How much does a private tutor cost per hour in the UK?

Private tutor hourly rates in the UK 2026 vary by subject, level, region and tutor qualifications. Typical ranges: KS1/KS2 (ages 5-11) £25-£45/hour; KS3 (ages 11-14) £30-£50/hour; GCSE £35-£55/hour; A-level £40-£70/hour; Oxbridge admissions/specialist subjects £60-£120/hour; degree-level subject (further maths, classical Greek, advanced sciences) £45-£90/hour. London commands a 30-50% premium over regional cities. Online tutoring via platforms like MyTutor, Tutorful and Superprof is typically 15-25% cheaper than face-to-face. Specialist 11+ tutors for entrance exam preparation charge £45-£75/hour for grammar school targeting and £65-£100/hour for independent school targeting. Always check the tutor's degree subject relevance, teaching qualifications (QTS, PGCE) and DBS check status.

What is the impact of 20% VAT on private school fees from January 2025?

From 1 January 2025, under Section 60 of the Finance Act 2024, supplies of education and boarding by private schools became subject to standard-rate VAT at 20%. Previously private school education was exempt from VAT under VAT Act 1994 Schedule 9 Group 6. The change affects all UK independent schools with a single exception: independent schools that are also charities continue to receive other charitable tax benefits (business rates relief), but VAT exemption is no longer available. Most schools have passed the full 20% to parents, raising a £15,000 day fee to £18,000 and a £40,000 boarding fee to £48,000. A small number of well-endowed schools have absorbed some of the VAT cost via bursary funding or fee discounts. Bursaries and scholarships have correspondingly tightened, and the Independent Schools Bursars Association (ISBA) reported a 6% reduction in total bursary spend in the first year of VAT. Independent Schools Council membership data shows pupil numbers fell roughly 1.7% in the September 2025 intake compared with September 2024.

How effective is private tutoring? What does the research say?

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) — the UK government's evidence body for educational interventions — categorises one-to-one tutoring as 'high impact, moderate cost'. EEF's Teaching and Learning Toolkit estimates that high-quality one-to-one tutoring delivers an additional 4 to 5 months of progress per academic year on average. Small-group tutoring (1:3 ratio) delivers slightly less per pupil but at materially lower cost. Tutoring is most effective for pupils performing in the lower-middle attainment band who have specific knowledge gaps; it has diminishing returns for already-high-achievers. Research from the Sutton Trust and the Centre for Education and Youth indicates that 27% of UK secondary school pupils now receive private tuition at some point during their education, up from 18% in 2010. London has the highest rate at 41%, driven by competitive university admissions and 11+ entrance preparation.

What is the 11+ exam and how much does preparation tutoring cost?

The 11+ is an entrance examination taken in the autumn of Year 6 (age 10-11) for entry to selective state grammar schools (in areas like Kent, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Sutton, Bromley and Trafford) and to many independent schools. The exam tests verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics, typically over 2-3 papers totalling 100-180 minutes. Preparation tutoring is widespread: a typical regime runs 12-18 months at 1-2 hours per week, costing £45-£75/hour for grammar school targeting and £65-£100/hour for top independent targeting. Total cost commonly runs £2,500-£6,500. Practice papers, books and online platforms (CGP, Bond, Atom Learning, 11Plus.co.uk) add £150-£500. Some children prepare more lightly through school clubs or independently. The Sutton Trust reports that 47% of grammar school entrants are tutored, compared with 18% of comprehensive entrants — a key driver of social mobility concerns about the 11+ system.

What are the income tax implications of paying for tutoring or private school?

Personal income tax: there is no UK income tax relief for educational expenses incurred by a parent for their own child. Private school fees and tutoring fees are paid from post-tax income. For employers: 'workplace education' expenditure can sometimes be a deductible business expense if the education is wholly and exclusively for business purposes — but this excludes school fees for an employee's own child, which would be a taxable benefit-in-kind under Section 203 ITEPA 2003. For trusts: discretionary trusts can pay school fees from trust funds, with the trust paying 45% income tax on income earned above £1,000/year of trust income (rate up to 45% — the additional rate trust rate). For grandparents: gifts to grandchildren for education are typically subject to the standard inheritance tax 7-year potentially exempt transfer (PET) rule. Bare trusts and 'gifts out of normal expenditure' (section 21 IHTA 1984) provide alternative routes; consult a qualified tax adviser.

