Many Oxford graduates are among the elite group of so-called “super-tutors”, high flying academics who charge up to £1,000 for an hour’s tuition. This rate is considerably higher than the £30 an hour charged by the average private tutor in Britain.Â
Many Oxford graduates are among the elite group of so-called “super-tutors”, high flying academics who charge up to £1,000 for an hour’s tuition. This rate is considerably higher than the £30 an hour charged by the average private tutor in Britain.Â
Twenty-seven year old Oxford History graduate apparently Topes Calland charges £400 an hour and successfully taught the son of a British rock star who had seen off nine of his previous tutors. In October, Calland was offered £10,000 for ten hours’ worth of tuition time with an Asian royal family member wanting to get in to Oxford. He said, “they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
The agency representing Calland, Bright Young Things, was started by Oxford graduate Malachy Guiness, who tutored full-time before interest in his services became so high that he had to employ other equally gifted individuals to assist him.
Some believe that the hype surrounding these high profile tutors getting their clients’ children into Oxbridge will convince other parents that tutoring is a requirement.Â
Helena Mills an ambassador for access at Univ told Cherwell that  to “offer a service that fundamentally suggests [prospective candidates] are not good enough without tutoring exploits students and their families, who don’t want to be disappointed but aren’t sure if they’re ‘quite right’ for Oxbridge.”
She added, “Neither Oxford or Cambridge endorse third party tuition companies – but I think they need to be a lot more vocal in denouncing them.”Â
Second year lawyer Praful Nargund claimed tuition won’t do any favours to those who do get a place, saying, “If people pay thousands of pounds for some tricks to use at interview, they are likely struggle when they have to work under the intense conditions at Oxbridge”.Â
One Oxford student with experience tutoring GCSE pupils doesn’t believe that tutoring will be of any use at all in the admissions process. “It helps people get their grades up, but most parents who hire tutors are just looking for exam-focused stuff. This won’t actually help them get into Oxbridge. It’s a bigger problem for other universities where they must rely on grades and personal statements.”
Ed Cooke an Oxford graduate and tutor, has a memory capacity great enough to memorise 1000 digits in an hour. He told The Sunday Times that he can help a child to learn all their times tables in two hours using a special memory technique.
He explained that not only high-profile celebrities and the rich are willing to pay for these services. “The super-wealthy approach me, but so do middle-class parents.” Cooke knows that these less wealthy parents must make sacrifices to afford his services, but he said that they are prepared to do so “because they care about their children’s education.”
Third year Chemistry student Henry Johnson  said, “The high price these Oxford graduates are charging means that only the wealthiest can benefit. The gulf separating state schooled and privately educated applicants is vast as it is. All these Oxbridge graduates are doing is increasing the chances of those whose chances are already very high.”
Mills said that having an Oxford degree “doesn’t make you an admissions expert … they can only tell you their take on, and experiences within, the system. If people wish to spend huge amounts of money on tutoring, they can – but it perpetuates the myth that you need money to get to Oxbridge.” She stressed that tutoring creates the assumption that “admissions tutors are looking for polished and perfected individuals, when in fact they are looking for a more raw talent, potential and enthusiasm that they can help to shape and refine over three years.”
OUSU’s Access VP, Hannah Cusworth, added, “No-one should think they have to have private tuition to get a place.”
