Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions parents and students ask most often.
If you don’t see your question here, you can always ask it in your Grade Roadmap Meeting.
General & Getting Started
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We work mainly with:
GCSE students (Years 9–11) in Maths and Science.
A-Level students (Years 12–13) in Maths and Physics.
Younger KS3 students in Maths (to build foundations).
We also support students on IB and AP Physics/Maths programmes through our lead educator.
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No. We don’t offer free trial lessons.
Instead, we offer a free online Grade Roadmap Meeting.
That meeting is where we:
Look at your child’s current situation and goals.
Talk honestly about what’s realistic in the time you have.
Recommend a sensible starting package (or advise against tutoring if it isn’t the right fit).
That way, the first paid lesson is already part of a clear plan, not a one-off “let’s see how it goes” trial.
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It’s a 20–30 minute online conversation with a Spacetime educator where we:
Discuss your child’s current grades, exam board and confidence.
Identify the main issues holding them back.
Sketch a realistic route from where they are now to where they need to be.
Recommend a package (Topic Mastery, Exam Accelerator or Full Mastery) – or tell you honestly if something else would be better.
There’s no obligation to book lessons afterwards. You leave with clarity either way.
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Lessons are delivered in a live online classroom.
Your child chooses the space that works for them (usually at home); we help engineer the time so it turns into marks on the exam paper.
You’ll just need:
A quiet-ish space,
A laptop / tablet,
A stable internet connection,
And basic audio (headphones and mic are ideal).
Why Packages & Lesson Credits
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Because endless hourly tutoring without a structure is one of the main reasons families feel:
“We’ve spent so much, but I can’t point to what actually changed.”
Packages solve that:
Clear purpose: each package (Topic Mastery, Exam Accelerator, Full Mastery) has a defined goal.
Fixed number of lesson credits: you know from day one how many lessons you’ve committed to.
Planned use of time: lessons are mapped against topics and milestones instead of “whatever came up this week”.
Visible progress: it’s much easier to see what’s been covered and what’s left.
Pay-as-you-go is still available for maximum flexibility, but serious progress usually comes from committing to a package.
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When you buy a package, you’re buying a block of lesson credits.
We recommend using them in the following time frames (because it’s best for learning), but the actual expiry is longer to allow for holidays and real life:
Tier 1 – Topic Mastery (4–6 lessons)
Recommended pace: 4–6 weeks
Package expiry: 60 days
Tier 2 – Exam Accelerator (10–12 lessons)
Recommended pace: 10–12 weeks
Package expiry: 120 days
Tier 3 – Full Mastery (20–24+ lessons)
Recommended pace: 20–24 weeks
Package expiry: 240 days
We’ll encourage you to stick roughly to the recommended time frame so momentum isn’t lost, while keeping enough flexibility for busy periods.
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If you’re approaching the expiry and there’s a genuine reason (health, exams in other subjects, family situation), talk to us.
We’ll look at:
How many credits are left,
What’s happening in your child’s life,
And decide whether a short extension or a small adjustment makes sense.
We want to be fair, but also keep packages meaningful and time-bound so students don’t drift.
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Packages are designed around a specific subject and level (for example, GCSE Maths or A-Level Physics).
Small adjustments are sometimes possible (for example, shifting focus between Physics and Maths for a roughly 50/50 student), but in general:
We’ll agree the main subject at the start.
If you want to work on a very different subject, we may recommend separate packages so each stays focused and effective.
Group Sessions, Revision Days & Courses
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Right now, Spacetime focuses primarily on high-quality one-to-one lessons.
In the near future, we will also offer:
Online group sessions on specific topics,
Intense revision days or blocks (for example, pre-mock and pre-exam bootcamps),
Online courses that students can work through at their own pace.
These will be clearly advertised on the website when they launch.
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In many cases, yes.
If you have a small group of students at a similar level (for example, three Year 11s all doing GCSE Higher Maths with the same exam board), we can often arrange on-demand group lessons.
We’ll discuss:
The group size,
The subjects and exam board,
The time frame,
And give you a clear quote for group pricing.
The best way to start that discussion is still a Grade Roadmap Meeting, where we can see if the group is a good fit for Spacetime and for each other.
Cancellations & Rescheduling
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We ask for at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule a lesson, from both sides.
If you cancel or reschedule with 24+ hours’ notice:
The lesson credit is not lost.
We simply move the lesson.
If you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice:
The lesson is normally charged and the credit is lost, because it’s very hard to re-fill that slot at short notice.