Do private school graduates earn more than state school graduates?

Long-term Office for National Statistics (ONS) data and Sutton Trust research show a private-school earnings premium of around 14-18% at age 26 even after controlling for university destination and degree class. By age 42 the gap widens to approximately 22-26%, suggesting that networks, social capital and career progression contribute beyond initial qualification differences. Industries with the largest private school over-representation include investment banking, journalism, law, medicine and the senior civil service — sectors where the Sutton Trust 'Elitist Britain' research consistently finds 50-70% private school representation despite the 7% base rate. The 'sticky floors and sticky ceilings' phenomenon described by the Social Mobility Commission means that some of the premium derives from non-academic factors that targeted tutoring at a good state school may not replicate (debating clubs, model UN, alumni networks). Buyers of private education should weigh both the academic and non-academic benefits against the cost.

Can I claim tax relief on private tutoring expenses?

For an individual parent: no. There is no UK income tax relief or deduction for tutoring expenses paid out of personal income. The only exception is where tutoring is part of an employer-funded scheme that satisfies the very narrow conditions for 'work-related training' under Section 250 ITEPA 2003 — which essentially means training the employee themselves for their current employment, not training for the employee's child. For self-employed parents using a limited company: school fees paid by the company for a director's child are a taxable benefit-in-kind, reported on a P11D, and assessed at the full annual fee on the director personally with no corresponding corporation tax saving. The net result is a 50-60% effective tax cost vs paying personally. Trusts established by grandparents or parents can pay school fees from trust income (subject to trust rate income tax at 45%), but the structure must be properly set up by a qualified tax adviser. Always consult a CIOT-qualified tax adviser before assuming any tax benefit.

What is the average cost of GCSE tuition over 3 years?

A typical GCSE tuition programme covers 2-3 subjects (commonly maths, English, science) at 1 hour per week per subject, across 35 teaching weeks per year (excluding school holidays), for the three GCSE years (Years 9, 10 and 11). At £40/hour for 2 hours/week over 3 years = 210 hours = £8,400. At £50/hour for 3 hours/week over 3 years = 315 hours = £15,750. For a single subject only (e.g. maths) at £45/hour, 1 hour/week, 35 weeks/year, 3 years = 105 hours = £4,725. Boost packages closer to GCSE exams in Year 11 cost an additional £500-£1,500 for intensive Easter and pre-exam tuition. The total realistic GCSE tutoring budget for a child needing material academic support is £8,000-£18,000 over three years; a child who already engages well in school may need only £2,000-£5,000 of targeted tutoring.

Are there bursaries and scholarships at private schools?

Yes. The Independent Schools Council reports that 35% of pupils at ISC member schools received some form of fee reduction in 2024/25, with an average reduction of 30% off published fees. Means-tested bursaries (based on household income) provided full or substantial fee remission to roughly 6% of pupils. Academic scholarships typically award 10-30% fee reduction based on entrance examination performance. Sports, music, art and chorister scholarships exist at most large independents at 10-30% fee remission. The 20% VAT introduction in January 2025 has tightened bursary budgets significantly: the ISC reports a 6% nominal reduction in bursary expenditure in the 2024-25 year, with means-tested cutoffs lowering from typical household income of £75,000 to nearer £65,000 at many schools. Sutton Trust's Open Access scheme (around 80 ISC schools participating) provides means-tested places at top independent schools and is worth investigating for high-attaining pupils from low-income households.

Mustafa Bilgic · UK Calculator Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Private Tutor vs Private School Cost Calculator UK 2026

Calculate and compare the lifetime cost of UK private education routes. Private day school (now £18,200/yr post-VAT), boarding £30-50k+, private tutor £25-90/hr, and the state-plus-tutor hybrid that can save £40k-£300k+ across GCSE and A-level years.

