Early Years Tutor
Supporting your child as they take their first steps at school
Find An Early Years Tutor with Dukes Tutoring
The early years are an important stage in a child’s development. With the right support, children can build confidence in reading, writing, and maths – and develop a positive attitude towards learning from the very beginning. A skilled early years tutor can provide gentle, encouraging support, laying the foundations for a lifetime of successful learning.
At Dukes Tutoring, all of our tutors are thoroughly vetted and highly experienced in working with young children. They understand how to make learning enjoyable while teaching the fundamentals of phonics, early literacy and maths. Tutoring is available in person in London or online worldwide.
Get in touch with our friendly team to be personally matched with the perfect tutor for your child.
Make an Enquiry
Meet our Early Years Tutors
Please see a small selection of our tutors below. All are carefully vetted and known to us personally. They are all highly experienced at teaching young children.
We take care to match each child with the best-fit tutor for their needs, goals, and personality.
Denise
“Having worked as a classroom teacher for more than thirty years – including roles as diverse as Head of English, Head of PHSE and Head of Religious Studies. I joined the Dukes Tutoring team as a private tutor more than ten years ago. Over time, my role with Dukes Tutoring expanded and I became the examiner for 11+ English mock exams: this has seen me both writing and marking these exams. I have also run numerous workshops in both English and maths for 7+ and 11+ students. I pride myself on having a 100% success record for my 11+ students being offered a place in one of their schools of choice. Outside of my professional role with Dukes Tutoring, I am a qualified teacher of both ballet and tap dancing and attend classes twice a week. And I am passionate about Fiat 500 cars – having never owned any other car in my life!”
Qualifications
- University of Manchester
- BEd in Education and Psychology
- Associate of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing
Elliot
“I have been working in education since 2019 and as a tutor specialising in school entrance exams for over three years. I specialise in all subjects for the 11+, 13+ and Common Entrance exams. In addition, I have a vast amount of experience in assisting younger students in their 7/8+ exams. I have prepared students for a range of competitive schools including St Paul’s, Westminster, Eton, Winchester, Highgate, Latymer Upper, City of London (Boys and Girls) and many more. My tutoring style is rigorous and structured but also holistic, focusing not only on preparing students for exams but in developing them as an individual and critical thinker. I am a keen writer and published my debut collection of short stories, ‘Peace and Quiet and Other Stories’ in October 2025. The leading story of this collection was longlisted for the Yeovil Literary Prize 2014. ”
Qualifications
- TEFL & TESOL -Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- University of Nottingham – LL.M Human Rights Law
- University of Birmingham – LL.B Law
Katie
“With over 16 years of experience as both a classroom teacher and one-to-one tutor, I am dedicated to fostering a supportive and trusting learning environment where children feel motivated to pursue their goals and explore their learning potential. It is a privilege to tailor learning to each student’s individual needs, and I take great pride in helping children grow into confident, enthusiastic learners who think independently, work creatively and enjoy the process of problem-solving. I specialise in all subjects for the 11+ and have experience preparing students for the 7+, 8+, and 10+ exams. Over the years, I have guided many children toward securing places at some of the country’s top independent and grammar schools. Outside of teaching, I’m happiest outdoors—be it hiking, camping, or just getting into nature. To unwind, I love a good book or film. ”
Qualifications
- Oxford Brookes University, MA – Creative Writing
- Oxford Brookes University, PGCE– Primary
- Manchester University, BA (hons)- Religious Studies
Tania
- 11+
- 13+
- 7+
- Education Consultant
- English
- Interview Preparation
- KS1
- KS2
- Literacy & Numeracy
- Maths
- Music
- NVR
- Occasional Place: 8+ 9+ 10+
- VR
Tania
“I have extensive experience in education having taught for over 25 years as a class teacher, Assistant Head and Deputy Head Teacher in outstanding primary schools in Norfolk, London and Cheshire. Also, I was Head of Schools, Head of Learning and Head of Dukes Tutoring; however, I now focus solely on tutoring. I am meticulous and take pride in creating structured lessons to match each of my student’s potential. Lesson feedback is both thorough and personal, inspiring students to meet achievable goals, involving them in setting their own academic targets. I am enthusiastic and highly committed, building professional relationships with my students and their families. I also act as an education consultant for Dukes Tutoring, conducting many academic assessment reviews and guidance, as well as interview preparation for secondary schools. Music is my passion, and I am a skilled pianist, a keen songwriter and a member of a local community choir. I love both attending and performing in concerts as well as regular trips to the theatre.”
Qualifications
- PGCE – Homerton College, University of Cambridge.
- BA (Hons) Music – Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge.
Explore Our Early Years Subjects
Phonics
Phonics underpins reading and writing for young learners. Our tutors help children with the fundamentals of reading and spelling.
Phonics Tutors
English
Our Early Years English tutors help children develop literacy, creative writing, and comprehension skills.
English Tutors
Maths
Many young children struggle with Early Years numeracy. Our tutors can develop their confidence and understanding.
Maths TutorsFAQs
Early years tutoring is usually designed for children aged 3 to 6, covering nursery and Reception, as well as the beginning of Key Stage 1. At this stage, tutoring focuses on building strong foundations in phonics, early reading, writing and basic maths, while helping children develop confidence and a positive attitude towards learning.
An early years tutor typically supports children with phonics, early reading, writing, number recognition and basic maths skills. Lessons may also include activities that build concentration, listening skills and confidence in a learning environment. Teaching is always adapted to the child’s age, ability and pace of development.
Lessons for younger children are designed to be engaging and varied. Tutors use a mixture of games, stories, reading exercises and simple problem-solving activities to keep children interested while reinforcing key skills. The aim is to make learning feel enjoyable and encouraging rather than pressured.
Yes. All of our early years tutors have significant experience working with young learners and understand how to support children at this important stage of development. They know how to keep lessons calm, encouraging and age-appropriate while helping children build strong academic foundations. We thoroughly vet our tutor and take care to personally match each child with the tutor who best suits their learning requirements.
Our tutoring is available in person in London or online anywhere in the world. While many families prefer in-person lessons for young children, others do choose online lessons for greater flexibility. Our friendly team can help you choose the option that works best for your child.
How our Early Years tutoring works
Book Consultation
A conversation to understand your child’s needs, goals and learning style.
Tutor Matching
We recommend a carefully selected tutor with the right expertise and approach.
First Session
Building rapport and setting a clear plan of action.
Ongoing Support
Regular check ins and progress updates for parents.
The process of booking in sessions, getting familiar with the online system was all incredibly well managed.
The tutor worked so efficiently and was able to quickly pick up on the areas of focus and get straight to work in a fun and enjoyable way that my daughter could engage in.
She was able to
support my daughter with her phonics –
for example clever tricks to remember certain phonemes – and also build confidence with numbers. By the end of the week, it was clear to see the huge amount of progress made within a short space of time. It was a positive, confidence-building experience for my daughter and I will definitely be using Dukes Tutoring again. Thank you!
Chloe
GB
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