Fuel Ventures, set up by Mark Pearson, have invested £2m in tutoring platform, Tutor House. This marks the first investment round for the London-based startup.
Tutor House aims to connect parents with tutors for their children across a variety of subjects and different educational stages up to university level. It was founded in 2012 by ex-teacher Alex Dyer and has succeeded by being self-funded until Fuel Ventures’ input. It has now reached the lofty heights of being the UK’s leading tutoring agency. They boast nearly 1000 tutors on their books so are certain to be able to cater to a wide range of students.
According to Dyer, Tutor House is the only tutoring platform which ensures that all tutors are DBS checked, guaranteeing the safety of their clients and building themselves a reputation as a professional service. Dyer says that “In an unregulated industry this is very important. We are dedicated to providing each and every student with the best level of service possible.” They also offer both online and in-person tutoring so tutees do not even need to meet tutors face-to-face.
The company funds itself through a 20% commission fee for every booking. However, this is reduced based on demand if a tutor secures more than 20 hours in a single month.
Alex Dyer, Tutor House CEO, explains the need for their services: “The large number of teachers leaving their profession in addition to ever-increasing class sizes mean that the market for private tutoring has expanded significantly. In order to improve the quality of each student’s academic experience, our tutors provide personalised learning plans that will help to boost grades and give learners the best chance of success.”
Tutor House says the investment will be spent on expansion, hopefully reaching countries outside of the UK. They also hope to create a school in London specifically for students retaking exams who require more rigorous tutoring.