Quick answer: UK private day school in 2026 averages £18,200/year (post-20% VAT from January 2025); boarding averages £51,000/year. A private tutor costs £25-£90/hour depending on subject and level. Seven years of secondary private day = £127,000; the same period at a state school with 3 hours/week of GCSE/A-level tutoring at £45/hour = roughly £33,000 — a saving of £94,000 to invest in university or other support.

Private Tutor vs Private School Cost Calculator

Enter the parameters of your education plan below. The calculator applies 2026 ISC fee averages, post-VAT private school costs, regional tutor rate adjustments, and 35 teaching weeks per academic year.

School type comparison

Education years

Tutoring hours/week

Tutor £/hour

Region

Annual inflation %

UK private school fees in 2026 — full picture

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) — the umbrella body representing roughly 1,400 UK independent schools and 580,000 pupils — publishes annual fee statistics in its ISC Census. The September 2024 census data, the latest comprehensive figures, show average day school fees of £18,064 per term and average boarding fees of £14,500 per term. Both figures are pre-VAT.

Impact of January 2025 VAT introduction

Section 60 of the Finance Act 2024 removed the long-standing VAT exemption for private school education and boarding from 1 January 2025. Section 60 explicitly amends VAT Act 1994 Schedule 9 Group 6 to remove paragraphs covering private schools while retaining the exemption for state-maintained schools and academy trusts. Most independent schools have passed the full 20% VAT to parents, raising headline fees by 20%. Some well-endowed schools (Eton, Westminster, Winchester) have absorbed 25-50% of the VAT increase via fee discounts, but bursary spending has correspondingly been cut.

School type	Pre-VAT 2024	Post-VAT 2026	14-year cost (Reception to Year 13)
Regional independent day	£11,500	£13,800	£193,200
UK average independent day	£15,200	£18,240	£255,360
London independent day	£23,500	£28,200	£394,800
UK average boarding	£42,500	£51,000	£714,000
Elite boarding (Eton, Harrow)	£51,500	£61,800	£865,200

Fee components

The headline fee covers tuition, basic textbooks, sport (within school grounds), pastoral care and most school facilities. Excluded from the headline fee at most schools: uniform (£500-£1,500/year), school trips (£300-£3,000/year), boarding extras (£500-£1,500/term), peripatetic music tuition (£35-£70/half-hour), advanced sport coaching (£500-£2,500/year), Combined Cadet Force or Duke of Edinburgh activities (£200-£800/year). Total extras typically add 8-15% to the headline fee.

Bursaries and scholarships

ISC member schools awarded fee remission to 35% of pupils in 2024/25 with an average reduction of 30% off published fees. Means-tested bursaries (typically for families with household income below £75,000) provide 60-100% fee remission to about 6% of all pupils. Academic, music, art, sport and chorister scholarships exist at most large schools at 10-30% remission. The Sutton Trust Open Access programme provides means-tested places at around 80 top independent schools. Always apply for bursaries early — most schools have annual application windows in autumn for the following September entry. Source: isc.co.uk.

UK private tutor rates by level and subject (2026)

The private tutoring market has expanded materially in the past decade, partly driven by COVID learning loss and partly by sustained demand for selective school entry preparation. The Sutton Trust reports that 27% of UK secondary pupils now have private tutoring at some point in their education, rising to 41% in London. Rates vary substantially by subject specialism, level, region, and tutor qualifications.

Level	Typical rate	Specialist subjects	London premium
KS1 (Y1-Y2, ages 5-7)	£25-£40/hr	£35-£50/hr (SEN, dyslexia)	+30-40%
KS2 (Y3-Y6, ages 7-11)	£30-£45/hr	£40-£55/hr (11+ prep)	+30-45%
KS3 (Y7-Y9, ages 11-14)	£30-£50/hr	£45-£65/hr (further maths, Latin)	+30-40%
GCSE (Y10-Y11)	£35-£55/hr	£50-£75/hr (further maths, classics)	+30-45%
A-level (Y12-Y13)	£40-£70/hr	£55-£90/hr (further maths, chemistry, physics)	+25-40%
Oxbridge admissions	£60-£120/hr	£80-£150/hr (interview prep, niche subjects)	+20-40%
Adult/postgraduate	£45-£90/hr	£70-£150/hr (specialist research)	+20-35%

