Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? We’re here to help.
Tutors
About stepintoai.net
What is stepintoai.net?
stepintoai.net is an online tutoring service focused on GCSE and A Level students. We connect families with tutors who teach clearly, build confidence, and improve exam performance through structured lessons and mark focused exam technique.
Am I employed by stepintoai.net?
No. Tutors work with us on a self employed, freelance basis. You are responsible for your own tax, NI, and compliance obligations. We provide students, systems, standards, and support, but we are not your employer.
Can I tutor while studying, after graduating, or from abroad?
Yes, in most cases, provided you can deliver consistent sessions, keep professional standards, and meet verification and payment requirements. If you move abroad, payout and verification rules may differ depending on location.
Becoming a Tutor
How do I become a tutor?
Apply through stepintoai.net using the “Become a Tutor” option. You’ll complete an application and attend a short interview to confirm subject competence, teaching style, and safeguarding readiness. If successful, we guide you through onboarding and verification.
Do I need tutoring experience?
Experience helps, but it is not always essential. What matters most is your ability to explain clearly, keep sessions structured, and help students improve results.
Do I need a DBS check?
Yes. If you tutor under 18s, an appropriate DBS check is required. We may request proof before you start ongoing sessions. You must also follow safeguarding expectations, including professional conduct and appropriate communication boundaries.
What safeguarding expectations should I follow?
- Keep communication professional and lesson focused
- For under 18s, a parent or guardian should be aware of lesson times and may join the start of the first session
- Do not communicate privately with a child using personal social media
- Do not request personal or inappropriate information
- Report safeguarding concerns promptly using the agreed process
Tutoring With Us
Do I need to find students myself?
No. We aim to match you with students based on your profile, availability, subject strengths, and teaching style. Keeping your profile complete and your availability accurate increases bookings.
How flexible is tutoring?
You choose your availability. Parents value consistency, so regular weekly slots are strongly preferred. If you change times frequently, you will generally receive fewer long term bookings.
What platforms do we use for lessons?
Most tutors use Zoom or Google Meet with screen share and a whiteboard option. You are expected to have stable internet, clear audio, and a quiet teaching space.
Can I set homework and share resources?
Yes. Keep tasks short and specific. Use exam style questions and mark schemes wherever possible. Do not share copyrighted resources that you do not have rights to distribute.
What if a parent asks to move off platform and pay me directly?
Do not accept. It creates safeguarding risk, payment disputes, and breaches our working arrangement. If a parent asks, politely decline and notify support so we can handle it properly.
Payments and Tax
How do I get paid?
Payments are made to your bank account. In the future, we plan to add Stripe payouts to streamline payments. Only completed sessions are eligible for payment.
When do I get paid?
Payouts are processed on the 1st and 15th of each month for eligible, completed sessions. If a payout date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, processing may happen on the next working day.
If you believe a session is missing from a payout, contact support with the student name and session date so we can investigate quickly.
Do I need to inform HMRC about my earnings?
Yes, if you meet the threshold for self employed income reporting. Tax rules depend on your situation. If you are unsure, speak to a qualified tax adviser.
Free Trials and Bookings
What is a free 15 minute trial session?
A trial lets the parent and student meet you, confirm fit, and agree goals before booking paid sessions. Treat it like a professional mini consultation: be punctual, structured, and helpful.
Does completing a trial mean I will get booked?
Not always, but a strong trial increases conversion. Ask what they want, identify one quick improvement, explain your plan, and make the next step simple.
What does “Pending Payment” or “Unconfirmed” mean?
It means payment has not been completed or the session is not fully confirmed. Do not start a session unless it is confirmed. If a session is due to start soon and still unconfirmed, contact support immediately.
Cancellations and Make Up Sessions
What is the minimum notice for cancelling or rescheduling?
At least 24 hours notice is expected. If an emergency happens, communicate quickly and professionally so we can support a fair outcome.
What is a make up session?
A make up session is a replacement session arranged when a paid session was missed or could not take place as planned. The new time should be agreed in writing with the parent and recorded clearly to prevent confusion.
References and Support
Can I request a reference?
We cannot provide an employment reference because tutors are not employees. However, we can usually confirm that you tutor with us, your start date, and general activity, subject to policy and data protection.
What if I have more questions?
Contact our team via the support channel listed on the website. Include your full name, student name if relevant, and session date to speed things up.
