Frequently Asked Questions
Practical answers on lessons, bookings, cancellations, online and in-home tutoring, child safety, neurodiverse support and how we use AI.
Our Mission
To help every student become a confident, capable, independent learner — supported by expert tutors, structured programs, and a strong focus on child safety.
Whether your child learns in-home, online, or in one of our eight academies across five locations, our systems are designed to be:
- Clear
- So families understand how everything works.
- Consistent
- So students build long-term progress.
- Supportive
- So children thrive academically and personally.
- Transparent
- So expectations are always known.
This guide gives meaningful, practical answers to help you get the most out of your tutoring experience.
Getting Started
Cost, where we are, who we teach, and what happens when you get in touch.
One-on-one tutoring starts at $95 per hour with a Professional Tutor – $95 for Years 3-6, $102 for Years 7-10 and $115 for Years 11-12. Rates rise with the tutor tier, up to $156 an hour for an Expert Tutor or Proficient Teacher in Years 11-12. Every rate and the package discounts are on the pricing page, with no hidden fees and no lock-in contract.
Belrose, Brookvale, Forestville and Mona Vale on the Northern Beaches, and Gordon on the North Shore. Academy lessons run Mon-Fri 3pm-9pm, Sat 8am-2pm (closed Sunday). We also tutor online and in your home. Every academy’s address is on the locations page.
One-on-one tutoring for students in Years 3 to 12. Subjects include Mathematics, English, HSC preparation, NAPLAN coaching, Selective School Test preparation, and specialist support for neurodiverse learners with ADHD, dyslexia, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. See all subjects.
We call or text you to say hello and talk through what your child needs: what school is like at the moment, what has already been tried and what you want out of tutoring. Then we match the right tutor and email everything you need to book the first lesson. There is no obligation, and no lock-in contract.
How to Contact BTA
One team answers everything - bookings, changes, billing, progress. Whichever way you reach them is the right one.
Phone
1800 002 085Free to call.
SMS
+61 456 380 051Text the Operations Team.
Email
contact@thebta.auBest for anything with detail.
Cancelling or rescheduling? You can also do it yourself in the Parent Portal — log into your account.
Use any of them for:
- Cancelling or rescheduling a lesson
- Urgent same-day issues
- Billing or payment questions
- Questions about your child's progress
- Changing lesson format (online/in-home/academy)
- Anything else you need help with
Whatever is easiest for you works for us.
Introduced 2026
For a smooth, consistent experience, please don't message tutors directly about scheduling or cancellations.
Our Operations Team manages all bookings, changes and reminders so everything is recorded in one place, every family is treated fairly, and tutors can focus on what they do best – teaching.
Tutor Types
Who is teaching your child? Every BTA tutor is carefully selected, trained and supported, and the three tiers below rise in experience and qualifications.
Tier 1
Professional Tutor
Best for students who benefit from energetic, relatable tutors who follow structured, proven BTA teaching models. Suitable for all subjects and year levels.
Who they are
High-achieving university students trained extensively in BTA teaching systems, lesson frameworks, and student engagement methods.
Tier 2
Specialist Tutor or Provisional Teacher
Best for students who need more structured guidance, deeper reinforcement of concepts, or targeted skill-building across any year level.
Who they are
Tutors who qualify in any one of these ways:
- At least 5 years of tutoring and over 2,500 one-on-one lesson hours
- Teachers with provisional accreditation and classroom or tutoring experience
- Degree holders in mathematics or another relevant field, with exceptional subject-matter expertise
Tier 3
Expert Tutor or Proficient Teacher
Best for students who benefit from a teacher's level of insight, exam literacy, or specialist subject expertise. Ideal when families want additional clarity around school expectations.
Who they are
Tutors who qualify in either of these ways:
- At least 10 years of tutoring and over 5,000 one-on-one lesson hours
- Fully accredited teachers with Proficient Teacher accreditation and significant classroom teaching experience
For current fees, see our pricing and promotions.