What drives the rate

Qualifications: Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or PGCE attracts a 10-20% premium; degree from Russell Group university adds 5-15%; Oxbridge degree adds further 10-25%.
Experience: Tutors with 5+ years' track record charge 15-30% more than newcomers. Track record evidence includes exam result statistics published per tutor on agency platforms.
Subject scarcity: Further mathematics, ancient Greek, classical Latin, Russian, advanced chemistry/physics command 20-40% premiums over English literature, history or business.
Location: Home-visit tutors charge a travel cost component (£10-£25 per session) on top of the headline rate; online platforms eliminate travel cost.
Group size: 1:1 tutoring is the baseline; 1:2 small group (with another child) at 60-70% of 1:1 rate per family; group classes (1:6+) at 30-50% of 1:1.
Agency vs independent: Tutoring agencies (Tutor House, Holland Park Tuition, Keystone Tutors) charge 20-40% above the tutor's headline rate as agency commission.

Major UK tutoring platforms

MyTutor: 14,000+ tutors, mostly UK university students. KS3-A-level focus, £25-£55/hr typical.
Tutorful: Marketplace model, 50,000+ tutors, broad subject coverage, £20-£60/hr typical.
Superprof: French-headquartered marketplace, large UK tutor base, £25-£70/hr typical.
TutorHunt: UK-based marketplace, £25-£55/hr typical.
Keystone Tutors: Premium agency, focus on entrance exam and Oxbridge prep, £75-£150/hr typical.
Holland Park Tuition: Premium London agency, top-tier tutors, £80-£200/hr typical.
Tutor House: London-focused premium agency, £65-£150/hr typical.
Atom Learning: Adaptive online platform (subscription model), £30-£40/month with optional human tutoring add-on.

Worked example 1: 3-year GCSE — state school + tutoring vs private day school

A bright but anxious Year 9 child whose parents are weighing the local 'Good' Ofsted-rated comprehensive vs a £18,200/year private day school. The child needs additional structure around exams but is academically capable.

Option A: Private day school for GCSE (Y9-Y11)

Item	Annual	3-year total
Headline fees (£18,200 + ~5% annual inflation)	£18,200 / £19,110 / £20,066	£57,376
Uniform	£800	£2,400
Trips, music, extras	£1,500	£4,500
Public exam fees (sometimes included)	£0 (assumed in fees)	£0
Total 3-year cost		£64,276

Option B: State school + private tutoring for GCSE

Item	Per year	3-year total
State school fees	£0	£0
Private tutoring 2 hr/week × 35 weeks × £45/hr	£3,150	£9,450
Intensive Easter revision course (Y11 only)	£0 / £0 / £800	£800
Practice papers and revision guides	£100	£300
School-organised trips and music (state)	£200	£600
Total 3-year cost		£11,150

Saving on Option B vs A: £53,126. Even if the parents add a third tutor for £4,000/year on a third subject (£12,000 over 3 years), Option B still saves £41,126.

The trade-off: Private day school provides smaller classes (typically 18-20 per class vs 28-32 at state), more individual academic feedback, structured pastoral care, and an environment of universally-engaged peers. Whether this is worth £53,126 to a particular family depends on the quality of the local state alternative — a 'Good' or 'Outstanding' Ofsted-rated comprehensive can deliver materially similar GCSE results for well-supported pupils, while a 'Requires Improvement' state school may make private education objectively more valuable per pound spent. Always visit both options and talk to current parents.

Worked example 2: Full secondary — state vs private day vs private boarding

Comparing the 7 years from Year 7 to Year 13 (ages 11 to 18) under three scenarios.

