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Online tutoring for primary school children has expanded rapidly. What was once an expensive and logistically difficult option — finding someone local, sorting out travel, fitting it around after-school activities — is now accessible to most families with a laptop and a reliable broadband connection.
The problem is that there are now a lot of platforms, and they vary significantly in quality, transparency and how well they actually serve younger children. This guide covers seven of the best options for KS1 and KS2 pupils in the UK — what each one is good at, what it is not, and who it suits best.
1. Tutorful
Best overall marketplace for KS1 & KS2
Tutorful is one of the largest UK tutoring marketplaces and consistently the first recommendation for primary school parents. The platform has thousands of tutors, a solid chunk of whom specialise in KS1 and KS2 — you can filter by year group, subject, availability and budget before you even contact anyone.
What sets Tutorful apart is the quality-control layer. Every tutor is DBS-checked, references are verified, and the platform holds reviews from real families. You can read detailed profiles and watch short intro videos before committing to a session, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of choosing someone.
Sessions happen through Tutorful's own online classroom, which has an interactive whiteboard, file sharing and screen-sharing built in. For younger KS1 children this can feel more engaging than a plain video call, and parents can observe sessions if they want to. Lesson recordings are saved for you to review afterwards.
Pricing is transparent and set by the tutor. Budget options start around £20 per hour, while experienced tutors with specialist SATs or 11+ knowledge typically charge £35–£60. Tutorful takes a platform fee, so the price you see is what you pay with no hidden extras.
- Huge choice of KS1 and KS2 specialists
- All tutors DBS-checked with verified reviews
- Built-in online classroom — no third-party tools needed
- Transparent pricing, no hidden fees
- Easy to switch tutors if the first isn't a good fit
- Wide price range — quality at the lower end can vary
- Platform fee means tutors earn less, which can limit top-tier availability
2. MyTutor
Best for quality-assured, structured sessions
MyTutor built its reputation on the secondary school and GCSE market but has expanded significantly into primary tuition, particularly KS2. The platform recruits tutors from leading UK universities and puts them through a multi-stage interview process — only around 1 in 8 applicants is accepted.
For KS2 pupils in Years 5 and 6 who are working towards SATs, MyTutor is a particularly strong choice. The tutors tend to be strong academically and are trained to deliver structured sessions with learning objectives, not just open-ended homework help.
The online classroom is clean and intuitive, and younger pupils generally adapt to it quickly. Lessons can be recorded and reviewed by parents. MyTutor also offers a school partnership programme, which means some secondary schools already use the platform — useful context if you're thinking about transition.
Pricing is mid-range with no subscription required. MyTutor's quality filtering means fewer tutors than a pure marketplace like Tutorful or Superprof, but the consistency is higher.
- Rigorous tutor vetting — university students from top institutions
- Structured sessions with clear learning objectives
- Strong for KS2 SATs preparation
- Good parent dashboard with session summaries
- Fewer tutors available for KS1 than KS2
- Less flexibility on price than open marketplaces
3. Superprof
Best for budget-conscious families with specific needs
Superprof is a large international tutoring marketplace with a substantial UK presence. It covers everything from English and maths to more niche subjects, and for primary school parents it offers one key advantage: price. Many tutors on Superprof charge significantly less than on dedicated platforms, and a number offer a free first lesson so you can test the fit before committing.
The platform is less curated than Tutorful or MyTutor, which cuts both ways. You get a much wider range of tutors, including retired teachers, teaching assistants and subject specialists who might not appear on other platforms. But you also need to do more of the vetting yourself — DBS checking is not universal and you should ask directly.
Superprof works well for families who know exactly what they need and are comfortable doing their own due diligence. The free first lesson policy is genuinely useful for testing tutors with young children before any payment changes hands.
- Often the most affordable option
- Many tutors offer a free first lesson
- Huge range of tutors including specialists and retired teachers
- Works well for less-common subjects or specific learning needs
- Less rigorous vetting — more responsibility on the parent
- Quality varies more than curated platforms
- Interface less polished than UK-focused competitors
4. Tutor Hunt
Best for local or online flexibility
Tutor Hunt is one of the UK's longest-established tutoring directories, and its main differentiator is flexibility. Tutors list both in-home and online availability, so if you prefer face-to-face tuition for a younger KS1 child, you can find local tutors as well as online options through the same search.
The platform has no platform fee charged to the family — you pay tutors directly once you've made contact through the site, which keeps costs down. Prices are set by tutors and tend to sit at the more affordable end of the market.
Tutor Hunt's tutors range from undergraduates to experienced teaching professionals. Reviews are available on profiles, though the vetting process is less comprehensive than platforms like Tutorful. It works best for parents who are happy to have an initial conversation with a tutor before booking.
