Criminal Checks on Teachers- Which Tutors are Qualified or have CRB Checks to Teach My Child?

Who is Tutoring your Child?

A report today published on the BBC website stated  that over 4,000 offenders, including rapists, paedophiles and drug dealers, applied to become teachers last year only to be rejected after checks.  The Criminal Records Bureau  requested this information to be released and worryingly it states that it has prevented 130,000 unsuitable people from working with children or vulnerable groups.  To read the rest of the article please click here.

One of our teachers at Kip McGrath Urmston and Stretford brought this to my attention today and she has blogged about this on her own Kip McGrath Urmston Tutors blogsite and agreed to let me share.

CRB Checks and the Tutoring Industry

This is reassuring that the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) are doing their job efficiently in mainstream education in the UK and preventing these individuals working with children and vulnerable groups.

However, I have been shocked to learn that in the private tuition industry, these checks are not always carried out.  ANYONE can set up a website and advertise as a tutor with no CRB checks.  Additionally, tutors advertising their services do not actually have to be a qualified teacher.  There are no regulations in the UK for private tutors and this is very worrying.Questions to Ask when Choosing a Tutor for your Child

Questions to Ask when Choosing a Tutor for Your Child

Choosing a tutor for your child is like choosing a childminder when they are young.  You have to do research, take out references and decide with your child what is going to work for you and your family.  You would never leave a small child with a childminder you didn’t know who was unregulated.  Why would you invite a tutor into your home a few years later who also did not have a CRB check or references or any teaching qualification?  This is what is happening in the UK unfortunately.  These are some questions you should ask when looking for a tutor:

1.  Do they have a CRB check or enhanced disclosure?  Ask to see it and ensure it is current.
2. Can they provide independent references that you can verify?
3. What experience do they have in teaching in the classroom?
4. What results an they demonstrate?
5. Do they know the school curriculum?
6. Are they a qualified teacher or just someone who has set up a tutoring business?  Ask to see proof.
7. Do you want someone in your house teaching your child or would you prefer them to be tutored in a Centre with other children?
8. Don’t assume other well known tutoring centres are taught by teachers.  Most are taught by non teachers who administrate a centre following multiple worksheets in written and computerised form.  This can help students learn their times tables but if there is a learning weakness in English and Maths, this really needs to be assessed by a qualified teacher

Tutors at Kip McGrath Education Centres

With over 600 Centres worldwide and 200 in the UK, we can state that every tutor teaching your child is a qualified teacher and highly experienced.  Every tutor must also hold a full disclosure from CRB or we will apply for one for them before they can tutor.  When you leave your child at one of our Kip McGrath Education Centres, you can be assured that they are being taught by qualified teachers who have had CRB checks and hold a full disclosure certificate.

Before enrolling any child, we carry out a full educational assessment which will tell us (and parents) exactly what level their child is on and identify areas of weakness.  This can take up to an hour and we will disclose our findings with you.  This is FREE of charge and without obligation.

If you would like to arrange an assessment, please click here and one of our teachers will contact you as soon as possible.