, as it will make it easier to navigate and annotate on-screen during lessons and enable students to follow your explanations , but if not, you will still be able to use your mouse/keyboard and stylus for touch-screen devices. Reasonable priced Graphics Tablets and devices can be purchased from any reputable store or online retailer. Tutors are strongly recommended to purchase such a device.
I’ve signed up but haven’t received the activation email, what shall I do?
Firstly check that you entered the correct email address when registering. Secondly, check your email spam/junk folder, as occasionally emails are routed there in error.
I have forgotten my password - what should I do?
On the TPT Login page, please select 'Forgot your password' and follow the instructions to reset the password from there. Please use a secure password format e.g. a mix of characters and unique to you that you will remember. Please do not use any personal information as part of the password. We do not have access to your passwords as all passwords are securely hashed.
How do I verify my email address?
Once you have signed up to the TPT Platform, you will receive an automated email to the email address you used to register on the Platform. Please check your inbox as well as your Spam or Junk folders to ensure it's not been rerouted.
Can I refer friends to become Tutors or Students?
You are welcome to share TPTs website links or share our social media links (currently on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) with them.
Your website is awesome! What new features are being added?
A great question! We are passionate about making impactful online learning easily accessible and affordable for everyone. We are always looking to add new features and functionality to make it easier for our Platform community to engage with each other in a safe and secure manner. We always welcome suggestions for improvement. Please email us at support@thepeertutor.com. In the pipeline, we have a host of new features coming up which we know you will love! We will announce these on a regular basis as we roll them out onto our live production systems. Keep a look out for announcements!
Online & Safeguarding Questions
How does ThePeerTutor.com ensure users online safety?
All our users online safety and security is important to us. Our Website was designed with security at the forefront for all our users. We provide password activated secure accounts for all users. It is your responsibility to ensure that these account details are not divulged or shared with anyone else. Under 18s need the permission and supervision of a Parent or Responsible Adult whilst using the Platform and its services at all times. Please be sure to work in a safe and secure environment when tutoring or receiving tuition. If during an Online Lesson you are uncomfortable with any aspect of your tutoring session, you have full control to block the audio and video features, alternatively, you may exit the lesson immediately and seek help from a Parent or Responsible Adult. General safety advise would be to report anything that makes you feel uncomfortable to a Parent or Responsible Adult and to advise us by email at support@thepeertutor.com within 24 hours, detailing the matter. If the incident is considered criminal in nature, please contact the Police services immediately and inform us of this at your earliest convenience or within 24-hours. Never divulge or exchange your personal details that would identify you with a Tutor/Student or their Parent or Responsible Adult under any circumstances, including sharing social media account details, phone numbers or where you live. This is expressly against our Terms & Conditions. We advise all users to familiarise themselves with the "Child Exploitation and Online Protection Service" - the link is at the bottom of every page on our Website. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy and our Online Safeguarding Statement, Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Processes & Procedures documents.
Technical Matters
What do I need to get started on ThePeerTutor.com?
You will need a computer running a supported version of Windows or MacOS or an iPad or tablet that can run a Chrome, Firefox or Safari browser with a stable internet connection. We recommend that your internet download/upload speed is a minimum of 5-Meg, but the higher the better to allow you to have a smoother lesson experience. Lowers speeds will mean you may get delays in the audio and video streams and result in clipping of one or both. > You can check your internet speed with any online service provider available via a Google search to check your broadband speed. > Your Broadband Service Providers help pages may be able to make recommendations for boosting your internet speed e.g. using a wired instead of a wireless connection during lessons. > Ideally, we recommend a wired headset with a built in microphone when in a live lesson. Bluetooth headphones or buds may cause degradations in sound quality. > Your desktop, laptop or tablet will typically have a built-in webcam - if not, you will need acccess to a plug-and-play one and are mandatory for all TPT Tutors. Please note, that older devices such as iPads running earlier versions of iPadOS e.g. prior to 2017 may not work, so please ensure you perform a test on that device before booking or using it for a lesson. Or some older versions of Chrome or Firefox may not work on iPads, in which case you will need to have access to a newer device running a post 2017 version of Safari. For all Tutors, we recommend purchasing and using a graphics tablet, which can be purchased via various online marketplaces or vendors. It will make writing, drawing and annotating notes much smoother and will be a better learning experience for your Client/Student.
The sound and or video are not working for me - what should I do?
Once you log into the Online Lesson classroom, you should see your video image on screen and be able to hear the sound. > If you cannot see an image or hear any sound, check your microphone and camera are working by going to the URL on your browser (where is says https://www.thepeertutor.com/ on your browser.... you should see a camera or microphone icon on the left or right-hand side of the URL, depending on the browser. > If you click on the camera or microphone icon, you will be able to see what the settings are. Ensure you select Allow, Enable or Ask for both the camera and microphone as appropriate. > Depending on the browser and device you are using e.g. Firefox you may get different options. For example you may be asked to select the Front or Rear-facing camera. Make sure you choose the appropriate one. On Safari, you may be required to select the Safari menu option, then Settings for this website and then ensure that the camera and sound features are both enabled. Lastly, if all else fails.....reboot your device and see if that fixes the issue. That should hopefully resolve your connectivity problems, given you've followed the steps detailed above.
I have a graphics tablet - can I use this in the Online Classroom when delivering a lesson?
Absolutely! Such a device makes annotating and navigating the canvas in the Online Classroom much more efficient and helps you to deliver a more enhanced experience for your Students and Clients. Tutors (or Clients) can also use a touch-sensitive device or tablet with a digital stylus instead. Although a mouse will work just as well if you do not have a graphics tablet.
How do I use the Online Classroom Whiteboard and tools?
Once you have booked and logged into the Online Lesson classroom, we've worked hard behind the scenes to ensure it's quite intuitive and easy to use, even for those completely new to the TPT Platform. You are provided with a range of useful tools (pens, highlighters and shape drawing tools including a graph-paper capability, with options to change text and nibs sizes) to start a lesson quickly and effectively without wasting time learning the features and functions. We're always looking to add new features and any suggestions to improve would be welcomed. Feel free to email your suggestions for improvement to us at support@thepeertutor.com. We believe the whiteboard is so intuitive, it'll take you just moments to start using it to receive and deliver effective and fun Online Lessons in no time at all! To retain the workings on Whiteboard for future reference, you can print them to a PDF file and save on your device. You can do this as often as you wish during your Online Lesson.