How booking works before lessons or marking begin
We keep the first step simple: submit the assessment form first, then we confirm what can be delivered. Families should not send card details through assessment or contact forms.
1. Assessment request
Share the student’s subject, exam board, target grade, recent result and preferred lesson time.
2. Feasibility check
We confirm the subject, tutor fit, timing, package type and whether the request can be handled responsibly.
3. Payment instructions
Once the package is confirmed, we provide an invoice, payment link or agreed payment instructions.
4. Booking confirmation
Lessons, marking or planning work begins after payment and booking details are confirmed.
Before payment, these points are confirmed
This protects both the family and the tutor, especially when a student has an urgent timeline.
| Item | What is clear |
|---|---|
| Subject and exam board | Which paper or syllabus the support relates to, and whether the tutor is suitable for it. |
| Delivery format | One-to-one lessons, mock marking, planning call, revision package or a combination. |
| Timing | Timezone, preferred lesson windows, expected turnaround and any urgent deadlines. |
| Price and package | Starting price, number of lessons or scope of marking, and what is included. |
| Rescheduling | Any notice period and how missed lessons or delayed paper submission will be handled. |
Ready to quote vs needs one more step
A fast quote is useful only when the scope can be delivered responsibly. Families can see why some enquiries move straight to payment instructions and others need one more clarification step.
| Status | What it means | Likely next step |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to quote | Subject, exam board, timeline, evidence, preferred service, price awareness and tutor or marker availability are clear. | We confirm price, service scope, cancellation terms and payment instructions. |
| Evidence needed first | The student wants marking, diagnosis or urgent revision but has not provided a mock, writing sample, topic test or school feedback. | We ask for one useful file or suggest a smaller diagnostic route. |
| Planning-first | The exam board, paper route, private-candidate plan or subject choice is still unclear. | We may recommend exam planning before tutoring or marking. |
| Availability check | The subject is possible, but a suitable tutor, marker, time zone or small group is not confirmed yet. | We check availability before asking the family to pay. |
| Not a suitable request | The request depends on grade guarantees, official exam entry, private payment to a tutor or work outside the agreed service boundary. | We explain the boundary and may decline the request. |
If you are deciding whether to pay today
A careful decision is not always a slow decision. It should be clear what the student needs now, what can wait, and what would make the first payment too vague.
| Family thought | What to check first | Sensible decision |
|---|---|---|
| We like the tutor option, but the package size feels uncertain. | Whether the first focus, lesson rhythm and early review point are clear. | Start with the smallest suitable package or set a review point before buying more. |
| The exam is close and we need urgent help. | Which errors can realistically improve in the remaining time. | Use a focused sprint, marking review or narrow lesson block instead of promising full syllabus coverage. |
| We have no recent paper or written evidence. | Whether one mock, topic test, essay or teacher comment can be shared first. | Submit evidence or choose diagnostic review before committing to regular lessons. |
| The student is anxious about starting lessons. | Whether a smaller first step would feel less pressured. | Consider diagnostic review, mock marking or one carefully scoped first lesson. |
| The payer needs written clarity. | Service name, price, included work, timing, cancellation position and payment route. | Ask for the scope and payment instructions in writing after feasibility is confirmed. |
What a clear booking message should include
Before a family approves payment, the booking message should be specific enough that a parent can explain what has been bought without guessing.
Service and subject
The exact service, subject, exam board or route, and whether the work is teaching, marking, planning or guided study.
First focus
The first topic, paper, writing skill, route question or study habit being addressed.
People involved
Whether a tutor, marker, planner or service contact is involved, and what each person is responsible for.
Timing and rules
Lesson time, report turnaround, material deadline, price, cancellation rule and main contact route.
What happens after payment is confirmed
Families should know what changes once the service is booked. Payment is not the end of the process; it starts a managed handover.
| Step | What the family receives |
|---|---|
| Booking confirmation | Service name, price, scope, lesson or marking timing, cancellation terms and main contact route. |
| Tutor or marker handover | The tutor or marker receives the confirmed subject, exam board, student level, goal, evidence and agreed service boundary. |
| First lesson or report setup | For lessons, the first focus and materials are confirmed. For marking, the paper, mark scheme and turnaround are confirmed. |
| Parent-visible update | The family should know what happened, what the student should do next and when the next review point is. |
| Review point | After an early milestone, we decide whether to continue, adjust focus, change route, change tutor if needed or pause. |
Cancellation and refund summary
Parents should understand the refund position before paying, especially for lesson packages and one-off marking or planning services.
| Situation | Normal rule |
|---|---|
| Service has not started | Cancellation is normally possible, with a small administration and payment-processing fee deducted. |
| Lesson package has started | Delivered lessons are not refunded. Unused lessons may be refunded based on package lesson value or held as credit. |
| Mock marking, diagnostic review or planning has started | Once review or marking work has started, the service is normally not refundable. |
| IGCSE UK cannot deliver the confirmed service | We offer a suitable replacement, new time or refund of the undelivered service value. |
Before payment, scope and feasibility come first
Submitting an assessment does not mean pressure to buy a large package. A clear review process looks at the student profile and evidence first, checks tutor, marker or planning capacity, then confirms price and payment details only when the scope is clear.
-
01
Review the student profile
We check subject, exam board, exam date, timezone, recent result and any available evidence.
-
02
Ask for missing details
If evidence is not clear enough, we ask for a mock, writing sample, school feedback, availability or budget range.
-
03
Check delivery feasibility
Before quoting, we confirm tutor or marker availability, timing, service scope and cancellation rules.
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04
Send a clear next step
The reply may be free guidance, a small paid step, a quote, invoice instructions or a suggestion to wait or send more evidence.
What parents see before payment
- No payment card details are requested in the assessment form.
- Before payment, we confirm the service name, price, scope and start condition.
- If information is missing or timing is unrealistic, we explain the risk first.
- We do not guarantee grades or act as a school, exam centre or exam board.
Who handles the request
- Support team checks the details first
- Contact route, subject, exam date, uploaded evidence and missing information are reviewed.
- Academic judgement uses evidence
- Mocks, past papers, writing samples or school feedback guide the recommendation.
- Tutor or marker availability is checked
- Lessons, marking, guided study and planning depend on suitable delivery capacity.
- Payment instructions come last
- Payment or invoice details are sent only after scope, timing, price and cancellation rules are clear.