Scenario	Annual cost (Y7)	7-year total (with 5%/yr inflation)
State school, no tutoring	£500 (extras)	£4,065
State school + 3hr/wk tutoring at £45/hr (35wks)	£4,725	£38,400
State school + 6hr/wk tutoring + Y13 intensive	£10,000	£81,250
Private day school (£18,200 headline + extras)	£20,500	£166,650
Private boarding (£51,000 + extras)	£54,000	£438,900
Elite boarding (Eton tier)	£65,000	£528,300

Investment alternative thought experiment

The £166,650 of private day school fees, if instead invested for 7 years in a low-cost global tracker (Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap, 0.23% OCF) at a 6% nominal return, would compound from year 1 to approximately £207,000 by the end of Year 13 — providing a substantial nest egg for university fees, postgraduate study, a house deposit or business capital. The £438,900 of boarding fees similarly invested would compound to roughly £545,000.

This is not to argue against private education — for some children at some schools the educational uplift is real and meaningful — but to highlight that the financial decision is multi-faceted. A child receiving £80k of high-quality state-school education plus £40k of tutoring plus a £75k savings pot at university entry may end up better positioned than a child with £166k of private day school and no savings. The right answer depends on the child, the schools, and the family.

Worked example 3: London 11+ to A-level — full premium pathway

A London family targeting selective independent schools from Year 7 through to Oxbridge entrance. This is an upper-percentile scenario typical of central London professional households.

Stage	Cost item	Cost
Years 4-6 (ages 8-11)	11+ entrance tutoring, 2 hr/wk × 35wk × 3yr × £75/hr	£15,750
Y4-Y6	Practice papers and CGP/Bond books	£800
Y4-Y6	Mock exam papers and entrance exam fees	£600
Years 7-11	London selective independent day school, post-VAT	£170,000 (5yr × £28k + inflation)
Y10-11	Top-up tutoring 1 hr/wk × 35wk × 2 yr × £55/hr	£3,850
Years 12-13	Same school 6th form	£70,500 (2 × £33k + 4% inflation)
Y12-Y13	A-level subject tutoring 3 hr/wk × 35wk × 2yr × £70/hr	£14,700
Y13	Oxbridge admissions: PAT/MAT prep + interview coaching	£3,200
Y13	Personal statement coaching	£900
Y7-Y13	Uniform, trips, music, extras (7yr × £2,200)	£15,400
Total London premium pathway		£295,700

State + maximum tutoring alternative

Stage	Cost item	Cost
Y4-Y6	11+ tutoring for grammar school (some London boroughs)	£8,000
Y7-Y11	State school + 6 hr/wk tutoring 5 yr × £55/hr × 35 wk	£57,750
Y10-11	Intensive GCSE revision courses	£3,500
Y12-Y13	State 6th form + 8 hr/wk tutoring at £70/hr × 35 wk × 2 yr	£39,200
Y13	Oxbridge admissions package	£4,100
Various	Books, exams, music lessons	£8,000
Total state + max tutoring		£120,550

Saving by state+tutor over premium private: £175,150. If invested in a university fund at 6% return, this could fund 3 years of Russell Group university at home (£28k tuition + maintenance), a postgraduate degree, and provide a meaningful house deposit at age 25.

London 11+ and entrance exam preparation has become so intensive in some boroughs that the Sutton Trust and Department for Education have flagged equity concerns. Children from non-tutored families increasingly cannot compete in entrance exams that effectively test the tutoring intensity. Local state-school plus targeted tutoring is becoming an increasingly common pragmatic choice even for high-income London families.

Return on investment analysis — does private school pay back?

Academic literature on the financial return of UK private education shows mixed results. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) published a substantial body of work on UK earnings premiums; the Sutton Trust commissions ongoing research on the same questions.

Earnings premium evidence

Sutton Trust (2019 'Elitist Britain'): Private school alumni occupy 39% of senior UK leadership positions despite educating 7% of pupils — a 5.6× over-representation.
ONS Longitudinal Study: Private school graduates earn approximately 14% more at age 26 than state school graduates at the same university with the same degree class.
By age 42, the earnings premium rises to approximately 22-26%, suggesting compounding benefits of networks and career progression.
Sullivan et al (UCL Institute of Education) found that after controlling for prior attainment and family income, the residual 'pure private school effect' on earnings is around 7-10%.

