Tech setup

Curious about the tech? Take a look here!

What platform do you use for calls?

As of April 2025, I use an in-house platform called LetsMeet, which is accessible via Moodle. It has the added benefit that everything is secure, locked down and encrypted to ensure student data safety.

What technology do we require?

Your child needs a laptop or desktop computer that meets my LMS requirements, with a functioning webcam, microphone and speakers, plus suitable broadband. Chromebooks, including school Chromebooks, are not supported - LetsMeet and my resources will not function on them. Please read the LMS requirements page

What is a device check?

Before every lesson, your child will undergo a device check. This will assess the device they're using and flag any issues. These are usually advisory. If an issue is flagged, such as a Chromebook, a low-powered computer, or a slow internet connection, usually your child can still click to join anyway. However, sometimes they won't be able to if there is such a profound issue that the lesson just cannot go ahead.

Please click here to learn more about the tech check, or click here to run a tech check on your device.

Do you have any IT top tips for a successful lesson?

for a successful lesson?

• Keep the room well lit, and avoid sitting with a bright window behind your child.
• Keep your broadband uncongested during lessons – pause streaming and big downloads if you can.
• Log in 20 minutes early so any issues can be sorted before the lesson starts on time.
• If possible, download the Moodle app to your child's mobile devices.
• If you use parental controls or a web filter, whitelist georgehalltuition.com.

I'm looking to invest in IT resources for tuition. What should I buy?

A good Wi-Fi router is well worth the money; a stable connection makes all the difference. Lessons run over live video, so a patchy signal in the back bedroom can be the difference between a smooth lesson and a frustrating one. If your child's room is a fair distance from the router, a mesh system is a small price to pay for lessons that never drop out.

A good pair of headphones with a mic helps, particularly at GCSE. They block out household noise so your child can concentrate, and the built-in microphone means I can hear them clearly without any echo or leaning into the screen. A basic wired pair with a mic is perfect – there's genuinely no need to spend a fortune here.

A good tablet cannot be understated. Your child will be able to complete homework paperlessly and stay organised with school work, annotating worksheets by hand and uploading them straight to the LMS without a printer in sight. I recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab S line of tablets – they pair beautifully with a stylus for handwritten working, and it's what I use myself.

Above all, if you're considering a new computer, I recommend a Mac. Macs are known to last, and 'go wrong' significantly less than their Windows counterparts. They just work straight out of the box with no complicated setups or endless updates, which means less time troubleshooting and more time focused on learning. See the LMS requirements for detailed buying advice.

I, or another household adult, enjoy tinkering with IT. Are we allowed to tinker with the IT for tuition?

Yes, to an extent. You are absolutely welcome to tinker on your system for anything tuition-related, as long as this doesn't violate any copyright laws or change anything on my system.

However, you are strictly prohibited from any tampering that may impact systems for myself or other students. This includes, but is not limited to, reverse engineering Microsoft 365, tampering with systems such as the LMS, using malicious tools to run a DDOS attack on my website or LMS, partaking in phishing attacks to gain access to private credentials, uploading malware to an email, LMS upload or file transfer, using a malicious RAT on my system, etc.

Any tinkering that results in a DDOS event or damages my system will trigger an investigation by myself and my IT contractors. Should evidence come to light that suggests you knowingly and intentionally caused disruption, any time spent by myself or freelance IT contractors will be billable to you or your family. A parents meeting will be called to present the evidence and discuss next steps, which may involve involvement from the local authority. In severe cases, the police will be involved.

How does LetsMeet work?

Students log into Moodle and simply click the button saying "LetsMeet". From there, they put in their name, consent to being recorded, and join the lesson.

LetsMeet works on desktop only, so tablets, phones, etc. don't work.

Can we choose which platform we use?

No. LetsMeet is the exclusive platform.

What technology do you use?

For a mobile phone, I use a Samsung Galaxy A16. For a computer, I use a 14" M1 MacBook Pro, alongside AirPods Pro (3rd generation) and a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+. Resources are powered by Microsoft OneDrive and Moodle.