Lesson Formats
In-academy, online or in-home. What actually differs between them, and who each one suits.
Our academies are designed to provide:
- A consistent, quiet, structured learning environment
- Fewer distractions
- Full access to BTA's teaching resources
- Professional oversight and support
- Highly focused, one-on-one engagement
- Reliable lesson conditions regardless of home noise, siblings, or internet problems
Parents tell us that their children concentrate better in the academy, participate more confidently, and stay more motivated.
It's the format that delivers the strongest long-term progress for most students.
We also offer online lessons for:
- Illness
- Adverse weather
- Last-minute schedule changes
- Travel periods
- Exam revision
Online is a fantastic backup option and keeps students progressing when they can't attend in person.
In-home lessons provide face-to-face support in the comfort of your home.
This format is great for families who prefer personal convenience, as long as:
- For students under 16, an adult is at home for the whole lesson
- Lessons occur in a visible, shared space
- Online
- Travel Required
- None
- Reliability
- Dependent on internet
- Engagement Style
- Interactive digital work
- Best For
- Busy families, one-off changes, senior content revision
- Tools & Resources
- Digital whiteboards, iPads
- Tutor Interaction
- Screen-based
- Learning Environment
- Depends on home setup
- Convenience
- Highest – great for illness, travel, or last-minute changes
- In-Home
- Travel Required
- Tutor travels
- Reliability
- Dependent on home setup
- Engagement Style
- Traditional face-to-face
- Best For
- Families who prefer at-home learning
- Tools & Resources
- Tutor brings materials
- Tutor Interaction
- Face-to-face
- Learning Environment
- Depends on household environment
- Convenience
- High – tutor comes to you
- Our signature experienceIn-Academy
- Travel Required
- Families travel
- Reliability
- Highly reliable — lessons run smoothly regardless of home circumstances
- Engagement Style
- High-focus, high-engagement, professionally supervised environment
- Best For
- Students who thrive with structure, routine, and a dedicated learning environment
- Tools & Resources
- Full access to academy resources, printed worksheets, writing tools, and structured programs
- Tutor Interaction
- Face-to-face, fully engaged, one-on-one
- Learning Environment
- Purpose-built, calm, distraction-free academy spaces
- Convenience
- Moderate – families travel, but highly consistent
| Feature | Online | In-Home | Our signature experienceIn-Academy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Required | None | Tutor travels | Families travel |
| Reliability | Dependent on internet | Dependent on home setup | Highly reliable — lessons run smoothly regardless of home circumstances |
| Engagement Style | Interactive digital work | Traditional face-to-face | High-focus, high-engagement, professionally supervised environment |
| Best For | Busy families, one-off changes, senior content revision | Families who prefer at-home learning | Students who thrive with structure, routine, and a dedicated learning environment |
| Tools & Resources | Digital whiteboards, iPads | Tutor brings materials | Full access to academy resources, printed worksheets, writing tools, and structured programs |
| Tutor Interaction | Screen-based | Face-to-face | Face-to-face, fully engaged, one-on-one |
| Learning Environment | Depends on home setup | Depends on household environment | Purpose-built, calm, distraction-free academy spaces |
| Convenience | Highest – great for illness, travel, or last-minute changes | High – tutor comes to you | Moderate – families travel, but highly consistent |
Lessons & Bookings
How long lessons run, how often, what happens over the holidays, and how to add one.
Primary students have 45-minute lessons. High-school lessons are 60, 90 or 120 minutes, depending on year level and subject load. Lessons that aren’t 60 minutes are charged pro rata from the hourly rate: 45 minutes is three-quarters of the hourly rate, 90 minutes one and a half times, and 120 minutes double.
Weekly lessons deliver the strongest progress because students build consistency, confidence, and momentum. The more lessons a student attends, the faster they improve.
We also offer accelerator lessons — additional sessions designed to help students catch up, prepare for exams, or boost results in a short timeframe.
Fortnightly lessons are available if needed, though progress will be slower.
