HOW TO HIRE · LESSONS & TUTORING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a GCSE tutor in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A gcse tutor in Ireland costs €30–€55 per hour, typically around €40. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a GCSE tutor in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers GCSE tutor work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — subject-Specific Support — whether it's Physics, History, or a foreign language, tutors offer specialised assistance in various subjects.
- How does tutor's experience change the price?Experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does subject being taught change the price?It decides how much of the job can be done at once. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does frequency of sessions change the price?The longer the booking, the more it costs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Group Tutoring — collaborative sessions with small groups of students to encourage peer learning and support — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a GCSE tutor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO PRIVATE TUTORS. Anyone may advertise as one. Where the student is under 18 the thing that matters is Garda vetting, obtained through an organisation under the National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012–2016 — and a parent cannot apply for it on a tutor's behalf, so the only practical check is to ask the tutor to show you the disclosure they hold and to read its date. A qualified teacher will also be on a teaching register, which is checkable.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Garda vetting, shown to you, with its date; A subject qualification, and how much of their work is this subject at this level; Whether lessons are one-to-one or shared, and where they happen; For online lessons, whether sessions are recorded and who holds the recording; Cancellation and payment terms in writing — block-paid lessons are the commonest dispute; Two references from current families.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability, and professional indemnity if they advise on exam strategy. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
No VAT: this service is exempt, so there is none to add and none to reclaim. A quote that adds it is wrong. An individual working under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge VAT at all, and does not have a VAT number to give you.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers GCSE tutor work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — subject-Specific Support — whether it's Physics, History, or a foreign language, tutors offer specialised assistance in various subjects.
A good answer: Experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It decides how much of the job can be done at once. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The longer the booking, the more it costs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Group Tutoring — collaborative sessions with small groups of students to encourage peer learning and support — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a GCSE tutor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability, and professional indemnity if they advise on exam strategy — confidence Building — sessions aimed at boosting the student's self-esteem and motivation in their studies.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the GCSE tutor starts, and an itemised invoice after — homework Assistance — help with understanding and completing homework assignments to reinforce learning.
Booking by the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: tutor's experience — experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work
- They will not talk about it: subject being taught — it decides how much of the job can be done at once
- They will not talk about it: frequency of sessions — the longer the booking, the more it costs
- A price for the GCSE tutor before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the GCSE tutor has begun
What a GCSE tutor costs: €30–€55 per hour
Most GCSE tutors quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Subject-specific tutoring and Exam preparation each carry their own band. GCSE Tutor price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
GCSE tutors near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstTutor's experience — experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work — that is what the GCSE tutor is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneSubject being taught — it decides how much of the job can be done at once — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfFrequency of sessions — the longer the booking, the more it costs — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherTravel distance — a provider already working nearby can quote more keenly — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the GCSE tutor is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, any specific resources required for effective tutoring — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit.
- Subject-Specific Support
- Whether it's Physics, History, or a foreign language, tutors offer specialised assistance in various subjects.
- Subject-Specific Tutoring
- Focused sessions on specific subjects like Maths, English, or Science to improve understanding and grades.
- Homework Assistance
- Help with understanding and completing homework assignments to reinforce learning.
- Confidence Building
- Sessions aimed at boosting the student's self-esteem and motivation in their studies.
- Group Tutoring
- Collaborative sessions with small groups of students to encourage peer learning and support.
- Call-out
- A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short GCSE tutor job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a GCSE tutor: questions people ask
Many tutors offer flexible scheduling, but same-day availability may be limited. It's advisable to book in advance, especially during peak exam periods, to secure your preferred time.
Yes, many tutors are equipped to teach multiple subjects, allowing for a comprehensive learning experience. This can often lead to a discounted rate if you book several sessions together.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO PRIVATE TUTORS. Anyone may advertise as one. Where the student is under 18 the thing that matters is Garda vetting, obtained through an organisation under the National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012–2016 — and a parent cannot apply for it on a tutor's behalf, so the only practical check is to ask the tutor to show you the disclosure they hold and to read its date. A qualified teacher will also be on a teaching register, which is checkable.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
Two or three, each for the same written scope. Quotes for different scopes are not comparable, which is how the cheapest one wins and then grows.
Expect public liability, and professional indemnity if they advise on exam strategy. Ask who the insurer is, not just whether they have it.
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