Online or in-person? It’s usually the first question parents ask when they start thinking about tutoring. And it’s worth answering properly, because getting the format right from the start makes a real difference to whether the sessions actually work.
The short answer is that neither format is categorically better. The research on tutoring outcomes doesn’t consistently favour one over the other. What matters is whether the format suits the individual student: their age, their learning style, their ability to focus, and their relationship with the subject. Getting that right matters a lot more than the format itself.
Here’s how to think it through.
When in-person tutoring tends to work better
Some students genuinely need a physical presence to do their best work. The structure of having someone sitting beside them, someone they can’t easily tune out or close a tab on, keeps them on task in a way that a screen simply doesn’t replicate.
This tends to be more true for younger students (primary school), for students who are easily distracted at home, and for subjects that involve working through problems on paper in real time, like Maths or Physics, where the back-and-forth of pointing at a specific step in the working is harder to do across a screen.
If your child’s home environment is chaotic or full of interruptions, in-person sessions at a public or campus library also remove the distraction problem entirely.
When online tutoring tends to work better
For older, more self-directed students, online tutoring often works just as well and removes a lot of the logistical friction. No travel time, more scheduling flexibility, and a wider pool of tutors to choose from since you’re not limited by location.
Some students are actually more relaxed online. A student who is anxious about their academic performance or self-conscious about making mistakes in front of someone can find the slight distance of an online session helpful. They’re in their own space, which feels safer, and that can make them more willing to attempt things they’d otherwise avoid.
Online delivery works particularly well for essay-based subjects like English and History, where a student can share their screen and work through a draft together in real time, and for subjects that are primarily conceptual, like Economics or Psychology, where the teaching is largely conversational.
The practical requirements for online sessions to actually work
Online tutoring is not automatically easier to set up than in-person. It has its own requirements, and if these aren’t in place, the format will under-perform regardless of how good the tutor is.
Your child needs a quiet space with minimal interruptions. They need a reliable internet connection and a screen large enough to work comfortably — a phone is generally not adequate. They need to be genuinely present in the session, not passively sitting there while their attention drifts.
The most common reason online tutoring doesn’t work well is not the technology or the tutor. It’s a distracted student in an unsuitable environment. If you can’t create a good online study setup at home, in-person is the more reliable option.
Subjects and format
Some subjects suit one format better than the other, though most can be taught effectively either way with a good tutor.
In-person tends to have a natural edge for: Maths and Physics (working through problems step by step on paper), primary school literacy and numeracy (younger students need more physical engagement), and any subject where diagrams, drawings, or hands-on materials are central to understanding.
Online tends to work well for: English essay writing and analysis (screen sharing makes reviewing drafts straightforward), language learning (conversation practice works well via video), theory-heavy subjects, and any student who is doing sessions interstate or in a regional area where local tutor options are limited.
Don’t overthink it — just test it
The most practical advice is also the simplest: pick a format, try a session, and pay attention to how your child responds.
After the first session, ask them: did you feel like you could ask questions easily? Did you understand things you didn’t understand before? Did the format feel natural or awkward?
A student who responds positively to online tutoring after the first session will almost certainly continue to do well with it. A student who found it hard to focus or felt disconnected is giving you useful information about format fit, regardless of how good the tutor was.
Most good tutors are adaptable and will tell you honestly if they think a different format would serve the student better.
How Pocketnote handles format
Format preference is one of the first things we ask about when a family contacts us. We’re not attached to either option; we’re interested in what will actually work for your child.
Some families have a strong preference from the start. Others aren’t sure, and we’ll talk through the factors above with them. Where a student is genuinely flexible, we factor in the available tutors in their area and subject, and we’ll tell you honestly if one format gives you a better pool of options to choose from.
There’s no lock-in — if you start with one format and it’s not working, changing is straightforward.