On this page
Short answer
As of October 2026, Explore Learning's published memberships start at £124 a month for one group session a week (£159 for two), with up to six children per tutor, and £159 to £259 a month for one-to-one. Alternatives include TaleemSquare (one-to-one online from £69 a month for two 45-minute lessons a week), MyTutor (tutors from £26 an hour), Kumon (about £76 a month per subject), Atom Learning or Bond for 11 Plus practice, and a local tutor.
Key takeaways
- Explore Learning group memberships cost £124 to £190 a month; one-to-one is £159 to £280. There is no joining fee.
- In centre, one tutor supports up to six children; online tuition is one-to-one.
- Cancel in writing by the 23rd of the month or you pay the next month; freezing costs £20 a month.
- One-to-one online tutoring can cost less than Explore's group rate, so compare teaching time per pound.
- Explore suits children who do well with routine and a local centre; 11 Plus families may add a self-study platform.
An alternative to consider: TaleemSquare
- Format
- Live one-to-one math lessons online
- Price
- From $85 a month for 2 classes a week (about $10.63 a class)
- Fees and contract
- No registration fee, no contract, cancel any month
- First step
- Free 45-minute assessment, then a 4-class money-back promise
How we wrote this
TaleemSquare offers online one-to-one tutoring, so we compete with Explore Learning and are one of the alternatives listed here. Prices and policies come from Explore Learning's own pages and the other sources listed at the end, checked in October 2026.
Explore Learning is one of the most visible tutoring brands in the UK. Its centres sit where parents already are: inside supermarkets (the Slough centre is inside Sainsbury's) and on high streets. Children aged 4 to 16 attend weekly maths and English sessions on a monthly membership, with unlimited practice material to use at home in between.
It is not the right fit for everyone, though. Some children need a tutor's full attention rather than a share of one, some families live nowhere near a centre, and some simply want more teaching time for the money. This guide explains how Explore works, what it costs as of October 2026, who it suits, and five alternatives worth comparing.
How does Explore Learning work?
Explore Learning sells a monthly membership rather than individual lessons. Your child attends one or two tutored sessions a week, either in a centre or online, and gets unlimited access to Explore's practice material at home between sessions. Centre pages describe weekly 60-minute lessons.
In centre, sessions are group based: one tutor supports a group of up to six children, each working through their own individualised programme on Explore's Compass learning tool. The tutor moves between children, explaining, checking and setting the next task. Online tuition is one-to-one over a live video stream, using the same learning tool.
Courses cover Maths and English (aligned to the curriculum followed in England, Scotland and Wales), SATs, GCSE Maths, and 11 Plus and Entrance Exams. Membership includes progress reports, regular progress meetings with the centre team and a Member Portal for booking and rescheduling sessions. Every family can book a free trial session with no obligation to join.
How much does Explore Learning cost per month?
Explore publishes a national price list, which is more than many centre-based providers do. As of October 2026, these are the monthly membership prices on explorelearning.co.uk:
| Course | Group, 1 session a week | Group, 2 sessions a week | One-to-one, 1 a week | One-to-one, 2 a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maths and English | £124 (£29 a session) | £159 (£18 a session) | £159 (£37 a session) | £259 (£30 a session) |
| SATs | £124 | £159 | £159 | £259 |
| GCSE Maths | £134 (£31 a session) | £174 (£20 a session) | £170 (£39 a session) | £270 (£31 a session) |
| 11 Plus and Entrance Exams | Not offered | £190 (£22 a session) | £180 (£42 a session) | £280 (£32 a session) |
A few details sit around those numbers:
- No joining fee. You pay your first month when you start, then by Direct Debit on the 1st of each month.
- Sibling discount. £10 off the monthly membership for a second child and £20 off for a third.
- Prices vary by centre. Explore's FAQ says prices may vary depending on the centre. The Slough centre, for example, lists Maths and English group membership at £129 for one session a week and £169 for two.
- Childcare support. Centres in England are on the Ofsted Voluntary Childcare Register, so some families can use Tax-Free Childcare or childcare vouchers. That does not apply to online tuition.
The most popular combination, two group sessions a week for £159, works out at about £18 per 60-minute session, with that hour shared between up to six children. One-to-one in centre costs £30 to £37 a session.
Who is Explore Learning best for?
Explore does some things very well, and for the right child it is a sound choice:
- Children who need a routine and a place to go. A fixed weekly slot in a familiar centre, with a tutor who knows them, builds habits that are hard to create at a kitchen table.
- Younger children in Key Stages 1 and 2. Short, varied tasks with a tutor close by suit many 5 to 10 year olds better than a long one-to-one lesson.
- Families who want childcare and tuition in one trip. A parent can shop while a child has a session, which is exactly why the centres are where they are.
- 11 Plus preparation in a group. A structured programme with other children sitting the same test can be motivating.
It is a weaker fit when your child needs undivided attention to untangle a specific gap, when you live far from a centre, when you want GCSE help beyond maths (GCSE Maths is the only GCSE course on Explore's price list), or when you travel often, since a freeze costs £20 a month.
