Nobody enjoys the pricing page that says “contact us for a quote.” So here’s the question answered the way we’d want it answered if we were the ones asking: real numbers, what drives them, and how to judge value. That includes knowing when not to pay for tutoring at all.
The short answer
Our standard rate is $80 per lesson. That’s one qualified tutor, one child, a full hour, in your home anywhere in Canberra or online. No registration fees, no materials levies, no surprises.
Every engagement begins with an at-home assessment. The tutor sits with your child first, so you see exactly where they’re at and how they respond before you commit to ongoing lessons.
What actually drives the price of tutoring
When you compare tutors around Canberra you’ll see everything from $30 to well over $100 an hour. The spread comes down to four things:
1. Who’s teaching. A university student charging $35 and an experienced, qualified tutor are different products. Neither is wrong, but they’re not interchangeable, especially for a child who’s already lost confidence. 2. Where it happens. In-home tutoring costs more to deliver than a crowded tutoring centre. What it buys you: a child who’s comfortable, a tutor who sees the real homework, and no Tuesday-night drive. 3. One-to-one vs group. Groups are cheaper per hour, but the evidence is blunt: individual attention is what moves the needle. The Education Endowment Foundation puts one-to-one tuition at about five months of additional progress. Cheap hours your child shares with five others aren’t cheap. 4. Checks and accountability. In the ACT, anyone working with children should hold a Working with Vulnerable People registration. Every Canberra Tutoring tutor does. Ask any provider you’re comparing.
How to judge value (not just price)
A lesson that changes how your child feels about maths is cheap. A lesson they dread is expensive at any price. Three questions cut through:
– Is it the same tutor every week? Progress lives in the relationship, and rotating faces reset it. – Do you get told what’s happening? You should hear what was worked on and what’s next, every single week. – Was there an honest starting assessment? If a provider will take your money before they’ve sat with your child, they’re selling hours, not outcomes.
When you shouldn’t pay for tutoring
Honesty corner: if your child is coasting happily, reads for fun and the school has no concerns, then banking the money is fine. Tutoring earns its keep when confidence is slipping, when a gap has opened and each term widens it, or when a specific goal (reading fluency, maths foundations, senior years) needs focused attention.
The bottom line
- $80 per lesson, in-home or online, Kindergarten to Year 12
- No registration fees, no materials levies
- Starts with an assessment, so you see the fit first
- Every tutor: qualified, WWVP-checked, same person every week
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Frequently asked questions
How much does tutoring cost in Canberra? Rates around Canberra range roughly from $30 for student tutors to over $100 for specialists. Canberra Tutoring’s standard rate is $80 per lesson, in-home or online.
Is one-to-one tutoring worth the extra cost over group classes? Research consistently favours individual attention: the EEF estimates one-to-one tuition adds about five months of progress on average.
Are there hidden fees? No. There are no registration fees and no materials fees.