NPV calculation

Suppose a private day school costs £225,000 over 14 years (Reception to Year 13), and the pupil graduates to earn 7% more for a 40-year career, with mean earnings of £45,000 at age 26 rising to £75,000 by age 50. The earnings premium over the career, discounted at 3% real, totals approximately £210,000 to £290,000 in present-value terms — a positive NPV but a narrow margin given the headline fees. Boarding school at £500,000+ over 14 years has a much harder NPV case to make on pure earnings grounds.

Non-monetary benefits

Pure earnings analysis misses what many parents actually value:

Smaller class sizes (private 12-18, state 28-32) and more academic feedback
More extra-curricular range — orchestra, sport, debating, drama, CCF, Duke of Edinburgh
Pastoral structure and boarding experience for character development
University admissions support — dedicated UCAS coordinators, Oxbridge guidance
Social network and alumni connections (the controversial 'old boy network')
Insulation from peer pressure to underperform academically — peer effects in social science research are well-documented

These factors do not appear in a financial calculator and are not easily quantified. A useful exercise for parents weighing the decision: list the specific non-academic outputs you want for your child (e.g. 'rowing for the country', 'fluent Mandarin by age 16', 'university admissions advice from a specialist'), then compare the cost of private school against assembling those outputs separately — most can be assembled at material discounts to private school fees through specialist clubs, language schools and admissions consultants.

Specialist tutoring routes: SEN, dyslexia, EAL

Tutoring is not just for academic enrichment — it is often the primary intervention for special educational needs (SEN), dyslexia, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and other specific learning differences.

SEN tutoring

Tutors specialising in SEN typically hold British Dyslexia Association (BDA) accreditation, the Patoss qualification, or PGCE with SEN specialism. Hourly rates run £45-£85/hour, with specialist multi-sensory programs (Orton-Gillingham, Toe by Toe) priced as full programmes of 60-120 hours costing £3,500-£8,000 total. Some local authorities provide funded tutoring through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process; the appeal route via the SEND First-tier Tribunal can deliver significant local authority funding for qualifying children.

Dyslexia tutoring

The British Dyslexia Association maintains a register of qualified tutors at bdadyslexia.org.uk. Typical interventions:

1-to-1 tutoring with a BDA-accredited specialist: £55-£90/hour
Programme duration: 12-36 months, 2 sessions/week typical
Total programme cost: £4,000-£12,000 depending on severity
Diagnostic assessment (recommended first step): £400-£700 from a chartered psychologist

EAL (English as an Additional Language)

EAL tutoring helps pupils whose first language is not English to access mainstream curriculum. Rates are typically £30-£55/hour, with shorter programmes (3-9 months) than SEN. Specialist EAL teachers often hold TEFL/TESOL qualifications alongside QTS or PGCE. UK schools must provide some EAL support under DfE statutory guidance, but the standard provision is rarely sufficient for newly-arrived secondary pupils.

How to find and vet a private tutor

Six checks before engaging any tutor — particularly for a child working with the tutor unsupervised:

Enhanced DBS check. Required by law for unsupervised contact with under-18s. Ask to see the certificate, dated within 12 months, with no recorded matters.
Qualifications verification. Verify degree-awarding institution and degree class via the original certificate or UCAS UK NARIC service. Verify QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) at teacherservices.education.gov.uk.
References. Two recent parent references with phone contact, not just emailed testimonials.
Trial session. Most reputable tutors offer a £25-£50 introductory 30-60 minute session. Use it.
Subject-specific competence. A general 'maths tutor' may not be able to teach further mathematics or STEP. Ask specifically about the syllabus your child is taking (AQA / Edexcel / OCR / CIE) and what exam board's past papers the tutor uses.
Safeguarding policy. Reputable independent tutors should have a written safeguarding policy. Agency tutors are covered by the agency's safeguarding policy — get a copy in writing.

UK tutoring is currently unregulated as a profession — anyone can offer tutoring services without any qualification check. The National Association of Teachers (NEU) has campaigned for statutory regulation; the Tutors' Association maintains a voluntary code of practice. Parents must therefore conduct the same diligence they would for any home-based service provider working unsupervised with their child.

