With tutoring at £40/hr, is it time to try AI?
Sep 14, 2025

The current educational environment creates financial difficulties for both students and their parents. The cost of one weekly tutoring session at £40 per hour leads to monthly expenses exceeding £160 before students face their most challenging exam period. The best AI tools today have achieved a new milestone because they function as dependable study partners which replace traditional tutors.
Brightboard AI provides students with an available AI tutor system that includes an interactive whiteboard and exam-board-approved content and built-in flashcards and quizzes and scheduled AI tutoring sessions. The platform offers users a chance to experience its services without spending any money.
The short answer
The entry plan of Brightboard costs the same as one private tutoring session yet provides a full month of AI tutoring support with self-study resources.
Access: It’s 24/7. The system operates continuously without any need for scheduling or travel or cancellation procedures. The system provides immediate interactive assistance at any time students need help or experience panic.
The combination of quick student progress and positive learning outcomes occurs through Brightboard because it provides active exam-aligned learning experiences. The platform reports these results as platform-reported outcomes.
An AI tutor that operates continuously brings transformative changes to education
1) Availability beats appointment-only
The limited availability of traditional tutoring services becomes most problematic during peak demand periods. The system operates continuously through its interactive whiteboard to provide students with immediate real-time assistance for their questions and sketching needs.
2) Active learning, not passive listening
The platform enables students to perform activities such as writing steps and testing ideas and receiving guidance for their next actions. The built-in flashcard and quiz system enables students to practice continuously without needing additional applications.
3) Exam-board aligned, personalised help
The support system provides exam-specific and subject-based explanations which match the content of actual assessment materials. The AI system adjusts its teaching approach to individual learning preferences and speeds which benefits all students but provides exceptional support to neurodiverse learners who need customized learning paths and structured lessons.
4) Feedback loops that stick
The system tracks student progress through worked examples and micro-quiz results which helps both learners and parents identify knowledge gaps for targeted revision efforts.
But what about cost?
A single weekly tutoring session basic plan of Brightboard costs $49 per month for one hour of AI tutoring and 24/7 study resources while the middle plan adds more weekly hours for $89 per month and the top plan provides unlimited tutoring with all resources for $149 per month. The cost of one month of Brightboard at £40 per hour costs approximately £160 per month but this amount increases during exam periods. The assistance matches the price of a single traditional tutoring session. The website displays current pricing details along with all included features.
AI systems demonstrate superior performance than human tutors in specific educational situations
The system delivers consistent explanations through patient step-by-step responses which students can repeat multiple times.
Coverage: Maths and English and Science—no need to source three different tutors.
Momentum: Micro-sessions keep revision activities active. A short five-minute study session right before school can deliver the same benefits as spending a full week on marathon study sessions.
The system at Brightboard helps students stay focused and avoid procrastination by maintaining their attention during study sessions.
What Brightboard AI is (and isn’t)
The study accelerator Brightboard provides excellent explanations and practice opportunities and immediate feedback to students. The system lacks the ability to substitute for exceptional teaching professionals and the emotional support that experienced tutors offer to their students. The sweet spot? Students should use Brightboard for their daily practice and concept clarification before seeking human tutoring for specific needs such as strategy development and confidence enhancement and mock exam preparation.
Getting started
Your child can experience an interactive on-demand tutor through the free trial period.
Begin with a past paper question by writing it on the whiteboard then ask Brightboard to guide you through the first step before continuing until the solution becomes automatic.
Establish a daily practice that includes 10-15 minutes of flashcard and quick quiz activities and dedicate one longer study session on weekends.
FAQs
The use of AI tutoring for GCSEs and A-levels remains permissible under current rules.
Students can use AI for studying without violating any exam rules because the rules only prohibit its use during actual testing periods. The platform functions as an advanced revision assistant which helps students prepare for their exams.
Can AI provide explanations about the mistakes my child makes? Yes. The whiteboard format enables natural error detection because you can paste or sketch steps before asking which line number caused the mistake.
What if my child learns differently?
The platform allows users to select teaching methods and it adjusts its delivery based on understanding student learning preferences which benefits neurodiverse students who need customised learning speed and presentation.
How fast are results?
The platform shows students how quickly they improve their scores and how much better they feel about their learning progress. The results you achieve will depend on your ability to maintain consistency and your initial starting point.
Verdict
The always-on Brightboard AI system becomes an attractive option when you spend £40 per hour on tutoring services. The platform provides accessible features which help students build study momentum through daily practice at an affordable cost. The most suitable approach for many families involves using Brightboard for daily progress tracking while seeking human tutoring for specific skill development.