A DBS check and a list of qualifications are a safety and credibility filter, not a way to predict whether a tutor can raise GCSE maths marks. Treat DBS and qualifications as pass/fail, then use a four-session evidence framework to judge impact. In GCSE maths, early evidence should reveal exam-board fit, a clear Foundation vs Higher tier strategy, and whether the tutor can fix recurring errors rather than reteaching whole topics. If you are currently weighing tier options, start with the basics for parents tutoring: for parents tutoring.
DBS checks vs tutor qualifications: what each one does (and doesn’t) for GCSE maths
A DBS check tells you whether the person has relevant criminal record information disclosed at a particular level on a particular date. It does not assess teaching skill, professionalism, or suitability to work with your child in your home. It also does not verify references or replace clear boundaries about communication and supervision.
Qualifications tell you about training and subject background, but they still do not confirm GCSE maths tutoring skill. A maths degree can indicate strong subject knowledge, but GCSE improvement often depends on explaining methods clearly, spotting misconceptions, and drilling exam technique. QTS can indicate classroom training, but tutoring is a different setting. The best tutors translate classroom experience into targeted 1:1 diagnosis and practice.
The DBS basics parents actually need: basic, enhanced, barred list and what’s reasonable to ask for
A Basic DBS shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. An Enhanced DBS can include spent and unspent information plus relevant police information, and it is typically requested for roles involving regular work with children. The barred list check is an additional check that can be included where the role is eligible. It indicates whether someone is barred from working with children.
What is reasonable to request depends on the arrangement. For in-home 1:1 tutoring with a child, many parents ask for an Enhanced DBS, ideally with a children’s barred list check where applicable. For online tutoring, parents still often request an Enhanced DBS, but eligibility and availability can vary depending on how the tutor is engaged. Set a threshold you are comfortable with, ask for specifics, and if the tutor cannot meet that threshold, choose a different arrangement such as sessions in a public setting or with a parent present.
How to verify a DBS certificate in real life (date, identity, Update Service, and what ‘current’ means)
Ask to see the original DBS certificate (paper or digital, depending on how it was issued) and confirm the tutor’s full name, the certificate number, the level (Basic or Enhanced), and the issue date. “Current” is not an official DBS status. Many parents treat a certificate from the last 12 to 36 months as more meaningful than one from many years ago, but the key is whether it can be kept up to date.
The Update Service is the practical solution when a tutor works with multiple families. If the tutor is on the Update Service, they can generate a status check that shows whether the certificate is unchanged. Ask for photo ID that matches the DBS name, and if the tutor has changed name, ask for a clear explanation. If a tutor cannot share the certificate details at all, treat that as a fail on your safety filter and move on, or choose a set-up that reduces risk such as online sessions with a parent in the room.
If tutoring is online or at home: what changes for safeguarding and what you can control as a parent
For in-home tutoring, safeguarding is partly about the environment you create. Decide where sessions happen. Many families use a dining table in a visible space rather than a bedroom. Set expectations about who is present, for example a parent at home and within earshot for the first few sessions.
For online tutoring, the main risks shift to communication and data handling. Ask which platform is used, whether sessions are recorded, and where files are stored. Set a rule that communication happens through parent-visible channels, for example emails copied to you, or messages via the tutoring platform rather than private social media. If your child shares schoolwork, ask how it will be stored and for how long.
Which tutor qualifications matter for GCSE maths (and which don’t): a practical hierarchy
For GCSE maths, the most useful qualifications are the ones that link directly to teaching the specification and marking style. At the top of the practical hierarchy is evidence of recent GCSE maths tutoring success with your exam board and tier, shown through how they plan, assess, and feedback. Next is strong subject knowledge. A maths degree, engineering degree, or similar can help, but it only pays off if the tutor can explain GCSE methods clearly and spot where a pupil’s reasoning breaks.
