A good tutor does far more than help a student get through homework or prepare for an exam. Tutoring can transform the way a young person views learning altogether. When students feel supported, heard, and capable their relationship with education shifts. Growing from something they must do into something they can genuinely enjoy and feel empowered by.

One of the most significant impacts a tutor can have is building confidence. Many students come to tutoring believing they’re ‘bad’ at a subject, or that they’re so far behind and simply can’t keep up. By breaking concepts down, celebrating small wins, and modelling a calm, patient approach to problem-solving, students realise that ability is not fixed. Over time, challenges become less intimidating, and students begin to back their own thinking.

Confidence leads to curiosity, naturally. When a student no longer feels overwhelmed, they can start exploring subjects more deeply and begin to actively look forward to their own learning. This shift from passive learning to active engagement can stay with a student long after the tutoring may end.

Most importantly, a positive tutoring experience can shape a student’s future view of learning. Instead of seeing education as a series of obstacles, students begin to see it as their own journey, something they look forward to tackling. They learn that questions are valuable, mistakes are part of the process, and improvement is always possible. These lessons build resilience and independence, qualities that support them well into adulthood.

In this way, good tutors don’t just teach content. They help students rewrite their own academic narratives and step into the future with confidence, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning.

Lewin Fairbairn