- No platform fees — pay tutors directly
- Flexible: local in-person or online tuition from the same search
- Long-established platform with wide tutor coverage across the UK
- Good for finding affordable, experienced tutors
- Less structured vetting than dedicated marketplaces
- No built-in classroom — you use your own video call setup
- Interface feels dated compared to newer platforms
5. First Tutors
Best established UK directory for primary support
First Tutors has been operating in the UK since 2005 and has built a solid reputation as a reliable directory for finding qualified tutors. For primary school tuition, the platform covers all KS1 and KS2 subjects with a good spread of tutors across the country.
Like Tutor Hunt, First Tutors operates as a directory rather than a fully managed marketplace — you browse profiles, contact tutors directly and arrange sessions independently. This keeps fees lower but means more coordination on your part.
First Tutors verifies tutor qualifications and references, and tutors with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) are highlighted in search results, which is reassuring for parents looking for professional-grade tuition. Reviews from other families are available on profiles.
- Long track record in UK tutoring market
- QTS-qualified tutors clearly identified
- Verified qualifications and references
- Good regional coverage including rural areas
- Directory model — more coordination required from parents
- No built-in classroom or session management tools
- Smaller tutor pool than the largest platforms
6. Atom Learning
Best for KS2 maths and 11+ readiness
Atom Learning is slightly different from the others on this list — it is a subscription-based adaptive learning platform rather than a traditional tutoring marketplace. That said, it earns its place here because it fills a specific gap for KS2 pupils, particularly those in Year 4, 5 or 6.
The platform delivers thousands of curriculum-aligned practice questions and adaptive tests in maths, English and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. It is particularly popular with families preparing for selective school 11+ exams, but it is equally useful for building confidence and fluency in core KS2 subjects.
A subscription gives unlimited practice time and detailed progress reports, making it a good complement to traditional tutoring rather than a replacement for it. Many families use Atom alongside a weekly session with a human tutor — the platform handles practice volume and the tutor addresses gaps identified in the data.
The monthly cost is significantly lower than hiring a tutor for even one session per week, which makes it an attractive option for families watching their budget.
- Adaptive learning adjusts difficulty to the child's level
- Excellent for KS2 11+ preparation
- Detailed progress reports for parents
- Much cheaper than weekly private tutoring
- Strong curriculum alignment for core subjects
- No human tutor — not suitable as a standalone for children who need explanation, not just practice
- Best from Year 4 onwards — less suited to KS1
- Subscription model means ongoing cost even in school holidays
7. Kip McGrath
Best structured programme for children who are struggling
Kip McGrath operates a franchise model with centres across the UK, but most centres now offer online tuition alongside their face-to-face sessions. The approach is different from a one-to-one marketplace: Kip McGrath runs structured diagnostic assessments on enrolment and builds a tailored programme for each child.
For KS1 and KS2 pupils who are noticeably behind their peers in literacy or numeracy, this structured approach is often more effective than booking an individual tutor. The programme has clear milestones and regular progress reviews, so parents have a roadmap rather than simply hoping sessions are helping.
Kip McGrath tutors are trained in the Kip McGrath method, which focuses on building foundational understanding rather than coaching for tests. This makes it particularly well-suited to children with gaps in core skills rather than children who simply need extra practice on grade-level content.
Pricing is higher than marketplace tutors on average, reflecting the assessment and programme structure included in the fee. It is worth contacting your local centre directly for current rates as these vary by location.
- Structured assessment and personalised programme — not ad-hoc sessions
- Regular progress reviews with clear milestones
- Well-suited for children with significant learning gaps
- Trained tutors following a consistent methodology
- Available online as well as in-centre
- Higher cost than independent tutors
- Less flexible — you enrol in a programme, not individual sessions
- Coverage depends on your local franchise; not available everywhere
How to choose the right platform
A few questions that usually narrow it down quickly:
- How old is your child? For KS1 (Years 1–2), prioritise platforms with lots of reviews from parents of young children — Tutorful and Kip McGrath tend to work well. For KS2, almost all the options above apply.
- What is the goal? General confidence and enjoyment of learning is different from SATs preparation, which is different again from 11+ readiness. Match the platform to the goal: Atom Learning for 11+ practice, MyTutor for structured SATs preparation, Kip McGrath for significant catch-up.
- How much do you want to manage? Platforms like Tutorful and MyTutor do most of the work for you. Directory sites like Tutor Hunt and First Tutors give you more control but require more effort in finding and vetting.
- What is your budget? If cost is the main constraint, Superprof or Atom Learning offer the best value. If you want the broadest choice without breaking the bank, Tutorful's filtering tools let you find good tutors at every price point.
A note on frequency
One session a week is the most common arrangement, and for most children it is enough to see meaningful progress within a half-term. The research on tutoring effectiveness consistently shows that regular shorter sessions outperform infrequent longer ones — two 45-minute sessions are typically more effective than one 90-minute block per week.
For children who are significantly behind, two sessions per week in the short term can accelerate progress, but this should be discussed with the tutor first. Overloading a child outside school hours often creates more anxiety than it resolves.