Yes. Lessons continue unless families request a pause.
A week before each school holiday we email you a schedule confirmation with a link to your parent portal, where you can cancel holiday lessons. You can also email, call or text us.
If tutors are unavailable during holidays, BTA will arrange a suitable replacement.
Contact Operations via:
- SMS: +61 456 380 051
- Phone: 1800 002 085
- Email: contact@thebta.au
For current fees, see our pricing and promotions.
Packages vs PAYG
Which option is best? Packages have been updated for 2026 and offer the best long-term value for families.
- Best valueLesson Packages
- Lesson Price
- Discounted pricing
- Package Sizes
- 10, 20 or 50 hours. The 50-hour package requires 1-hour (60-minute) lessons, so it isn't available for primary students, whose lessons are 45 minutes.
- Price Lock Guarantee
- Yes, keep your rate while you stay on packages (conditions in our Billing, Payments & Refunds Policy)
- Late Cancellation Benefit
- 1 free late cancellation per term
- Rescheduling (2-48 hours)
- Must reschedule within 7 days (after the free one), or the lesson's length is deducted from your package hours
- No-Show (under 2 hours)
- The lesson's length is deducted from your package hours
- Tutor Priority
- Highest priority for timeslots
- Lesson Credit Rollover
- Yes. Lesson credit is valid for 12 months from the purchase date of your newest package; buying a new package restarts the 12 months for all remaining credit.
- Admin Simplicity
- One upfront invoice
- Best For
- Students needing consistency, progress and predictable costs
- Pay as you goFortnightly Billing
- Lesson Price
- Standard rates
- Package Sizes
- Not applicable
- Price Lock Guarantee
- No
- Late Cancellation Benefit
- No, $20 late cancellation fee
- Rescheduling (2-48 hours)
- Must reschedule within 7 days or pay the fee
- No-Show (under 2 hours)
- Full lesson fee charged
- Tutor Priority
- Standard priority
- Lesson Credit Rollover
- Not applicable
- Admin Simplicity
- Invoiced every second Tuesday
- Best For
- Flexible schedules
| Feature | Best valueLesson Packages | Pay as you goFortnightly Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson Price | Discounted pricing | Standard rates |
| Package Sizes | 10, 20 or 50 hours. The 50-hour package requires 1-hour (60-minute) lessons, so it isn't available for primary students, whose lessons are 45 minutes. | Not applicable |
| Price Lock Guarantee | Yes, keep your rate while you stay on packages (conditions in our Billing, Payments & Refunds Policy) | No |
| Late Cancellation Benefit | 1 free late cancellation per term | No, $20 late cancellation fee |
| Rescheduling (2-48 hours) | Must reschedule within 7 days (after the free one), or the lesson's length is deducted from your package hours | Must reschedule within 7 days or pay the fee |
| No-Show (under 2 hours) | The lesson's length is deducted from your package hours | Full lesson fee charged |
| Tutor Priority | Highest priority for timeslots | Standard priority |
| Lesson Credit Rollover | Yes. Lesson credit is valid for 12 months from the purchase date of your newest package; buying a new package restarts the 12 months for all remaining credit. | Not applicable |
| Admin Simplicity | One upfront invoice | Invoiced every second Tuesday |
| Best For | Students needing consistency, progress and predictable costs | Flexible schedules |
Not at the moment. Each child has their own package, and credit can’t be moved between siblings.
For current fees, see our pricing and promotions.
Cancellations & Rescheduling
Our 2026 policy in full, including what each scenario costs on a package and on pay-as-you-go.
Use:
- Parent Portal: Log into your account
- SMS: +61 456 380 051
- Phone: 1800 002 085
- Email: contact@thebta.au
Tutors cannot approve cancellations, reschedules, or changes on behalf of BTA. Our Operations Team manages all scheduling to ensure clear communication and consistent support for your child.
