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Student Pre-Assessment Form Template

This student pre-assessment form shows you where a student stands before the first lesson: what they're confident in, what they struggle with, which tests are coming and what they want to achieve in the next three months.

10 questions3 steps

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Try the form

This is the real form, the way a student will see it. Fill it in and click through: nothing you type is sent or saved.

What's included

10 questions in 3 steps. Every one can be edited, removed or reordered.

1About you3 questions

Student name requiredShort answer
Grade requiredKindergarten … College / Adult (14 options)Dropdown
Subject requiredMath, English, Science, French, History, Coding, OtherDropdown

2Where you are now4 questions

Current grade or scoreShort answer
Topics you feel confident inParagraph
Topics you struggle with requiredParagraph
How confident do you feel in this subject? requiredStar rating, 1 to 5

3Your goals3 questions

Upcoming tests and datesParagraph
How do you learn best?Seeing worked examples, Lots of practice problems, Talking it through, Videos and diagrams, Not sure yetPick any
Goals for the next 3 months requiredParagraph

Who it's for and when to use it

Use it after a family signs up and before the first lesson. A math tutor taking on a ninth grader who's "bad at algebra" learns, in the student's own words, that fractions are fine but word problems are the real problem, and that a unit test is coming in two weeks.

It's written for the student, not the parent. Students are often more honest about what they find hard when they answer privately, and the confidence rating tells you how they feel about the subject, which matters as much as their grade.

Pair it with the student intake form: the intake gives you contact details and logistics, the pre-assessment gives you a teaching plan. For exam students, the exam prep goals form goes deeper on scores and dates.

How to use it in 3 steps

Pick the template
Click Use this template, or choose “Student pre-assessment” under New form in Bear Forms. All the questions are already there.
Make it yours
Every question is ready to use as it is. Change, add or remove any of them to fit how you work.
Share the link
Publish, then send the link by email or text, put it in your Instagram bio or Google Business Profile, or paste two lines of code to show it on your website.

Tips for better responses

Tell students there are no wrong answers. Add a line at the top saying this isn't a test. Students who think they're being graded write less and hide what they find hard.
Compare the confidence rating with the grade. A student with a B and a confidence of 1 needs something different from a student with a C and a confidence of 4. The gap tells you where to start.
Use the upcoming tests to plan. Put every test date from the form in your calendar and plan backward from it. Families notice when you remember.
Send it again at the end of the term. The same questions three months later show real progress, in the student's words.

Make it your own

One subject only? Delete the subject question and add topic choices for your subject, like the math tutor intake does.
English learners? The English level self-assessment uses "I can" statements for speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Want work samples? Add a file upload for a recent test or assignment, so you can see the mistakes for yourself.

Guide: How to Onboard New Tutoring Students

Frequently asked questions

What is a pre-assessment in tutoring?

A pre-assessment is a short check of where a student is before tutoring starts: their current grade, strong and weak topics, confidence and goals. It helps a tutor plan the first lessons around what the student actually needs instead of starting from the beginning of the textbook.

Should the student or the parent fill in the pre-assessment?

The student should fill it in. Students know which topics confuse them and how confident they feel, and they tend to answer more honestly on their own. Parents can still add context through the intake form.

Is a pre-assessment the same as a placement test?

No. A placement test checks skills with real questions, while this pre-assessment asks the student to describe where they are. Many tutors use both: the form first, then a few test questions in the first lesson.

How long does the pre-assessment take?

Most students finish it in about five minutes. It's ten questions over three short steps, and only five are required.

Can I put this form on my website?

Yes. Copy two lines of embed code into your website and the form appears right on the page. It resizes to fit phones. If you don't have a website, share the form's link instead: by email, by text, in your Instagram bio or on your Google Business Profile.

How will I know when someone fills it in?

You get an email alert the moment a response comes in, so you can reply while the family is still thinking about lessons. All responses are also kept in a table in your dashboard, and you can export them to CSV any time.

Can I edit the questions after I start using it?

Yes. Every question can be changed, removed or reordered at any time, and you can add new ones. When you publish the changes, the same link shows the updated form, so you never have to send families a new link.

See all 38 templates for tutors →

Start with the student pre-assessment template

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