The well-being of students has become a central concern across the independent and international school sectors. In the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) 2024 Annual Research Survey, over half of responding schools (53%) reported an increase in mental health issues in their school community over the previous two years, down from 64% in 2023. Similarly, the Council of International Schools (CIS) describes its international accreditation as focused on the quality of teaching, student learning, and student safeguarding and well-being. In this context, tuition, particularly one-to-one tuition, has a role to play in supporting not only academic outcomes but also student well-being.
Why well-being matters for learning
Research consistently shows that stress and anxiety undermine cognitive performance. Anxiety is reliably related to poorer working memory capacity (Moran, 2016), and stress impairs memory retrieval, which carries the risk of underachieving in exams (Vogel & Schwabe, 2016). Well-being is not just about reducing stress; it also involves building resilience, confidence, and motivation. All these factors contribute to successful learning and exam outcomes.
How tuition supports well-being
One-to-one tuition provides a structured, low-pressure environment in which learners can engage at their own pace. The benefits include:
- Predictable routines: Sessions held at consistent times help reduce anxiety by creating stability.
- Safe space for questions: Students may be reluctant to ask questions in class; a 1:1 setting lowers this barrier.
- Balanced goal-setting: Tutors can help learners set realistic targets that avoid overload while encouraging steady progress.
- Celebrating small wins: Recognising incremental improvements builds motivation and resilience.
Structured support before public exams, such as tuition, can also help students feel prepared and in control. In that sense tutoring's benefits are not limited to knowledge acquisition but extend to readiness for assessments.
Evidence on tutoring and well-being
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Toolkit measures academic progress and not well-being, but two of its reviews bear on student confidence. The EEF notes that teaching students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning (metacognition) promotes learner independence (EEF, 2025). Its review of feedback finds a high impact on learning when feedback gives specific information on how to improve, and it advises considering how feedback will be received, including its effect on self-confidence and motivation (EEF, 2021).
Pastoral reassurance alongside academic instruction matters most during transitional periods, such as moves between curricula or relocation across countries. Safeguarding and well-being frameworks should extend to every adult who supports a student, including external tutors.
Challenges and boundaries
It is important to recognise limits. Tutors are not mental health professionals, and their role in well-being should remain educational. Effective practice involves:
- Being alert to signs of distress.
- Adjusting workload and pacing in response to student feedback.
- Liaising with parents and schools when more formal support is required.
- Ensuring safeguarding and data-protection protocols are always followed in online sessions.
See our safeguarding page for the framework Sophyra Tutors operates within.
A manageable review routine
Agree a small set of learning priorities and an amount of practice that fits alongside school. At the next review, ask what the student can now explain independently, which difficulties remain and whether the workload is manageable. Adjust the plan when the evidence or the student's experience calls for it.
This is educational support. Tutoring does not diagnose or treat mental-health difficulties, and attendance or improved marks alone do not establish improved wellbeing.
References
- Council of British International Schools (2024). Annual Research Survey.
- Council of International Schools. International Accreditation.
- Education Endowment Foundation (2021). Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Feedback.
- Education Endowment Foundation (2025). Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Metacognition and Self-Regulation.
- Moran, T. P. (2016). Anxiety and working memory capacity: A meta-analysis and narrative review. Psychological Bulletin, 142, 831-864.
- Vogel, S., & Schwabe, L. (2016). Learning and memory under stress: Implications for the classroom. npj Science of Learning, 1, 16011.