No — rescheduled lessons cannot be moved again. If a rescheduled lesson is missed, the lesson fee applies (on a package, the lesson’s length is deducted from your package hours, for example 1.5 hours for a 90-minute lesson). The exception to this is if your tutor or BTA has to reschedule or cancel the lesson, which would have no fee.
Reschedules should be occasional, not weekly. Frequent rescheduling may result in loss of your preferred timeslot.
- Package Clients
- Cancel > 48 hours
- Free
- Cancel 2–48 hours (first time this term)
- Free Late Cancellation
- Cancel 2–48 hours (after first free one)
- Must reschedule within 7 days, or the lesson's length is deducted from your package hours
- Cancel < 2 hours
- The lesson's length is deducted from your package hours
- No-show
- The lesson's length is deducted from your package hours
- Emergency
- Assessed case-by-case
- PAYG Clients
- Cancel > 48 hours
- Free
- Cancel 2–48 hours (first time this term)
- $20 fee OR reschedule for free
- Cancel 2–48 hours (after first free one)
- $20 fee OR reschedule for free
- Cancel < 2 hours
- Full fee charged
- No-show
- Full fee charged
- Emergency
- Assessed case-by-case
| Scenario | Package Clients | PAYG Clients |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel > 48 hours | Free | Free |
| Cancel 2–48 hours (first time this term) | Free Late Cancellation | $20 fee OR reschedule for free |
| Cancel 2–48 hours (after first free one) | Must reschedule within 7 days, or the lesson's length is deducted from your package hours | $20 fee OR reschedule for free |
| Cancel < 2 hours | The lesson's length is deducted from your package hours | Full fee charged |
| No-show | The lesson's length is deducted from your package hours | Full fee charged |
| Emergency | Assessed case-by-case | Assessed case-by-case |
In-Home Lessons
Child safety is one of BTA's highest priorities, so in-home lessons come with three requirements.
For students under 16, an adult must be at home, awake and available, for the whole lesson. The same applies to online lessons.
In a shared, visible space such as the living room, dining room, or study area.
Never in bedrooms.
Tutors follow a mandatory process:
- Wait up to 10 minutes
- Contact Operations
- Leave — and the lesson is charged as a no-show
Online Lessons
How online lessons run, and what makes them work as well as a lesson in the academy.
Yes. Our online lessons are highly effective — many students learn faster online because tutors can use digital whiteboards, shared screens, interactive tools, and real-time worked examples that make concepts clearer and easier to understand.
Online lessons also keep learning consistent during illness, travel, bad weather, or busy family schedules.
Yes. Cameras must remain on for the entire lesson.
This ensures:
- Student safety
- Strong engagement
- Accountability and participation
- Clear communication between the tutor and student
It also helps tutors read facial cues and adjust their teaching in real time.
No. BTA does not record online lessons. Cameras stay on so the tutor can see your child’s work and read how the lesson is going, but nothing is captured or stored.
To make sure your child gets the most out of their lesson, we recommend:
- A quiet, well-lit space
- A desk or table (not lying in bed or on the couch)
- A stable internet connection
- The camera on throughout the lesson
- A student who is awake, seated, and ready to learn
Online lessons work best when students treat them just like an in-person session.
Tutor Consistency
Keeping the same tutor for the long run, the guarantee behind the first match, and what happens on the rare occasion we cannot.
BTA’s Right Tutor Guarantee ensures every student is matched with the ideal tutor for their year level, subject, and learning style. If the first tutor match isn’t right and you tell us within your first three lessons, we keep tutoring free until it is. Tell your Student Success Manager, or contact us, and we will arrange the change. This is in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
We aim for long-term tutor consistency. If a tutor becomes unavailable due to schedule changes, university commitments, or leave, BTA arranges a suitable replacement.
Tutors keep detailed lesson notes so the new tutor can continue seamlessly. Students and parents will also receive these lesson notes.
Child Safety & Wellbeing
The commitments behind every lesson, in the academy, online and at home.
