Marking time is an essential tool that allows you to support students outside of lessons while ensuring you get paid for your time. Using marking time, you can mark past papers, provide feedback on essays, and prepare personalised assessments without using the lesson space. Here’s everything you need to know about how marking time works, how to book it, and why it benefits you and your students.
What is Marking Time?
Marking time is a game-changer during exam season. It lets you mark work and give detailed feedback outside of lessons - so you can focus on teaching instead when you're in the lesson.
Marking past papers
Giving detailed feedback on essays
Providing quick corrections with key takeaways
Preparing tailored improvement plans
Creating special homework or assessments that require extra preparation
Since the lesson space isn’t available for marking time, you should ask students to share their work via messages. You can then review and return the marked work the same way. If a file is too large, you can use a free Adobe tool to compress it or request support from the support team to forward it.
By offering marking time, you can ensure you are fairly compensated while providing additional value to students beyond live sessions.
How do I book Marking Time?
Booking marking time follows the same process as a standard lesson booking:
Discuss with parents – Explain how marking time can help boost student performance and agree on the scope and frequency of the service.
Agree on a deadline – The booked marking time session represents the deadline for completing and returning the work.
Book the session – Either you or the parent can book marking time, just like a normal lesson.
Confirm the booking – Ensure that the session is confirmed so that you are compensated.
Assess and return the work – Once payment is confirmed, the student should send their work. You will then complete the assessment and return it by the agreed deadline (this is the time that the marking time is booked for)
Important:
Stick to academic integrity policies. If a request seems inappropriate, refer to the platform’s ethical tutoring guidelines.
Why Use Marking Time?
Marking time offers significant benefits for both you and your students:
More lesson time for active learning – You can focus on teaching instead of using valuable lesson time for marking.
Additional earnings – You can generate extra income without additional lesson preparation.
Faster student progress – Receiving timely feedback helps students improve more efficiently.
Flexible and customisable – Parents can book marking time as often as needed, allowing you to provide personalised support.
What is the pricing for Marking Time?
Marking time comes with a lower platform fee since the lesson space is not used. If you wish to discuss feedback in more detail, you can suggest an additional lesson, along with the marking time.
💡 Pro Tip: Some tutors offer marking time at a lower rate using a price band exception. Here’s how:
Set up a recurring booking of lessons at your usual rate.
Go to the price exceptions section and adjust the band to a lower rate.
Any marking time sessions booked under this exception will be charged at the adjusted rate.
Remember, the lower rate remains in place unless manually changed, so you’ll need to change it back before booking in any other lessons with that parent.
Offering a reduced rate is entirely optional; only offer this if you are happy to accept a lower rate!