A disappointing school test result can leave a parent weighing one question: should the child have a private Math tutor, or stay in a small group class?
Neither format suits every child. A private Math tutor suits a child who needs the whole lesson built around one weak area, or who will not speak up in front of other students. A small group suits a child who learns by hearing other students ask questions, and who does well when a teacher can still see each student’s work.
Private tuition is a large market in Singapore. According to the Department of Statistics’ 2023 Household Expenditure Survey, families spent $1.8 billion on private tuition in 2023, up from $1.1 billion in 2013. That figure covers lessons at home and at centres, so many parents face the same choice between a private tutor and a class.
What Does a Private Math Tutor Offer?
A private Math tutor gives one student the whole lesson. The tutor can slow down, repeat an idea, or skip what the student already knows. This works well for a child with one clear weak area, a child who is shy in groups, or a family that needs flexible lesson times.
The trade-off is that your child usually hears one adult’s explanations and does not see how other students attempt the same question. Seeing a second method can help with problem sums.
Checking a private tutor’s background takes more effort. Under the Education Act, centres that offer tuition to 10 or more students must register with MOE, and the tutors at those centres must be registered too. As MOE notes in a parliamentary reply on tuition, these regulations do not cover freelance tutors who teach outside centres, such as in homes. We need to ask directly where the tutor has taught, which levels they teach, and how they report progress.
What Does a Small Group Class Offer?
A small group class can let a teacher see each student’s work while students learn from each other’s questions. The teacher can spot a common error and correct it for everyone at once. A child can also see several ways to solve one problem, which can build flexible thinking.
How Do I Choose Between the Two?
Ask three questions. Does my child speak up in a group? Is the weak area one topic or many? Does my child learn better by discussing? One topic and a quiet child points to a private tutor. Many topics and a talkative child usually points to a small group.
No checklist can say for certain which format a child needs without seeing the child work. A format that suits a child now can also stop working after a term, so review progress after each term and change the format if it is not helping.
If you are still unsure whether any tutor can help, read Can Hiring a Math Tutor Fix My Child’s Math Skills?.
What Should I Ask Before I Hire Anyone?
Ask five things: where the tutor has taught, which levels they teach, how they track progress, how they report it to parents, and whether your child can try a lesson first. If the answers are vague, ask for more details before committing.
A useful follow-up question is what the tutor does when a student keeps making the same mistake. A good answer describes a change in method, not only more practice.
Some parents worry that a child in a group will be overlooked. That is a fair concern, and it is why class size matters more than the label "group". Ask any centre for its maximum class size in writing.
Next Step
We teach in small class sizes, so we are not a neutral voice here. At The Math Classroom, level-based classes have a maximum of 6 to 8 students, and small-group classes take up to 4 students. Our School Math teachers have taught at top 8 schools in Singapore or studied Mathematics at a high level at university. If you want to see how a small class size works, you can book a trial lesson with The Math Classroom. As one student, Darius, put it: "I am allowed to ask questions freely whenever I don’t know anything" (Primary 4, Nanyang Primary School).
FAQ
How many students count as a small group?
It varies by centre. Ask for the maximum class size in writing, then compare it with the number of students the teacher can realistically watch at once.
Can my child switch from a group to a private tutor later?
Yes, a family can switch formats. Terms differ by provider, so check notice periods and fee arrangements before enrolling.
Does a private tutor replace the school teacher?
No. A private tutor usually works on the school syllabus alongside the school teacher. Share your child’s recent test papers so the tutor can target the right topics.
How soon will I know if the format is working?
Review progress after each term. Clearer working steps and fewer repeated mistakes can show earlier, but marks may take longer to change.