References are a great way to show that you're trustworthy, reliable, and professional — qualities that matter to both parents and schools. Here’s everything you need to know about submitting them.
Working with Schools
To work with schools through MyTutor, you'll need to provide two references before your profile can go live. This is part of our safeguarding process and helps ensure you're ready for placements.
Most tutors provide the details of people who’ve supervised them in previous jobs, or teachers and lecturers from school or university.
Make sure to choose 2 referee relationships from this list:
Current Employer
Previous Employer
University Tutor
University Lecturer
GCSE / Sixth Form / equivalent Tutor or Teacher (only for first-year BA/BSc university students)
Your referees must:
Have known you for at least 6 months
Not be related to you
Tips for submitting references
Make sure your referees are happy for their details to be shared with MyTutor and for us to contact them.
Once submitted, give them a heads-up to check their inbox, including their junk or spam folders, and complete the reference.
If your account still says “Waiting for Referee,” a gentle nudge can help move things along.
⚠️ Important: 12-Week Reference Deadline
You must submit 2 references within 12 weeks of completing your DBS.
If we don’t receive both references within that time, you’ll need to complete a new DBS check to remain compliant and be eligible for school opportunities.
📘 Want to learn more about what it’s like to tutor in schools? Read about the School Programme here.
Working with Private Customers
You don’t need references to work with private customers, but they’re a great way to show parents that you're reliable and trustworthy. Having references can strengthen your profile and help you stand out to families looking for tutors.
💡 Looking to get started? Here’s how to find your first private lesson.
How to Check the Status of Your References
You can easily track the progress of your references in your onboarding flow. Just click into the References section, and you’ll see the status of each one — whether we’re still waiting for a response or if it’s been received.
If it says “Waiting for Referee,” it means we haven’t had a response yet. In that case, it’s worth giving your referee a gentle reminder and asking them to check their inbox, including junk or spam folders, for our email.