The GCSE results are just around the corner. This is a tense time; we are just around the corner from learning whether all that work that was put into achieving the results they need has paid off.

No matter the results I hope they are proud of what they have achieved.

As tutors we can make a tremendous difference to how many students feel as they go into their exams. Many parents get in touch with us saying that their primary goal is for their child to just pass, so that it means that they never need to bother with maths or English again.

For others they have grades they need to achieve to get into the college, or 6 form of their choice.

Sometimes we will never learn how the child has got on.

Though very often results day means tears of joy and (occasionally) sorrow and the phone ringing to let us know how they have gotten on.

Last year I had a message from a lad who I felt for the first few months didn’t actually want a tutor. He would cancel as I turned up on the doorstep because ‘his bedroom was messy’. Finally, he did seem to succumb, after his mocks hadn’t gone as well as he anticipated in the January, I think. Actually, he was a really nice lad, and I really enjoyed working with him. After his results came out, I had a text from him stating:

“You are genuinely the best tutor ever, you took me from a 3 to a 9 within a year. Thank you so much!”

As tutors we can make such a difference to the lives of so many.

It’s not every student we can make that difference to, but we can make a subtle difference and often that is all it needs to change their lives.

But beside from grades we can make such a difference to someone’s confidence. Very often when confidence grows in one area it can escalate in other areas making a difference to life and expectations in so many areas:

Hi Dawn

I'm so sorry for not replying sooner. I've not been very well and i'm afraid i've not been able to keep up with my emails. I think all the stress of trying to get F through his exams caught up with me as soon as he finished!

I wanted to say a huge ginormous thank you to you for everything you've done for F. You have helped him so much in his maths and english. But for him it's more than that. Before starting with you he was in a really bad place. He felt education wasn't for him and had no hope of passing anything or achieving anything. But by teaching him maths in a way he understood he started to believe that he wasn't totally stupid and maybe he could pass. And then that spiralled as he got better at maths he starting thinking he could maybe do other things and it's really changed his whole outlook. I never thought i'd be sitting here with him discussing A levels let alone him considering going to college after 6th form to studing computing. He is like a different person!

The exam period was not easy but now the stress has gone he's much easier to live with and is enjoying his life of leisure. He wanted me to ask you if there was somewhere he could leave a review for you as he wanted to say thank you and tell other people how good you were for him.

So a huge thank you from all of us and we will let you know how he gets on.

I hope you have a wonderful summer!

(He got a level 8 in maths at GCSE and has just got an A in A’ level maths).

Never underestimate what you can achieve as a tutor. You are not just a tutor, who are potentially transforming the lives of so many people. Stand up and be proud of what you do.

If you are interested in becoming a tutor keep in touch with us through our blogs or following us on Facebook, or if you have any questions send us a message: [email protected] .

I promise, I will always do my best to help.