Find a Tutor in Sunderland

Whether your child is struggling with times tables, preparing for secondary school or heading into GCSE year, extra help outside school can make a real difference to their confidence. Sunderland and Washington have several tuition centres run under national programmes, as well as swimming schools and a large number of freelance tutors. This guide covers the main centres trading in November 2026 and what to check before you sign up. Inclusion here is not a recommendation over providers we have not listed.

Start with our Tutors page

Our Tutors page gathers tutors and tuition providers across the region in one place, covering academic subjects, music, languages and more. It is a useful first stop if you want to compare options or are happy to travel a little further for the right person.

Kumon Sunderland South

Kumon Sunderland South has run since 2015 under instructor Gayathri Duvvuru and meets at the Salvation Army Hall on Rutland Street, west of the city centre. The centre opens on Tuesday afternoons from 4pm to 6pm and on Saturday mornings from 9:30am to 11:30am.

Kumon is a structured maths and English programme. Children complete short worksheets at home every day and visit the centre twice a week, spending around 30 minutes per subject while the instructor checks their work and sets the next stage. Each child starts at a level they find easy and moves on at their own pace. Kumon Connect, a tablet version of the worksheets, is also available.

Best for: Suits children who respond well to routine and short daily practice.

Kumon Washington

Kumon Washington is run by instructor Simran Kakwani at The Glebe Methodist Church on Fatfield Road. It follows the same method as other Kumon centres, with sessions on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30pm to 5:30pm and on Saturdays from 11am to 1pm.

Best for: Suits Washington families who want the Kumon method close to home, with a Saturday slot.

MagiKats Sunderland South

MagiKats Sunderland South runs maths and English tuition at St Michael's Community Centre on Stannington Grove in Ashbrooke. It is led by owner and principal tutor Kathryn Mellett, who has more than 25 years' experience in education. Sessions run on Monday afternoons from 4:45pm to 6:15pm.

MagiKats combines tutor-led support with structured worksheets, and works with children at a range of ages and stages. The centre also runs holiday and revision programmes.

Best for: Suits families in the southern suburbs looking for a weekly after-school slot with an experienced tutor.

Kip McGrath Washington

Kip McGrath Washington opened in 2025 and holds its sessions at Washington Library in The Galleries. It is run by Carol Milne, a qualified teacher with a PGCE, and offers English and maths tuition for primary and secondary pupils in small groups of up to four.

New pupils begin with an assessment, which is used to set a programme matched to the child's level rather than their school year. Because sessions are teacher-led, the centre can work on specific topics a child is finding hard in class.

Best for: Suits children who need targeted help with gaps in English or maths, including in the run-up to GCSEs.

Swimming lessons

Swimming is one of the most popular activities parents book outside school. swim@ Sunderland runs lessons for children from age three at school pools in Castletown and Farringdon, and Swimtime at Everlast Sunderland runs small-group and private lessons at the pool on Timber Beach Road. The city's leisure centres also run their own learn-to-swim programmes, and our swimming guide covers the pools in more detail.

Best for: Suits children learning to swim or moving up through the stages, with evening and weekend classes.

Freelance and online tutors

Many tutors in Sunderland work independently, visiting homes, teaching from their own homes or teaching online. They often specialise in a single subject, such as GCSE science, A-level maths or a modern language, and many are current or former teachers. Online tuition widens the choice further, particularly for less common subjects.

Best for: Always ask a freelance tutor for an enhanced DBS check, and check the date it was issued.

How to choose a tutor

• Safeguarding. Ask whether the tutor has an enhanced DBS certificate, or whether the centre carries out checks on its staff. For one-to-one tuition, agree where lessons will take place and whether a parent will be at home.
• Qualifications and experience. Ask about teaching qualifications, subject knowledge and experience with the relevant exam board or key stage.
• Professional membership. Some tutors belong to The Tutors' Association, which has a code of practice for its members.
• Assessment and trial. Most centres assess new pupils first. With a freelance tutor, a single trial lesson helps you judge whether your child gets on with them.
• Clear terms. Check how fees are charged, the notice period and what happens if a lesson is missed.
• Talk to the school. Your child's teacher can often tell you which topics need the most work, so tuition supports rather than repeats what happens in class.

More for families

If you are looking for activities after the school day rather than tuition, see our guide to after-school clubs in Sunderland. Our Schools page lists local schools, our schools guide explains admissions and inspection reports, and the Education page brings together learning across the city. Start your search on the Tutors page.

Know a Sunderland tutor or tuition centre we have missed? Get in touch.