You're watching your child struggle with maths homework again. They're frustrated, you're worried, and you're wondering: is this just a rough patch, or do they actually need extra help?
I'm Aadam, and I've been tutoring students for over five years at SHLC. I've worked with hundreds of families, and I can tell you that parents who act early get far better results than those who wait until panic sets in weeks before exams.
Here are the ten clear signs your child needs a maths tutor, what each one means, and exactly what to do about it.
Sign 1: Homework Takes Forever (And Ends in Tears)
What it looks like: Thirty minutes of maths homework stretches into two hours. Your child stares at questions, rubs out answers repeatedly, and eventually either gives up or melts down completely.
Why it matters: This isn't just frustration. It signals they lack the foundational understanding to work independently. They're not being lazy, they genuinely don't know where to start.
What to do: Don't wait for this to become the nightly norm. Speak to their teacher first to identify specific topics causing problems. Then look for a tutor who can rebuild those foundations before the gaps get wider.
At SHLC, I start by identifying exactly where understanding broke down, then systematically fill those gaps so homework becomes manageable again.
Sign 2: Their Grades Are Dropping (Even Though They're Trying)
What it looks like: Your child was getting grade 5s or 6s, but recent assessments show 4s or lower. They claim they're revising, but the grades keep sliding.
Why it matters: When effort doesn't translate to results, something's wrong with either their understanding or their revision technique. This is incredibly demotivating and creates a vicious cycle.
Research shows that each grade improvement is worth around £23,000 in lifetime earnings. Watching grades drop isn't just frustrating, it's financially significant.
What to do: A tutor can diagnose whether the issue is conceptual gaps, exam technique, or ineffective revision. Often it's a combination. Professional support addresses all three simultaneously.
Sign 3: They've Started Saying "I'm Just Not a Maths Person"
What it looks like: Your child has decided they simply can't do maths. They've adopted this as part of their identity and stopped trying properly.
Why it matters: This fixed mindset is devastating. Once they believe they can't improve, they won't put in the effort needed to actually improve. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
Research consistently shows that maths ability isn't fixed, it's developed through practice and proper teaching. But your child needs to experience success to believe this.
What to do: You need someone who can rebuild their confidence alongside their skills. A good tutor celebrates small wins, reframes mistakes as learning opportunities, and proves through results that improvement is possible.
I've seen countless students transform from "I'm rubbish at maths" to "I actually quite like this" within a few months of targeted support.
Sign 4: They're Avoiding Maths Entirely
What it looks like: When it's time for maths homework, they suddenly need the toilet, remember something urgent, or claim they've already done it. They're finding creative ways to dodge maths altogether.
Why it matters: Avoidance stems from anxiety or repeated failure. The more they avoid, the further behind they fall, which increases anxiety, which increases avoidance. You're in a downward spiral.
What to do: Break the cycle fast. A tutor working one to one can make maths feel safe again by ensuring your child experiences success in every session. Small, consistent wins rebuild the willingness to engage.
Sign 5: They Can Do It with You, But Not Alone
What it looks like: When you sit with them, they seem to understand. You work through examples together and they get the answers right. But the next day, they can't do similar questions independently.
Why it matters: This suggests they're following your process without actually understanding the underlying concepts. They're dependent on prompting rather than developing genuine competence.
What to do: A skilled tutor knows how to gradually remove scaffolding, teaching students to think independently. They use strategic questioning that builds understanding rather than just showing methods.
Sign 6: Test Scores Don't Match Their Classroom Performance
What it looks like: Your child seems fine in lessons, completes classwork, but then bombs tests and assessments. There's a big gap between what they can do with support and what they can do under exam conditions.
Why it matters: This is often an exam technique issue. They understand the content but struggle with time management, question interpretation, or performance anxiety.
What to do: Look for a tutor experienced in exam preparation, not just content teaching. They need to practise past papers under timed conditions with expert feedback.
My mock exam marking service provides exactly this, showing students where marks are being lost and how to fix it.
Sign 7: They're in Bottom or Middle Set and Falling Further Behind
What it looks like: Your child isn't in the top sets, and the gap between them and higher achieving peers seems to be widening rather than closing.
Why it matters: School sets move at different paces. If your child is in a lower set that's progressing slowly, they might not cover all the content needed for higher grades before exams.
Research shows students with proper tutoring progress much faster than they would in traditional classroom settings, potentially allowing movement into higher sets.
What to do: Individual tuition can accelerate progress in ways classroom teaching can't. A tutor can move at your child's pace, not the class average.
Sign 8: They're Aiming for Grade 7–9 But Stuck at Grade 6
What it looks like: Your child is already doing well but has plateaued. They're consistently getting grade 6s but can't seem to break into grade 7+ territory despite effort.
