"Grinds" is what most people in Ireland call private tuition, whether that's an hour of maths before the Christmas tests or a run of Leaving Cert grinds in the run-up to June. Apps like Service Connect make it easier to browse tutors or post what you need, but the hard part isn't finding someone who teaches a subject. It's finding the right fit for your child, at the right time, in a way that's safe and easy to manage.
Work out what's actually needed
Before you start searching, it helps to be specific. Is the problem a whole subject, or one weak topic? Does your child understand the material but lose marks on exam technique, timing or how they lay out answers? And for Junior and Leaving Cert subjects, is it clear whether they're doing higher or ordinary level, since a tutor who normally teaches one can struggle to pitch the other.
A tutor who knows exactly what's needed can plan sessions around it, rather than starting from scratch every week.
One-to-one or small group?
One-to-one grinds mean the whole session is built around your child: their gaps, their pace, their questions. Small group grinds can suit a student who works well alongside others, or who mainly needs structured practice rather than individual attention. Neither is automatically better. It depends on the subject, the student, and how much individual feedback they need.
In person or online?
Online grinds cut out travel time and open up a wider pool of tutors, which matters if you're outside a city or looking for a less common subject or language. In-person grinds, at a tutor's home, your own home or a library, can suit a student who focuses better away from a screen. Either can work well; the main thing is picking whichever your child will actually turn up to and concentrate in.
Start early, not just before the mocks
Grinds arranged in September or October give a tutor time to build up a subject properly, spot patterns in mistakes, and work through past papers at a sensible pace. Leaving Cert grinds booked the week before the mocks, or a few weeks before June, can only ever be a rushed patch-up. If you already know a subject is going to be a problem, it's worth starting well before it becomes urgent.
Questions worth asking a tutor
A short conversation before you book saves a lot of wasted sessions. It's worth asking:
- Have they taught the current Junior Cycle or Leaving Cert syllabus, and this exact paper or level, recently?
- How do they track progress, mark practice papers, or let you know how things are going?
- What's their cancellation policy if a session needs to move or be called off?
A tutor who answers these clearly, rather than vaguely, is usually a good sign.
Keeping it safe
Grinds usually mean an adult spending time with a child or teenager, often in a home, so it's worth treating that with the same care as any other arrangement with someone new. For in-home grinds, have a parent present or nearby, and keep the practical side of things, times, cancellations, anything about payment, running through the parent rather than directly with the student.
It's also entirely reasonable to ask a tutor whether they've been Garda vetted, especially for younger children or in-home sessions. Many tutors will have been vetted through a school, college or tutoring agency, and asking is a fair, normal question to raise before you book, not an accusation.
Agreeing times and price
Settle the practical details before the first session: which day and time suits both the tutor's diary and your child's school and activities, how long each session runs, and how the tutor prices their time, whether that's a flat rate per session or per hour. Get this agreed upfront, ideally in writing, so there's no confusion later about what was expected.
Finding a tutor on Service Connect
Service Connect lists tutors under Education & Tutoring, covering grinds, Leaving Cert subjects, music and languages. You can browse tutors near you and check their profile, or post what you need, "Leaving Cert grinds" or "tutor near me", for example, with a subject, a level and how flexible your timing is, and let tutors send you an offer in chat.
Every conversation, the offer, the date and any changes, stays in one thread you can find again. Your card isn't charged until the tutor accepts, and Stripe holds the payment until the session is done. Service Connect doesn't inspect qualifications or run background checks on tutors, so it's on you to ask about syllabus experience, how they track progress and Garda vetting directly in chat, and to check reviews from families who've actually booked them, before agreeing anything.
Ready to find grinds that fit your child, not just your calendar? Get the Service Connect app to browse tutors under Education & Tutoring, see how booking works on the how it works page, or check what's covered under buyer protection.