Online tutoring became normal during the pandemic and has stayed normal since. The cost-quality trade-off has shifted in favour of online for most families.
The short answer
Online tutoring is now broadly equivalent in quality to in-person for most children. The main exceptions are children who genuinely struggle to focus online, and very young children (Year 4 and below) for whom screen-based learning is harder.
The longer answer
Online tutors can be picked from a national pool rather than a local one. This makes specialised format expertise (CSSE, AQE, ISEB) far more accessible to families outside the relevant region.
Cost-wise, online tutors typically charge 15 to 30 percent less than in-person equivalents. The savings are real, especially across a full year of weekly sessions.
What experienced parents do
When picking online: confirm that the tutor uses an interactive whiteboard, asks the child to verbalise their thinking, and shares written notes after each session. A purely video-call tutor without an interactive surface gives less than in-person.
What to avoid
Avoid: online platforms that match you to whichever tutor is available rather than a consistent tutor. Continuity matters; the right tutor for a child often takes three or four sessions to establish.
Practical next step
Trial both before committing: book a single in-person session and a single online session with similarly-rated tutors. The child's feedback after each is the deciding signal. A small, deliberate action this week is worth more than a grand plan for the year ahead.