If you're looking for a private tutor, then it stands to reason that you want someone who knows what they are doing. These days just about anyone can set up a website, so how do you know that a tuition firm can actually do what it claims and that your time and money will be well spent?LCF Tutors is a new choice on the market, offering a range of educational services, (private tuition, online tuition, supply teachers, translation services), with the aim of providing a type of "one-stop shop" for services that have traditionally been provided by separate firms.Tuition You Can Trust?LCF Tutors and it's parent company LCF Clubs, have been providing educational services for nearly 30 years, which means they should know what they are talking about when it comes to teaching and learning. Since the company was set-up in 1985, it has grown to become a respected connecting point for anyone interested in education - whether it be tutors, students, parents, schools, or businesses.Using LCF Tutors For Private TuitionWhether you are a tutor, student, or parent, you'll be surprised at just how simple LCF Tutors is to use. Once registered, you get immediate access to your tutor/client account. Clients can make tuition requests and tutors can search for work immediately- there are no joining fees, yearly fees, or tutor/client introduction fees!LCF Tutors seems then to firmly believe in the old adage "the customer is always right". By completely cutting out the middle-man and putting tutor and client in direct contact with one and other from the word go, they provide users with the tools to make their own decisions on the private tuition they require. They don't require lengthy interviews, induction processes, or hefty tutor profiles, for users to get involved. Instead you simply register (in under 2 minutes - I've tried!) and get stuck in with finding your perfect education match on the website!On face value then it's a breath of fresh air, although it should perhaps come with a health warning of "Try before you buy", as clients do the vetting themselves, rather than LCF Tutors.Finding Someone To HelpWith the boom in online agencies and the plethora of tuition websites currently available, you can literally spend hours browsing to find private tutors these days. Possibly the most significant selling point of LCF Tutors however, is it's automatic email alert system. Rather than client's poring through endless tutor profiles, a client simply makes a tuition request on site which is instantly emailed to every relevant tutor. For those searching for tuition, this not only means that there is no delay in tutors connecting with clients, but that multiple tutors contact you directly, allowing you to choose your own tutor rather than a faceless agent deciding for you. (Absolutely no offence to faceless bureaucrats intended.. :) It would appear that real choice and speed of use are therefore the order of the day with LCF Tutors, which seems to fly in the face of the traditional model.Knowing If Someone Is Up To The JobUsers are able to message one and other via the LCF Tutors site messaging system, in order to ask any questions, arrange tuition details and generally get to know the other person. This seems a great forum for tutors to find out exactly what the client requires, whilst allowing clients to vet potential tutors. LCF Tutors also has a handy FAQs page with tips on what to ask potential tutors/clients, (such as age, experience, qualifications, availability, price) as well a sensible guidelines page with advice on how to stay smart and safe.Online FocusLCF Tutors offers both online and private tuition. The boom in e-learning over the last 5 years has seen many opting for an online tutor over a traditional face-to-face experience. It's no mystery. Online tuition is generally cheaper, easier for the client to take part in, and there is always a much larger pool of tutors to select from, meaning clients can really hone their preferences. This trend suits the LCF Tutors model down to the ground and is being realised in their current project to incorporate LCF's English language courses into the site, via the 'Moodle' platform. I have been informed that the completion date is expected to be around the end of March, with the goal of providing online group and individual learning. If successful, LCF plan to follow-up with French and Spanish courses for all ages, which are currently being used across the UK (and in 12 other countries) by its parent company LCF Clubs.Safety FirstHowever, online learning brings with it the ever-present threat of users being exposed to individuals who may not be what they claim. LCF Tutors offers to carry out enhanced disclosure checks for all of its tutors, whilst urging its clients to ask tutors for evidence of CRB/DBS certificates from the start. They also visibly display which tutors have registered a disclosure number, so that clients are always aware of this whilst on the site. There seems to be a strong emphasis on safety with LCF Tutors, which their guidelines page is testament to.If you are looking for a modern alternative to the traditional tuition agency model, and are willing (and/or relish the opportunity) to vet tutors yourself, then LCF Tutors may well be worth a look. For more information on LCF Tutors visit: www.lcftutors.com or call +44 (0)1489 786473
