Tutor and teacher websites: what parents ask, safeguarding and honest results

What parents and students want to know

1. Is it safe? Background checks, how lessons are run, and where.
2. Do you teach my child’s subject and level? Subject, exam board or curriculum, age and ability.
3. Are you good at it? Qualifications, experience, and what students achieve.
4. How do lessons work? Length, place or platform, materials, homework and progress reports.
5. What does it cost? Price per lesson, packages, trial lessons and cancellation rules.
6. When are you free, and where? Days, times, travel area or online.
7. What do other families say? Real reviews or references.

What to include

Safeguarding and background checks

Parents increasingly ask about background checks, and tutoring is largely unregulated, so a clear statement from you carries weight. The key is accuracy.

• England and Wales: until 2026, self-employed tutors could only obtain a Basic DBS check themselves. GOV.UK announced that from 21 January 2026, self-employed people and personal employees can apply for Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List checks through a registered Umbrella Body. Look on GOV.UK for the current process, costs and eligibility.
• Say exactly what you hold. Write “Enhanced DBS check, issued March 2026” or “Basic DBS check, issued June 2025”, not just “DBS checked”. A certificate shows the position at the date of issue only. Joining the DBS Update Service, where available, lets others check that it is still current.
• Other countries: where checks are available, such as state or national background or police checks, name the check, the issuer and the date. Do not claim a check you have not had.
• Never imply that a check is a guarantee of safety. It is a snapshot, and it complements good practice.
• Say how you keep lessons safe: for example, parent nearby or present for younger children, lessons in a shared space, online lessons on a platform the family controls, and no private messaging with children.
• Insurance: if you hold public liability cover, say so.

Qualifications: say what you have

• State your degree and subject, and any teaching qualification, in plain words.
• In England, “qualified teacher” refers to Qualified Teacher Status. It is not required to tutor privately, but do not use the phrase unless you hold it. Equivalent terms and licences differ by country and US state.
• Say where you have taught and which exams you know well.
• If you are a student or recent graduate, say so honestly. Enthusiasm and recent exam experience are real strengths.
• For music, language and arts teachers, state exam grades and certificates exactly.

Privacy and children

• Direct your website and forms at parents and adult learners. Do not invite children to send you their personal details.
• In the US, COPPA makes it unlawful for websites and online services to collect personal information from children under 13 without first obtaining verifiable parental consent.
• In the EU, the GDPR sets the age at which a child can consent on their own to an online service at 16, but allows member states to lower it to between 13 and 16, so it varies by country. In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Children’s Code applies to online services likely to be accessed by children. A tutor’s site aimed at parents is unlikely to be one, but take care if students use any part of it.
• Do not publish a child’s name, photograph, school or results without clear consent from a parent or guardian, and think hard before you do even with consent. A first name and a general result may be enough.
• Add a short privacy notice that says what you collect and why.

Describing results honestly

• Say what you know, with evidence. An invented example: “Over five years, 14 of 17 GCSE students I taught improved by at least one grade”, which you may say only if you can show it.
• Avoid guarantees. A tutor cannot guarantee a grade, and regulators object to promises of outcomes.
• Testimonials should be real, from people who agreed. Do not present unusually good results as typical. See how to get Google reviews.
• Respect confidentiality: never name students or schools without permission.
• Do not claim connections with exam boards or schools that you do not have.

Prices, trials and cancellations

• State the price per lesson and for packages, and what each includes.
• Offer a trial lesson, free or at a reduced price, and say how it works.
• State your cancellation and rescheduling policy in one or two plain sentences.
• Explain how and when you are paid.
• Mention discounts for siblings or groups, if you offer them.

If you are an employed teacher

Many school contracts and local policies restrict private tutoring, advertising it or using school resources. Read your contract and your employer’s policies, and ask if unsure. Do not use your school’s name, logo, materials or students’ details in your marketing. Be careful about tutoring your own pupils.

Marketplaces and your own page

Tutoring marketplaces can bring enquiries, but they take fees, control the relationship and often show you beside many competitors. A page of your own gives you a place to explain your approach, to send families to, and to rank for “maths tutor in your town”. Use both if you like, and keep your own page accurate. See which directories matter.

Common mistakes

• “DBS checked” with no type or date, or claiming a check you do not have.
• Calling yourself a qualified teacher when you are not.
• Guaranteeing grades.
• No prices or trial lesson.
• Posting photographs or names of children without consent.
• Listing every subject you have ever studied.
• Forms that invite children to give personal information.
• No mention of where or how you teach.

For ready-made sections for teachers, see websites for teachers.

Where BeVisible fits

BeVisible has a setup for teachers and tutors with “Subjects”, “Classes & fees”, “Where I teach”, a “Qualifications” line, reviews and a “Book a trial class” button on one page. You can build and preview free, and publish free for 7 days with no card needed; after that one yearly plan keeps a website online, and one plan covers one website. Start from a photo or type your details.