GCSE results today have landed, revealing that almost one third of students didn’t achieve a standard pass on their Maths and English exam this year. Though results were marginally better than in 2019 as experts predicted, they are still significantly lower than in the previous 2 years, stoking concerns that a large proportion of students across the UK are failing to achieve the basic skills they need to acquire most jobs outside of school. Those who did not receive a 4 or above are required by government to retake their exams until they’re 18, however a large number of GCSE exam resits result in the same mark, as 60% who retook their English GCSE last year failed for a second time. These exam results are also taking a toll on teenagers’ self-esteem, MyTutor, the UK’s most trusted tutoring platform finding that 43% of parents now say their child’s self-esteem is linked to the grades they achieve at school.

Considering these exam results, MyTutor highlights the growing importance of one-to-one learning, listing five reasons why an online tutor may be the best option for your child’s future.

Resources, Resources, Resources
The resources that are available through an online tutor are incredibly diverse and up to date. It is important for an online tutor, or online tutoring company to give students the best chance of success within their chosen subject. Therefore some online tutors have video chat, a messaging service and many other learning aids; so that they can ensure that their students have the best chance of achieving a top grade in their exams or schoolwork.

It’s All About Convenience
It is understandable that your teen may have a very full schedule, and hiring a tutor to help them with their studies will minimise thei free time even more. That is why it is important to choose a tutor that is going to ensure that the time they do have with them is spent productively. If this is a concern then an online tutor available when they are may the best option for them. No travelling, no setting up their laptop; they can just log on from home and begin their session immediately.

A Better Deal
It is a well-known fact that hiring a tutor can be somewhat costly. Many tutors specialise in a specific subject or area of learning and have many years of experience and knowledge relating to teaching. A single tutor who works locally can charge as much or as little as he likes as there may be very little competition, and a high demand. The benefit of hiring an online tutor is that they tend to keep their prices competitive. In this situation, you can be confident that you will be getting good value for money.

Confidence in the Service
As with any business transaction it is important that you have the security of recompense if you are not happy with the product or service. By using an online tutoring company like MyTutor, your teen can feel at ease in the process by knowing that if they do have any issues with any of the services they are provided with, they have a complaints procedure that will be followed and a course of action to take. Some online tutors also provide a no obligation registration process, so you can discuss your teen’s requirements with a tutor before you have to make any form of payment. Again, this makes the process safer and more secure.

A Plethora of Choice
On many occasions, there are only a small number of tutors in one area, and choice may be limited if your teen requires tutoring in a less common subject. This is when the help of the online tutors really becomes evident. Because they have the choice of tutors from all over the country, they will have a multitude of choices relating to the subject that they would like to be tutored in.

So if you have not considered the possibility of choosing an online tutor; or if you are not sure that it is the correct choice for you, then think about the benefits and make an informed decision about the best course of action to take. It may not be what you or your teen expects.

MyTutor’s Chief Customer Officer, Nicola Anderson, comments on the lower grade results for GCSE results day, and options for students who didn’t get the results they were hoping for:

“As with last week’s A Level results, GCSE exam results are lower this year vs the last two years but still higher than 2019. It’s important to avoid comparing results with last year’s teacher assessed grades which lead to a dramatic increase in top GCSE grades. The real point of comparison is 2019 when exams last took place.

For students that don’t get the results they were hoping for, it’s important to try and remain positive and remember that there are plenty of options available. Getting lower results than expected doesn’t mean that students can’t continue with further study and we would advise students to contact their school or college to discuss next steps before making any decisions. If students are unhappy with their results there is the option to re-sit subjects such as Maths and English, with exams taking place later this year, or, if they feel an error has been made in the way the paper has been marked, they can request to appeal their results via their school.

Disappointing exam results can be deeply upsetting, but can also be a good time to assess what might have gone wrong for the student and identify areas where they might need extra support. This could be further help in understanding the syllabus, advice on developing exam technique, or help in building confidence which can leave them in a better position for taking resits. We would also recommend speaking to your child’s teachers at school to see if there is any additional support available, such as tutoring in any subjects they may need extra help with.If your child decides that A Levels are not for them, there are a host of other excellent options available to them, including apprenticeships and traineeships, as well as BTECs and T-Levels. These courses can be studied at sixth form colleges and schools across the country and provide a combination of practical work experience and study and are an increasingly popular path for students to enter the world of work or University.

With so many options available, this can be an overwhelming time for your child. Talking to someone who has had the same challenges as your teen – and made it to the other side – can be encouraging. At MyTutor, the tutors have studied the same courses and sat the same exams as teens in the past few years, so they understand and can relate to what your child is going through. They’ve also been tutoring teens who’ve been through exams and resits and can offer expert advice and support to help your child navigate their next steps.”