Still have questions? Contact support and we will help.
Tutor Code of Conduct
What standards are tutors expected to follow?
To protect students, families, and tutors, we expect all tutors to follow these standards:
- Professional communication only: Keep messages polite, lesson focused, and within reasonable hours. No personal social media contact with students.
- Safeguarding first: Maintain appropriate boundaries, report concerns promptly, and follow guidance for working with under 18s. If a parent wants to sit in, that is allowed.
- Start on time, end on time: Respect the booked slot. If extra time is needed, offer to book an additional session, do not “drift” into free time.
- Do not teach unpaid sessions: Only deliver sessions that are confirmed. If a booking is unconfirmed or pending payment, contact support.
- Do not take off platform payments: Never accept direct payment from parents or students outside our agreed process. If asked, decline and notify support.
- Be prepared: Review the student’s goal, bring relevant questions, and have resources ready (examples, exam questions, mark schemes).
- Clear lesson structure: Teach, practise, correct, and set a small task. Avoid long lectures without checking understanding.
- Respect privacy: Do not share student details, recordings, or messages with anyone outside the tutoring arrangement.
- Reasonable rescheduling: Give at least 24 hours notice where possible. Too many changes harm trust and may lead to cancellations.
- Keep records: Maintain brief notes of topics covered and agreed tasks so progress is visible and disputes are avoided.
- Stay within your scope: Support learning and confidence, but do not provide medical, legal, or psychological counselling.
- Be fair and calm: Students can be stressed. Your job is to bring clarity and confidence, not pressure or sarcasm.
If you are ever unsure about a situation, contact support before it becomes a problem.
Can I record lessons?
No. Tutors are not permitted to record lessons on personal devices or accounts, and must not take screenshots, store recordings, or share any student content outside the platform process.
Lesson recordings involve personal data. To stay compliant with UK GDPR and ICO guidance, any recording must be controlled, transparent, secure, and limited to a clear purpose. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
stepintoai.net may record lessons for quality monitoring, tutor performance review, safeguarding, and to investigate complaints or disputes. Access is restricted to authorised staff only, and recordings are stored securely.
Ownership and sharing: where lessons are recorded by stepintoai.net, those recordings remain the property of stepintoai.net and must not be copied, downloaded, or shown publicly by tutors. No tutor may publish any recording or clips on social media, portfolios, or websites.
Notice and retention: families will be informed via our privacy notice and session communications that recordings may take place. Recordings are kept only for as long as needed for the stated purpose, then deleted. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
If a recording is requested for a legitimate reason, such as accessibility, it must be approved in advance by stepintoai.net and handled through our controlled process, not by tutor recording. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
What happens if a parent or student makes a complaint?
Most issues are misunderstandings and can be solved quickly. Our approach is practical and fair:
- We gather the facts: what happened, when, and what the concern is.
- We review records: booking status, messages, tutor notes, and any agreed expectations.
- We speak to both sides: calmly and separately, to avoid escalation.
- We agree the fix: this could be adjusting pace, clearer homework, changing session structure, or matching the student with a different tutor.
- Safeguarding concerns are treated differently: if a concern suggests risk to a child, we act immediately and follow safeguarding procedures.
If you receive a complaint directly, do not argue. Acknowledge it politely, keep messages short and professional, and notify support so we can handle it properly.
What if the student does not do homework or does not engage in sessions?
This is common, and it is usually a confidence or habit issue, not laziness. Keep it calm, structured, and measurable:
- Lower the barrier: set a smaller task that takes 10 to 15 minutes, not a big worksheet.
- Make it specific: for example “complete Q1 to Q4 on this past paper”, not “revise electrolysis”.
- Use proof: ask the student to show the work at the start of the next session so it becomes normal.
- Reset the plan: if homework is not happening, shift progress into timed practice during sessions.
- Keep parents informed: a short update prevents surprises and protects everyone.
A simple message you can send to parents:
“Quick update: today we covered [topic] and practised [type of questions]. [Student name] is capable, but progress will be much faster with a small weekly task. I’ve set a 10 to 15 minute task: [exact task]. If it is not completed, we can still move forward by doing more timed practice during sessions, but the best results come when the student does a little work between lessons.”
If engagement stays low across several sessions, let support know. Sometimes a different tutor style, shorter sessions, or a parent check in at the start can fix it quickly.