Online tutoring: pros, cons, and how to choose a platform

Online tutoring's share of the UK market has tripled since 2020. The Sutton Trust's review of evidence finds that online tutoring can deliver 70-90% of the impact of face-to-face when properly structured. Key advantages:

Access to specialist tutors not available locally (further mathematics, niche languages)
15-25% cheaper per hour than face-to-face (no travel cost)
Easier rescheduling and shorter sessions (45 minutes can be effective)
Built-in tools — shared whiteboards, file sharing, recording for revision
No geographical constraints — UK Oxbridge tutor for a child in rural Yorkshire

Online tutoring disadvantages

Younger children (under 10) need more direct physical presence for engagement
Technology friction — devices, microphones, slow broadband can derail sessions
Subjects requiring physical materials (early maths manipulatives, drawing, music) are harder online
Distractions in the home environment harder to manage than in a focused tutoring room
Quality of online platforms varies — some have excellent shared-whiteboard tools, others rely on screen-share only

Platform	Tutor pool	Typical rate	Strength
MyTutor	14,000+ UK university students	£25-£55/hr	KS3-A-level, peer-tutor model
Tutorful	50,000+ tutors	£20-£60/hr	Marketplace, broad subject coverage
Superprof	500k+ globally, large UK base	£25-£70/hr	Largest marketplace, includes adult learning
Keystone Tutors	Vetted agency, c.150 tutors	£75-£150/hr	11+, GCSE/A-level, Oxbridge specialists
Atom Learning	Adaptive AI platform	£30-40/month subscription	Y3-Y6 maths/English/VR/NVR, 11+ prep
The Profs	UK-focused premium agency	£75-£200/hr	University, Oxbridge, professional exams
Bramble	Tutor-only platform	Tutor sets rate	Built-in shared whiteboard, recording

Frequently asked questions

How much does private school cost in the UK in 2026?

Average UK day school: £18,200/year (post-20% VAT). Boarding: £51,000/year. Elite schools (Eton, Harrow): £60,000-£62,000 boarding. Regional independents: £12,000-£14,000 + VAT. Full 14 years Reception-Y13: £255,000 day, £600,000-£840,000 boarding.

How much does a private tutor cost per hour?

KS1/KS2 £25-£45/hr; KS3 £30-£50/hr; GCSE £35-£55/hr; A-level £40-£70/hr; Oxbridge admissions £60-£120/hr. London adds 30-50% premium. Online tutoring 15-25% cheaper.

Should I send my child to private school or pay for tutoring at a state school?

No universal answer — depends on local state quality, child's needs, family finances. Pure economics: 7 years private day = £127,000 vs state + 3 hr/wk tutoring = £33,000 (saving £94,000). Boarding alternative saves £300,000+. But private schools deliver more than tuition: pastoral care, sport, extracurriculars, networks. Visit both options.

What is the impact of 20% VAT on private school fees?

From 1 January 2025, Section 60 Finance Act 2024 removed VAT exemption for private education. Most schools passed full 20% to parents. Bursary budgets cut. ISC reports 1.7% pupil number decline in September 2025 intake.

How effective is private tutoring?

Education Endowment Foundation rates one-to-one tutoring as 'high impact, moderate cost' with 4-5 months additional progress per year. Sutton Trust: 27% of UK secondary pupils now tutored, 41% in London.

What is the 11+ exam and tutoring cost?

Entrance exam for selective state grammar schools and many independents, taken in Year 6. Tests VR, NVR, maths, English. Tutoring runs 12-18 months at 1-2 hr/week, £45-£75/hr for grammar, £65-£100/hr for independent target. Total typical cost £2,500-£6,500.

Are tutoring or school fees tax-deductible?

Personal: no UK income tax relief. Limited company paying employee's child's school fees creates taxable benefit-in-kind under s203 ITEPA. Trust route possible with 45% trust rate. Grandparent gifts subject to 7-year IHT PET rule.

How do private school university destinations compare to state?