QTS and classroom experience can be valuable when the tutor uses it to structure lessons, manage pace, and teach exam technique. However, “qualified teacher” on its own does not tell you whether the tutor is sharp on current GCSE question styles, calculator methods, or common misconceptions like fraction operations, ratio scaling, or rearranging formulae. Less relevant signals include generic tutoring certificates or long lists of CPD that do not translate into what your child will do differently in exam questions next week.
GCSE maths-specific competence signals that don’t appear on certificates (tier strategy, misconceptions, exam technique)
A strong GCSE maths tutor explains tier strategy early. They should talk in terms of grade ceilings, topic coverage, and the risk of entering Higher when core skills are fragile. For example, they may say: “If your child is currently scoring around the Grade 3 to 4 boundary on Foundation-style questions, we build accuracy on number and ratio first, then test Higher crossover topics before recommending a tier.”
Misconception diagnosis is another clear competence signal. Many pupils lose marks for the same reason repeatedly, such as mixing up multiplying and adding in percentage change, cancelling incorrectly in algebraic fractions, or treating a negative sign inconsistently. A good tutor names the misconception, shows how it appears across question types, and sets short practice that forces the correct method. Exam technique is the third signal. They teach how to interpret command words, show working for method marks, manage time, and check answers, using exam-style questions rather than only textbook exercises. If you want to compare options, look for tutors who describe this process clearly on their GCSE maths tutoring plan.
What the First 4 Tutoring Sessions Should Look Like
Session 1 should be assessment-led, not a full teaching sprint. A good tutor asks what feels hardest, what the school is currently covering, and what your child wants to achieve, then runs a short baseline using tier-appropriate questions. They should also ask which exam board the school uses and whether your child has recent mocks or topic tests to share, then agree simple safeguarding boundaries for communication and homework.
Session 2 should address the first high-impact gap identified in the baseline, using a small set of exam-style questions and careful error analysis. Session 3 should build by linking topics, for example using ratio to support fractions and percentages, or using algebra rearrangement inside formula questions. Session 4 is the first checkpoint. The tutor retests the targeted micro-skills under light time pressure, reviews homework properly, and adjusts the plan. By this point, you should have a clear tier direction, a short list of priority topics, and a routine for practice and feedback.
Questions to Ask a Tutor
- “What level of DBS do you have, what date is it from, and are you on the Update Service?”: A strong answer sounds like: “Enhanced DBS issued in 2024, on the Update Service, happy to show the certificate and run a status check.”
- “Whose name and address is the DBS registered to, and can you show photo ID that matches?”: A strong answer sounds like: “The certificate is in my legal name, here is my driving licence to match, and I can explain any address differences due to moving.”
- “What exam board(s) do you tutor for GCSE maths, and how do you adapt if my child’s school uses a different one?”: A strong answer sounds like: “I regularly tutor AQA and Edexcel, and I map topics to your school’s specification and use past-paper style questions from that board.”
- “How will you decide whether Foundation or Higher is the right tier, and by when?”: A strong answer sounds like: “After session 1 baseline and one topic cycle, I will recommend a tier using scores on crossover questions and accuracy on core number skills.”
- “How do you diagnose misconceptions (not just reteach topics)?”: A strong answer sounds like: “I categorise errors, then set a small set of questions that isolate the misconception, and I retest it the following week to confirm it has gone.”
- “What will I see after each session (notes, homework, marked questions), and how will you measure progress in the first month?”: A strong answer sounds like: “You will get a short summary, 10 to 15 minutes of focused homework, and marked exam questions showing improvement on specific skills.”
Red Flags to Watch For
- They won’t state the DBS level or date, or they deflect with “I’ve always tutored”: This matters because you lose the only verifiable safeguarding document and you are left with reassurance instead of evidence.
- They show a DBS but won’t let you check the name matches their ID: This matters because a certificate without identity confirmation can be borrowed or unrelated to the person in your home.
- They imply DBS = guaranteed safety or character: This matters because DBS is limited and overclaiming suggests weak safeguarding judgement and poor boundary-setting.
