Choosing a SEND tutor: a parent's checklist

A general 'good tutor' is not the same as a 'good SEND tutor'. The right match transforms a child's learning experience; the wrong one entrenches avoidance, anxiety and shame. Here's what to actually look for.

1. Match by specific need

'SEND experience' is meaningless. Autism, ADHD, SEMH, MLD, SLD, PMLD, dyslexia, dyscalculia — these need different specialisms. Insist on a tutor whose direct experience matches your child's profile.

2. Ask about their first lesson

Good SEND tutors don't dive into content. They spend the first lesson building rapport, finding shared interests, learning the child's signals. If the tutor wants to 'crack on with maths' in week one, that's a yellow flag.

3. Sensory and arousal awareness

Many SEND learners are sensitive to noise, light, pace and presence. Look for tutors who deliberately reduce sensory load — calm voice, predictable structure, processing time, no surprises.

4. Bad day protocols

Ask how the tutor handles a dysregulated session. Good answers: remove demands, return to the relationship, end early if needed. Bad answers: 'be firm', 'work through it', 'they have to learn'.

5. Continuity above all else

Relationships matter more in SEND than in mainstream. If an agency treats SEND tutoring like supply (rotating tutors), walk away. Look for a commitment to a long-term match.

6. School and EHCP coordination

If your child has an EHCP, ask whether the agency coordinates with the school SENDCo or local authority. Tutoring aligned with EHCP outcomes is far more effective than tutoring invented in isolation.