What are the best alternatives to Explore Learning?
| Option | Format | Published price | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| TaleemSquare | One-to-one online, 45-minute lessons, follows the National Curriculum and GCSE | From £69 a month for two lessons a week | You want one-to-one teaching for less than a group membership |
| MyTutor | One-to-one online marketplace, you choose the tutor | Tutors set their own rates, from £26 an hour at GCSE | An older child needs a specific subject, pay as you go |
| Kumon | Daily worksheets at home plus a weekly centre visit | About £76 a month per subject plus a £40 registration fee at one Surrey centre | You want a daily practice habit in maths or English |
| Atom Learning or Bond Online | Self-study 11 Plus platforms | Atom from £39.99 a month; Bond Online from £7.50 a month | You want 11 Plus practice at home, alone or alongside tuition |
| Local tutor | One-to-one, in person or online | Hourly rates vary by region and level | You need a specialist, for example for SEN or a specific exam board |
1. One-to-one online tutoring for less than a group membership
If the main thing you want is a tutor teaching only your child, online one-to-one tutoring changes the sums. At TaleemSquare, every child starts with a free 45-minute one-to-one assessment, with no card needed to book. Lessons are live, 45 minutes long, on an interactive whiteboard, and follow the National Curriculum and GCSE specifications your child's school uses.
Plans are £69 a month for two lessons a week, £95 for three and £119 for four, with no registration fee and no contract. You can cancel any time, and the change takes effect at the end of the billing month. Progress updates come to you on WhatsApp. If your child is not more confident after the first four paid classes, those classes are refunded in full. See how it works for families in the UK and the full pricing.
2. MyTutor: choose your own tutor and pay as you go
MyTutor is a UK marketplace of online tutors. Tutors set their own prices, starting from £26 an hour for GCSE subjects, and you can filter by price band. You book a free video meeting first, pay lesson by lesson, and can skip or cancel at any time. If you are not happy with a first session, MyTutor credits your account to try someone new. It suits secondary students who need a particular subject rather than a long-term programme.
3. Kumon: daily practice with a weekly centre visit
Kumon is the other big name in UK tuition centres, and it works very differently from Explore. Children complete short worksheets every day at home and visit the centre once a week. The Reigate centre, for example, lists a one-off £40 registration fee and £76 a month per subject, for maths or English, with students aged 4 to 16. It is good for building fluency and a daily habit, less good if your child needs someone to explain new ideas. Our Kumon alternatives guide goes deeper.
4. Atom Learning or Bond for the 11 Plus
If 11 Plus preparation is your reason for considering Explore, compare its £190 a month group course with a self-study platform. Atom Learning's plans start from £39.99 a month, with its Exam Prep plan (adding verbal and non-verbal reasoning) at £59.99, and it is built for Years 3 to 6. Bond Online starts at £7.50 a month, and Bond's familiar practice books cost about £7 to £13 each, according to Atom's own comparison published in April 2026. Many families pair a platform like this with a few weeks of one-to-one tuition on weak areas rather than a year of classes.
5. A local tutor
A qualified teacher who tutors locally remains the best option for some children, especially those with special educational needs, or who need a specific exam board explained by someone who knows it well. Rates vary widely by region and level; our guide to maths tutor costs in the UK sets out what to expect and what to ask.
How do you cancel or pause an Explore Learning membership?
Explore says you can cancel at any time, but the mechanics matter. According to its FAQ:
- You must let your centre know in writing by the 23rd of the month. Miss that date and you pay the following month's membership.
- Once you have cancelled, your child cannot attend any further sessions, including rescheduled sessions booked before you cancelled.
- There is no holiday policy as such. For a break longer than a month you can freeze your membership for £20 a month, again by notifying the centre by the 23rd.
- Individual sessions can be rescheduled through the Bookings page in the Member Portal.
Switching cleanly
If you plan to move to another provider, give written notice before the 23rd, keep attending until the end of the paid month, and book your new provider's trial or assessment for the week after so your child does not lose momentum.
How do you choose between Explore Learning and the alternatives?
- Your child is 5 to 9, likes the centre and is making progress: stay with Explore. Routine is worth a lot at that age.
- Your child has a specific gap, for example fractions in Year 5 or algebra in Year 8: one-to-one tutoring, online or with a local tutor, will close it faster than a shared hour.
- You want daily practice and are happy to supervise worksheets: Kumon.
- You are preparing for the 11 Plus on a budget: a platform like Atom or Bond plus targeted one-to-one help.
- You need GCSE English or anything beyond GCSE Maths: MyTutor, a local tutor, or an online one-to-one service that covers English as well as maths. See our GCSE maths parent guide for what the course demands.
Whichever you pick, compare the hours of actual teaching your child gets each month, not just the monthly fee.
What to do next
- Book Explore's free trial if you have a centre nearby, and ask the manager how your child's hour will be split between independent work and time with the tutor.
- Write down what you want fixed by the end of term. A clear goal makes every option easier to judge.
- Book a free 45-minute assessment with TaleemSquare to see how one-to-one teaching compares for your child before committing to any membership.
Sources
- 1.Explore Learning, Pricing Published group and one-to-one membership prices, no joining fee, sibling discount, Direct Debit terms, childcare support. Checked Oct 2026.
- 2.Explore Learning, FAQs Ages 4 to 16, one to two sessions a week, cancellation in writing by the 23rd, £20 a month freeze, prices vary by centre. Checked Oct 2026.
- 3.Explore Learning, Slough tuition centre Centre inside Sainsbury's, weekly 60-minute lessons, local price list. Checked Oct 2026.
- 4.MyTutor, GCSE tutors Tutors set their own prices from £26 an hour, free video meeting, pay as you go. Checked Oct 2026.
- 5.Kumon UK, Reigate study centre £76 a month per subject plus a £40 registration fee at one centre, weekly centre visit, daily worksheets, ages 4 to 16. Checked Oct 2026.
- 6.Atom Learning, Atom Learning vs Bond (April 2026) Atom plans from £39.99 a month and Bond Online from £7.50 a month, as published by Atom.
Written and fact-checked by the TaleemSquare Editorial Team
We research every figure against the provider's own pages or independent sources, list them above, and update posts when prices or policies change. See our editorial process and teaching method.