- They lean on qualifications but can’t explain how they improve GCSE maths marks (exam questions, methods, timing): This matters because credentials do not show process, and you are paying for impact on exam performance.
- They start teaching immediately without any baseline or error analysis: This matters because GCSE maths progress often stalls when sessions repeat half-known topics instead of fixing the real blockers.
- They set no boundaries on communication (late-night messaging, private social media, unclear parent visibility): This matters because unclear channels create safeguarding and professionalism risks that are avoidable from day one.
What Good Progress Looks Like in the First Month
- A written baseline snapshot exists (even if informal): tier-appropriate questions, timed sections, and a clear list of priority gaps. Without a baseline, progress is guesswork and you cannot judge value.
- Your child’s errors are being categorised (method error vs misunderstanding vs exam technique vs carelessness): You should see one repeated error type reducing week to week.
- Marked exam-style questions show improvement on a targeted micro-skill (e.g., rearranging formulae, ratio, fractions): Early gains show up in specific question types before whole-paper scores move.
- Homework is short, focused, and reviewed properly (not just set): If work is not checked and corrected, misconceptions often persist.
- The tutor can explain a tier recommendation with evidence (Foundation/Higher) and a route to the next grade boundary: You want a decision backed by performance on key topics and question styles.
- Your child can reproduce a method independently a few days later (without prompts): Retention is the test that the teaching has stuck.
Foundation vs Higher: how a good tutor uses early evidence to recommend the right tier
Tier decisions are easier when they are evidence-led and time-limited. A good tutor uses session 1 to establish a baseline on core number, algebra, and ratio, then uses sessions 2 to 4 to run one complete cycle: teach, practise, set homework, and retest. They will include crossover questions that sit around the Grade 4 to 5 boundary and watch for accuracy on straightforward marks and resilience when the question is wordy or multi-step.
A practical recommendation sounds like: “Foundation is currently the safer route because accuracy drops on non-calculator number and rearranging formulae, which caps Higher performance. If we can stabilise these within four to six weeks and your child can consistently score on crossover topics, we can reconsider Higher.” This avoids wasted lessons because the tutor is not waiting until the next mock to make a call, and it gives you a plan that links directly to grade boundaries and topic priorities.
How to make your decision after session 4: a simple scorecard (safety, clarity, impact, fit)
After session 4, you should be able to score the tutor on four areas using evidence you have seen. Safety: DBS level and date were clear, identity matched, and boundaries for communication and session set-up were agreed. Clarity: you received a baseline summary, a short plan of priority topics, and a timeline for tier recommendation and mock preparation.
Impact: there is marked work showing improvement on at least one targeted micro-skill, and your child can explain the method without heavy prompting. Fit: the tutor’s pace suits your child, explanations are understandable, and homework volume is realistic alongside school. If one area is weak, decide whether it is fixable with a conversation. If two or more areas are weak, it is usually more efficient to trial another tutor than to hope it improves later.
Next steps: what to share before you book (topics, mock papers, targets) to avoid wasted lessons
You can speed up the first month by sharing a small pack before the first session. Send the exam board, tier entry if known, and any recent mock papers or topic test results. If your child has a revision list from school, share that too, but ask the tutor to prioritise based on marks and misconceptions rather than covering everything in order.
Also share practical constraints: how many weeks until the next mock, how many sessions per week you can sustain, and whether homework needs to be limited to short bursts. Agree how updates will work. A short written summary after each session and a monthly check-in works well for many families. If you want to understand the typical process and expectations, review how our tutoring works before booking.
A DBS check and qualifications help you decide whether a tutor clears your safety and credibility threshold. The hiring decision gets easier when you then insist on evidence: a baseline, misconception diagnosis, exam-board alignment, and a tier recommendation backed by early performance. If you want to speak to someone about the right set-up for your child, you can book a free introduction and share your most recent mock or topic test so the first session starts with clear priorities.