Frequently Asked Questions

General 

How does it work?

Please see our article, How Does First Instructors Work for guidance.

You may contact as many instructors as you wish initially to discuss your individual tuition requirements using our private messaging forum. Only when the tuition details have been discussed and the instructor has accepted your request for tuition (and you have indicated you are ready to proceed), do we charge a £9.99-34.99 finder's fee. The applicable fee is displayed in the header of the request, once you have made contact with a instructor.
Our fees help cover the cost of completing identity and reference checks on all of our registered instructors. Further information regarding our fee’s can be found here.
Payment of our finder’s fee releases the instructor’s contact details instantly via email and you can also find these details in your member’s area under ‘My instructors’. You must pay your instructor their hourly rate for lessons directly: please discuss with your instructor their preferred method for receiving payment (e.g. cash for in person tuition or via an instant payment platform such as PayPal or similar for online tuition).

How do I remove my account/details?

Please contact our customer service team confirming you wish to remove your account. For security reasons, please ensure that you contact us using the email address associated with your First Instructor’s account.

How do I contact you?

Please use the contact form at the bottom of the page to contact our support services. Our office hours are 8am-7pm seven days a week. Your enquiry is important to us and we always aim to respond promptly and wherever possible within one hour of receipt of your enquiry (during office hours)

For Students

How do I find and contact a instructor? 

First Instructors operates as a find-your-own instructor service. All you need to do is visit our home page, run a search for your required subject / level / location and you will be shown a list of instructors. On each instructor’s profile you will see a range of information provided by the instructor, including details of their experience, subjects and levels taught, qualifications, their hourly charges, and feedback received from previous students. To contact instructors, press the “contact” button on the instructor’s profile.You can then discuss your specific tuition needs with each instructor in our private members area.

When all tuition details have been discussed and you and the instructor have agreed to work together, the instructor will accept your request. If you are happy to go ahead with your chosen instructor, please click the purple ‘Release details’ button to pay our finder's fee (£4.99-34.99, shown in the header of your requests). If you are unable to see this option, you will need to prompt your instructor to accept your request first.

How does payment work? 

Once you are happy to proceed with your instructor, we ask you to pay the First Instructors finder’s fee to receive your instructor’s personal contact information. First Instructors does not handle payment for the lessons, you will need to pay this to your instructor directly by whichever method you and your instructor agree is most suitable.

Are your instructors DBS checked/ What checks do you do on instructors?

First Instructors are a instructor / student matching service and all instructors who display their profile on the site are self employed. Private tuition is not classified as a 'regulated activity' under government legislation and as such it is not essential for a private instructor to hold a DBS check. Some of our registered instructors do possess DBS checks because they are also employed as school teachers but we cannot vouch for these checks. First Instructors are legally required to collect and hold two references for registered instructors in accordance with the employment agency regulations and the Information Commissioner’s Office with whom we are registered. We are also required to complete identity and address checks on all of our registered instructors. Background checks (references, photo identity documents and address checks) and individually reviewed by our compliance manager. Any qualifications we have on file for the instructor will be indicated on their profile (however please note that it is not compulsory for a instructor to have or display qualifications). We recommend that students request to see any photo IDs at the beginning of the first lesson.

Can I leave anonymous feedback?

Only registered students (verified clients) can leave feedback on a instructor’s profile and only their forename will display. We don’t permit anonymous feedback from individuals outside our website.

Can I edit/update feedback for my instructor?

You certainly can! Click the OLD tab in the feedback section of your member’s area.

I can’t pay the finder’s fee online, do you have an alternative payment method?

The only alternative payment method we accept is via bank transfer. Please send an email to customer services if you wish to pay via bank transfer. We will forward the details via email to you.

What happens if I need to cancel or if I need to change my instructor?

We appreciate that sometimes things don’t work out. We want you to receive a positive experience with First Instructors and will endeavour to do our best to help you should a problem arise. Please contact us to discuss this with us so we can address any issue you may face.

For Instructors

What do I need to register as a instructor?

To register as a instructor you must be aged eighteen and over and be able to supply us with at least two references, proof of photo identity and proof of address. This information can be securely submitted in the security section of your instructing account. You will need to create your own profile, detailing your knowledge and experience, in order to showcase your tuition services.
Our site attracts a very broad range of students - as such, their requirements vary widely and we do not place limitations on instructors by qualification - rather we let the students pick the instructor they feel is most appropriate for their needs. Should you wish to supply us with a copy of your qualifications, please click here.

How does payment work?

First Instructors acts as a matching platform. As a self-employed individual, you will be responsible for collecting payment for the lessons, and declaring any earnings to HMRC.

Do I need a DBS Check?

Private tuition is not classified as ‘regulated activity’ under government legislation. A DBS check is not required to be a private instructor as a parent/guardian is expected to be present at all times. If you do have a DBS check, please bring this to your first lesson.

How much does it cost?

It is free to advertise your services with First Instructors. We do not charge any commission, all we ask is that you help us by adhering to our policies by following our Code Of Conduct and Instructor Guide.

I understand students can create feedback about me, how does this work?

First Instructors allow all existing students to leave feedback. After one month we invite students to create a brief comment about their instructor. This is because the tuition industry works on referrals: the more good feedback you receive as a instructor, the more enquiries you are likely to attract.

Why isn’t my profile on the search?

If you are unable to see your profile on our search listings, it is likely that you have not yet completed your security checks. Another reason could be that you haven’t set the travel options correctly, you can check this from your member’s area.

I am unhappy with my feedback, what can I do?

We strongly believe in maintaining the integrity of our feedback system and core to that is allowing students to express their real opinions of the working relationships formed through our service. Our values include transparency and openness, so once a instructor has been reviewed by a client, we don’t remove their review. Please contact our support team for advice on how to manage your ratings.

Instructor Safety

A parent or guardian should be present at all times if you are instructing a child under the age of 18. When meeting for the first time, we strongly recommend that both parties meet in a safe public place such as a coffee shop or library. Always tell someone else when and where you are going to meet. If tuition is taking place at home, we would recommend that someone else is present in the property. 

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