Yes. Every BTA tutor holds a current paid NSW Working with Children Check - the employee check, not the volunteer one - and we verify every check ourselves before a tutor takes their first lesson. Tutors also complete our Onboarding and Induction Program, which covers child safety, before they sit down with a student. Our Child Safety Policy sets out the rest.
BTA is committed to:
- Safe lesson environments
- Clear supervision requirements
- Tutors may only message a student with a parent's approval or with a parent copied into the conversation, and must never contact a student under 16 unless a parent has approved it
- Camera-on online lessons
- Proper reporting of concerns
- Maintaining professional boundaries
If you ever have a safety concern, contact BTA Operations immediately.
Northern Beaches Coworking is our owner's other business. It runs from the same five premises as our academies, with hot desks for adults who work remotely. The coworking space is separate from our tutoring rooms. Weekday coworking finishes at 3pm, before lessons begin, and daytime homeschool lessons are held in offices where no coworking takes place.
Membership is $299 a month with no lock-in, new members get their first day free, and the spaces are open 5am to 3pm on weekdays, and all day Sunday. Details are at northernbeachescoworking.com.au.
Neurodiverse Learners
Support for students with ADHD, ASD, dyslexia and other learning needs.
Yes. Our tutors receive training in neurodiversity support.
We welcome insights from parents, psychologists, and school staff.
Assignment Support & Exams
What tutors will and will not do with an assignment, and how exam preparation works.
Yes — tutors guide planning, structure, drafting, research, understanding, and proofreading. Tutors do not complete work for students.
Yes. Your child can send their essays to their tutor for feedback.
Yes — including OC, Selective, Year 7–10 exams, HSC, and classroom tests. We teach exam strategy, content mastery, and time management.
AI Use at BTA
Where AI helps a tutor teach, where it stops, and the rules we hold it to.
Yes — when appropriate. Our tutors may use AI tools to enhance learning, generate practice questions, explain concepts in different ways, or model solutions. AI helps make lessons more engaging, efficient, and personalised.
However, AI never replaces the tutor. It simply gives tutors more ways to support your child's learning.
Tutors may use AI to:
- Generate additional practice questions tailored to the student
- Provide alternate explanations for difficult concepts
- Create examples, diagrams, summaries, or worked solutions
- Support revision and exam preparation
- Break complex topics into more understandable steps
AI allows tutors to adjust materials instantly, helping students learn faster and more effectively.
We follow strict guidelines to protect students and maintain academic integrity:
- AI is used by tutors, not students independently during lessons
- Tutors never use AI to complete student assignments or assessments
- AI is a support tool, not a substitute for teaching
- Personal data is not entered into AI systems
- All AI use aligns with our child safety and privacy standards
Our tutors are trained in responsible, ethical AI use, ensuring safety and consistency across all lessons.
Students may be shown how to use AI tools safely — for brainstorming, breaking down questions, or checking understanding — but tutors teach students not to rely on AI to do their work for them.
We encourage students to view AI as: A learning partner, not a shortcut.
This helps build independence, integrity, and real academic skill.
No. AI cannot:
- Diagnose learning gaps
- Build rapport
- Motivate students
- Adapt teaching to personality
- Provide encouragement or emotional support
- Teach advanced reasoning
- Hold students accountable
Tutors use AI to enhance your child's learning — not replace the human connection that makes tutoring effective.
Technology in Lessons
What students and tutors actually use in a lesson.
Students and tutors use:
- iPads and stylus pens
- Digital practice questions
- Microsoft Teams whiteboards
- Online resources and tools
Families may request tech-specific approaches if preferred.
Still Have Questions?
We're here to help at every step. Contact the BTA Operations Team any time.
Phone
1800 002 085Free to call.
SMS
+61 456 380 051Text the Operations Team.
Email
contact@thebta.auBest for anything with detail.
For current fees, see our pricing and promotions.
Contact Us
Ready to get started, or have a question about tutoring?
Reach our team on 1800 002 085 (free to call) or send us an enquiry through our contact page.