If you can’t afford a tutor for every subject, put paid tutoring into the one or two subjects where it will change the outcome most, and support the rest with free resources and structure. Many parents of IGCSE, IB and A Level students face this: a child behind in several subjects and a budget for only a few hours. This guide shows how to prioritise, split hours and get the most from each lesson.

Written by Tutopiya, an online tutoring company.

Key takeaways

• Tutor the subjects with the biggest gap and the most at stake, not all of them.
• Fewer, focused hours beat thinly spread hours.
• Use free past papers and mark schemes for subjects you don’t tutor.
• Review every four to six weeks and move hours to where they are needed.

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Do you need a tutor for every subject?

Usually not. Most students who are “behind in everything” are actually seriously behind in one or two subjects and slightly behind in the rest. Paid tutoring is most valuable where the gap is largest and the subject matters most for the next step, such as a sixth-form place, a university course or a scholarship.

How to prioritise subjects: a simple scoring method

1. List every subject with the current grade and the target grade.
2. Score the gap from 1 (small) to 3 (large).
3. Score importance from 1 to 3: is the subject needed for the next course or university choice?
4. Score independence from 1 (can improve alone) to 3 (needs help).
5. Add the scores. Tutor the top one or two subjects first.

Subject	Gap	Importance	Needs help	Total
Maths	3	3	3	9
Chemistry	2	3	2	7
English	1	2	1	4
History	2	1	1	4

In this example, maths and chemistry get tutoring hours. English and history get a free-resource plan.

How should you split a limited number of hours?

Concentrate hours rather than spreading them. One hour a week in one subject usually produces more visible progress than 20 minutes a week in three.

Budget	Suggested split
About 4 hours a month	One subject, weekly
About 8 hours a month	Two subjects, weekly each
About 6 hours a month	Main subject weekly, second subject fortnightly

Our guide to how many hours of tutoring a week goes into more detail by level.

How to support the subjects you don’t tutor

Past papers, mark schemes and a simple timetable cover a lot of ground for free. Exam boards publish specimen papers and syllabuses, such as those on the Cambridge International website.

• Use the syllabus as a checklist and tick off topics as they are revised.
• Do one timed past-paper question a week in each untutored subject.
• Mark it with the official mark scheme and note recurring errors.
• Ask the school teacher about anything that stays unclear.
• Use AI tools carefully for explanations, checking them against past papers.

How to get more from each paid hour

Prepare before every lesson so the tutor spends time on problems, not on finding them.

• send the tutor a marked test or homework before the session;
• list the two or three questions your child couldn’t do;
• ask for short practice to do between lessons;
• keep a notebook of corrections and review it before the next session.

For subject-specific advice, our Cambridge IGCSE mathematics tutors often start with a diagnostic of exactly which topics lose marks, so hours go where they are needed.

One tutor for several subjects, or a specialist each?

For closely linked subjects at a lower level, one tutor can work. From IGCSE upwards, specialists are usually better value. Each subject has its own mark scheme, command words and exam technique, and a specialist knows them in depth.

Situation	Better option
Lower secondary maths and science	One tutor may cover both
IGCSE maths and physics	Specialists, or one tutor strong in both
IB or A Level subjects	A specialist per subject

How Tutopiya tutoring works

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online tutoring with flexible monthly hours.

• From 4 hours a month per subject, so you can tutor one subject and add others later.
• Each tutor sets their own rate, shown before booking, so you can choose within your budget.
• A free first trial lesson, with no card needed.
• AI lesson analysis gives a summary, flashcards and quiz questions after each lesson, extending the value of every hour.

You can see how plans work on our online tuition page.

Common mistakes

• Spreading hours across every subject → focus on the top one or two.
• Choosing the subject your child likes least → choose the one with the biggest impact.
• Arriving at lessons unprepared → send work in advance.
• Never reviewing the plan → move hours every four to six weeks.
• Ignoring free resources → past papers and mark schemes are the best revision tools available.

Talk to us

If you are deciding where to start, read our guide to getting value from affordable tutoring, or contact our team for a suggestion based on your child’s grades.

Summary: rank subjects by gap, importance and need for help, put paid hours into the top one or two, and support the rest with past papers and a timetable.

Frequently asked questions

How do I choose which subjects need a tutor? +

Rank subjects by three things: how far the current grade is from the target, how much the subject matters for your child's next step, and how much your child can improve alone. Put tutoring hours into the one or two subjects that score highest.

Is it better to have one tutor for several subjects? +

Sometimes, for closely linked subjects such as maths and physics at a lower level. At IGCSE, IB or A Level, a specialist per subject is usually more effective, because each subject has its own mark scheme and exam technique.

How many hours a month is enough? +

For a subject that needs steady support, about one hour a week is a common starting point. A subject that only needs a confidence boost may manage with a session every two weeks.

Can Tutopiya work with a small budget? +

Tutopiya plans start from 4 hours a month per subject, and each tutor's rate is shown before you book, so you can choose tutors within your budget. The first trial lesson is free with no card required.

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