Why it matters: Moving from good to excellent requires different skills. The questions at grade 7–9 level are multi layered, combining several topics in one question. This needs specific practice.
As covered in our guide to achieving grade 9, reaching the top grades requires around 90% accuracy and the ability to handle complex, multi step problems.
What to do: Find a tutor experienced with high achievers who can teach the problem solving approaches needed for grade 7–9 questions. This is specialist work.
Sign 9: You've Become the Tutor (And It's Not Working)
What it looks like: You're spending hours trying to help with homework, but you barely remember GCSE maths yourself. The methods have changed since you were at school, and your attempts to help often end in arguments.
Why it matters: Being parent and tutor simultaneously damages your relationship. Your child needs you to be their emotional support, not their maths teacher. Plus, if you learned maths differently, you might inadvertently confuse them.
What to do: Recognise when to step back. Hiring a professional tutor frees you to be the parent again, offering encouragement rather than instruction.
I've worked with countless families where this single change improved both maths results and family dynamics.
Sign 10: Their Teacher Has Suggested Extra Support
What it looks like: At parents evening or via email, the teacher has mentioned your child would benefit from additional help outside school.
Why it matters: Teachers see your child alongside 30 others. If they're suggesting extra support, they've identified a genuine concern that classroom teaching alone isn't addressing.
What to do: Take this seriously. Teachers don't make these suggestions lightly. They've seen that your child needs more individual attention than a classroom setting can provide.
Ask the teacher specifically:
- Which topics are causing problems?
- What level should we be aiming for realistically?
- Are there particular gaps in understanding?
Use this information when finding a tutor.
What to Do Next: Your Action Plan
If you've recognised three or more of these signs, your child would benefit from tutoring. Here's your next steps:
Step 1: Talk to Your Child Frame it positively: "Let's get you some extra help so maths feels easier" rather than "You're failing, we need a tutor."
Ask them:
- Which topics feel hardest?
- Would they prefer online or face to face sessions?
- What would make them feel more confident in maths?
Step 2: Speak to Their Teacher Get specific information about where support is needed most. Teachers appreciate parents being proactive and will usually provide detailed feedback.
Step 3: Set Clear Goals What are you actually trying to achieve?
- Move from grade 4 to grade 5 for GCSE pass?
- Build confidence for weekly homework?
- Achieve grade 7+ for A level entry?
- Prepare for 11+ exams?
Clear goals help you find the right tutor and measure whether it's working.
Step 4: Find the Right Tutor Use our complete guide to finding the right tutor to make sure you choose well.
Key things to verify:
- Teaching qualifications and experience
- Specific expertise in your child's exam level
- DBS checks and safeguarding
- Clear approach to progress tracking
Step 5: Give It Time (But Monitor Progress) Tutoring works, but it needs time. Expect to see:
- Improved confidence within 2–3 weeks
- Better homework completion within a month
- Grade improvements within 8–12 weeks
If you're not seeing any improvement after 6–8 sessions, have an honest conversation with the tutor about whether it's working.
How SHLC Can Help
At SHLC, I specialise in working with students showing exactly these signs. Here's what I provide:
Qualified, Experienced Teaching I'm a qualified teacher with over five years of experience specifically with KS2 through GCSE maths. I understand both the content and how students learn.
Diagnostic Assessment Before we start, I identify exactly where gaps exist and build a personalised plan targeting those specific areas.
Progress Tracking Using my digital revision planner, students and parents can see exactly what we've covered and where improvement is happening.
Complete Resources Students get access to comprehensive past papers and worked solutions so practice continues between sessions.
Regular Communication Parents receive updates after each session. You know what we covered, where progress was made, and what to focus on for homework.
Exam Preparation Through my mock exam marking service, students get professional feedback on practice papers showing exactly where marks are being gained and lost.
The Cost of Waiting
Here's what parents don't realise: the earlier you intervene, the less tutoring you ultimately need.
A Year 9 student needing to close small gaps might need 10–15 sessions. A Year 11 student two months before exams with major gaps might need 30+ sessions and still not fully catch up.
Early intervention is both more effective and more affordable.
Plus, remember the research: improving by one grade in GCSE Maths is worth around £40,000 in lifetime earnings. Even at £40 per hour for 20 sessions, you're investing £800 for a potential £40,000 return. That's exceptional ROI.
Moving Forward
If you've recognised several of these signs in your child, you now know what to do. Don't wait until panic sets in weeks before exams. Don't let those gaps widen further. And don't let your child's confidence erode to the point where they've given up on maths entirely.
Get the support they need now, whilst there's still time to make a real difference.
Ready to discuss your child's specific situation? Get in touch with SHLC for a free consultation. Let's identify exactly where support is needed and create a plan to get their maths back on track.
Recognised any of these signs? Book a free consultation with SHLC to discuss how I can help your child succeed in maths.