96% of private leavers go to university vs 70% state. ISC schools provided 35% of UK Oxbridge undergraduate intake despite educating only 7% of pupils. Sullivan et al UCL studies show residual premium of 5-10 percentage points after controlling for prior attainment.

Do private school graduates earn more?

Yes — approximately 14% more at age 26, rising to 22-26% by age 42. After controlling for university, degree class and family income, residual private-school effect is 7-10%.

Can I claim tax relief on tutoring expenses?

No, except in very narrow cases of employer-funded work-related training (s250 ITEPA). Limited company paying for director's child creates taxable BIK at full fee with no corp tax saving — net cost 50-60% effective tax.

What is the cost of GCSE tuition over 3 years?

2 subjects at 1 hr/wk over 35 weeks × 3 years at £40-£50/hr = £8,400-£15,750. Single-subject support typically £2,000-£5,000. Easter intensive courses add £500-£1,500.

What is the cost of A-level tutoring over 2 years?

2 subjects at 1 hr/wk over 35 weeks × 2 years at £55/hr average = £7,700. Oxbridge admissions test prep adds £2,250-£6,000. Personal statement coaching £500-£1,500. Typical total £2,000-£20,000 depending on ambition level.

Are there bursaries at private schools?

Yes. 35% of ISC pupils received fee reduction in 2024/25, average 30% off. Means-tested bursaries (household income under £75k typical) provide 60-100% remission for ~6% of pupils. Sutton Trust Open Access scheme at 80+ schools.

Is online tutoring as effective as face-to-face?

70-90% as effective per Education Endowment Foundation research, 15-25% cheaper per hour. Younger children (under 10) benefit more from face-to-face; specialist subjects (further maths, niche languages) often only available online.

Glossary

11+: Entrance examination for selective state grammar schools and many independent schools, taken at age 10-11.
A-level: Advanced Level qualification, post-16 (Years 12-13), main UK university entrance qualification.
BDA: British Dyslexia Association.
Boarding: Residential schooling where pupils live on the school campus.
Bursary: Means-tested fee remission at a private school.
CCF: Combined Cadet Force, military-style cadet activity at many independent schools.
DBS: Disclosure and Barring Service — UK criminal record check, required for unsupervised work with children.
EAL: English as an Additional Language.
EEF: Education Endowment Foundation, UK evidence body for educational interventions.
EHCP: Education, Health and Care Plan — statutory document for SEN pupils.
GCSE: General Certificate of Secondary Education, taken at age 16.
ISC: Independent Schools Council, UK private school umbrella body.
NEU: National Education Union.
PGCE: Postgraduate Certificate in Education, primary UK teacher qualification.
QTS: Qualified Teacher Status, formal teaching qualification in England.
Scholarship: Merit-based fee reduction at a private school (academic, music, sport, art).
SEN: Special Educational Needs.
Section 60 Finance Act 2024: Legislation removing VAT exemption on private school fees from 1 January 2025.
Sutton Trust: UK educational social mobility charity.
VAT: Value Added Tax, UK consumption tax at standard rate 20%.

Official UK Sources

Calculator verified against ISC Census 2024/25 published fee data, Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit, Sutton Trust research on private tutoring uptake, and the Finance Act 2024 Section 60 VAT rules effective 1 January 2025. Last reviewed: 25 May 2026. This page is for general guidance only and is not regulated educational or financial advice. Always discuss education choices with qualified advisers and visit schools in person before committing.

About this calculator

Last updated 25 May 2026 by Mustafa Bilgic, independent operator of UK Calculator (United Kingdom — see About). Figures cross-checked against the ISC Census 2024/25, Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit, Sutton Trust 'Tutoring Uptake' reports, Department for Education school workforce statistics, Sullivan et al UCL Institute of Education longitudinal earnings studies, and Section 60 Finance Act 2024 (the VAT introduction on private school fees effective 1 January 2025). This is general information only and does not constitute regulated educational, financial or tax advice. Always consult a qualified independent financial adviser for fee planning, a CIOT-qualified tax adviser on trust structures, and visit prospective schools in person before committing to any educational route.