My Child Is Struggling With Maths: When Should I Get a Tutor?

Parent Search Voice: “My daughter is upset by maths and I cannot tell whether this is a bad week or a gap that will keep getting worse.”

Five signs worth investigating

1. She can copy a method but cannot explain why it works.
2. New topics fail because an older skill—fractions, algebra or number facts—is weak.
3. Homework regularly takes far longer than the school expects.
4. She avoids showing working or leaves questions blank quickly.
5. Her language changes from “this is hard” to “I cannot do maths”.

Mathnasium’s parent guide also points to repeated mistakes, difficulty with basic steps, slower problem solving and falling grades. These are prompts for a conversation, not a diagnosis.

What to do before booking

Ask the teacher which prerequisite is missing. Look at one recent paper together and separate careless mistakes from genuine confusion. Then ask your child which part feels difficult: understanding the question, choosing a method, remembering a process or working under time pressure.

What a useful maths tutor should do

A tutor should find the earliest missing step, explain it in another way and then check whether the student can apply it independently. The lesson should not become an hour of the tutor completing homework while the child watches.

Bring the course name, grade, recent topic and a sample of work. For IGCSE or GCSE, include the exam board and tier. For IB, include MYP or Diploma and the level. These details shorten the route to useful help.

Discuss the Maths Gap →

When tutoring may not be the first answer

If the difficulty began suddenly across several subjects, or the child is exhausted, anxious or unwell, speak to the school and an appropriate health professional where needed. Tutoring is educational support; it is not a medical assessment.

Compare our online Maths tutoring, read how to choose a Maths tutor, or check IGCSE tutoring.