If there is a genuine emergency or serious reason, please tell us – we may be able to offer a make-up session at our discretion.
We try to be human and fair, but we also need to protect educators’ time and income.
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We hold ourselves to the same 24-hour standard:
If we need to cancel with 24+ hours’ notice, we will simply rearrange the lesson with you.
If an educator has to cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, we will:
Rearrange that lesson, and
Offer an additional free session, booked at a time that works for your child, as an apology for the disruption.
Your time is as valuable as ours. If we cause the inconvenience, we make it right.
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If you know you’re running late, please let us know as soon as possible.
If a student arrives late, the session will usually still end at the scheduled time, so it doesn’t affect the next family.
If there’s a genuine last-minute emergency, explain what happened – we’ll decide case by case whether a make-up is appropriate.
Communication is key. If problems become frequent, we’ll talk honestly about what is sustainable.
Payments, Lesson Credits & Instalments
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All payments are made online via our booking system.
Packages are usually paid in full upfront or via an agreed instalment plan (for larger programmes).
Pay-as-you-go lessons are paid at the point of booking.
You’ll receive confirmation emails for bookings and payments for your records.
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Yes – for larger packages, we can usually offer a simple, interest-free instalment plan.
The exact structure will depend on the size of the package, but as a guide:
Tier 1 – Topic Mastery (4–6 lessons)
Best paid in full upfront,
In some cases we may agree 2 instalments (for example, 50% at the start and 50% after the second lesson).
Tier 2 – Exam Accelerator (10–12 lessons)
Often eligible for 3 instalments, for example:
40% at the start,
30% around the middle of the programme,
30% before the final block of lessons.
Tier 3 – Full Mastery (20–24+ lessons)
Usually eligible for a 3–4 part instalment plan across the recommended 20–24 week period (for example, monthly payments).
A few important points:
An instalment plan is still a commitment to the full package, not a “pay-as-you-go” arrangement.
If a payment is missed or delayed, lessons may be paused until this is resolved.
We’ll agree the instalment schedule in writing before you start, so everyone knows what is happening and when.
If you’re interested in paying by instalments, mention this in your Grade Roadmap Meeting and we’ll tell you what’s possible for your chosen package.
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Once lessons have started, we generally do not refund completed lessons.
For unused lesson credits:
If your circumstances genuinely change (for example, relocation, illness, change of school), talk to us.
We will look at how many credits are left and agree a fair solution, which might include re-scheduling over a longer period or, in some cases, a partial refund.
The goal is to be fair to your family and fair to our educators.
Online Lessons, Tech & Recordings
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You’ll need:
A laptop or tablet (a phone screen is usually too small).
A stable internet connection.
Audio – built-in mic and speakers are fine; headphones are even better.
A quiet-ish space where your child can concentrate and speak freely.
We’ll send joining instructions once you’re booked in.
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Yes, lessons are recorded.
We record lessons so that:
Students can re-watch key explanations between sessions.
Educators can review parts of a lesson if needed to plan the next step.
We can monitor quality and consistency across Spacetime.
Recordings are stored for 30 days and are used only for safeguarding, educational and quality purposes. They are not shared publicly.
If you have specific questions or concerns about recordings, we’re happy to discuss them before you start.
Safeguarding, Qualifications & Parents’ Role
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Some of our educators are fully qualified classroom teachers, others are specialist online educators with strong subject backgrounds and tutoring experience.
Regardless of route, all Spacetime educators:
Work within the same Spacetime Blueprint (diagnostics, structured packages, exam-focused teaching).
Follow our safeguarding standards and professional expectations.
Are clear about the subjects and levels they teach.
When you start with us, we’ll let you know who your child will be working with and what their background is.
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For younger students, parents are welcome to sit nearby at the start while everyone gets comfortable.
As students get older, it’s usually better if they can work more independently – but:
You’re always welcome to join the end of a session for a quick summary, or
Book a separate check-in to discuss progress, concerns and next steps.
We aim for clear, grown-up communication with parents without undermining the student’s independence.
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Progress is tracked through:
Initial diagnostics and prior grades,
Ongoing lesson notes and homework,
Regular use of exam-style questions and past papers,
Short check-ins during or after a package to discuss movement and next steps.
You’ll get a realistic sense of how your child is doing – not just “they’re doing fine”.
Still have questions?
Bring them to your Grade Roadmap Meeting – we’ll answer them honestly and tell you whether Spacetime is the right fit for your child.