It’s no surprise that taking a six-to-eight-week break from any activity results in slower progress; as the old adage goes, ‘if you don’t use it – you’ll lose it.’ So, by that logic, we shouldn’t be shocked that students can lose up to 40% of their learning over the summer holidays – yet it’s still not that common to do something about it.
Before we get ahead of ourselves: yes, taking a proper break from school-based learning is vital to maintain your children’s wellbeing and overall academic attainment. However, we’re starting to see more and more parents and guardians who go for a ‘little and often’ strategy when planning their children’s studying – hence, the rise of travelling tutors.
What is a travelling tutor?
The clue’s in the name: a travelling tutor joins your family whilst you’re on holiday to deliver private tuition. More formally referred to as a residential tutor, they work around your family’s schedule to create a programme of learning that matches your child’s needs – think Mary Poppins, but with a degree-level education and multiple years of teaching experience.
As it’s an entirely bespoke programme, travelling tutors will work around your schedule to create tailored lessons that work for you and your child. This could be full days of intensive revision in the lead-up to an important exam, or scheduling a couple of hours here and there to keep your children’s minds ticking over during the holidays.
Where do travelling tutors work?
In short, anywhere; they’re there to work around your schedule. We’ve previously organised tutors to join a family safari in Namibia to help with GCSE and A-Level prep (both students exceeded their predicted grades, by the way) and found a specialist English tutor to assist with a six-year-old’s reading and literacy during a three-week trip to Lake Garda in Italy.
Some subjects are also best taught in real life. Imagine learning about the Ancient Greeks whilst standing in the Parthenon – or brushing up on your igneous rock knowledge whilst hiking a live volcano. You’re not likely to forget those lessons in a hurry.
What are the benefits of employing a travelling tutor?
Aside from the obvious academic advantages, residential tuition can also help you to achieve better school-life balance as a family. Instead of sacrificing time in the sun to go over GCSE chemistry again, you can leave your kids in the hands of a professional whilst you enjoy some child-free (and guilt-free) time away.
It can also be a great way for your children to get ahead before the new school term starts – particularly if they have entrance exams coming up. By focusing on exam techniques and strengthening their weak spots, students build up a bit of momentum before the usual pressures of a new school term set in – meaning they can hit the ground running in September.
If you’d like to arrange residential tutoring this summer or are interested in learning more about the benefits of travelling tutors, email Quintessentially Education on [email protected] or phone +44 (0)20 3073 6839.
