Tutoring works. Whether online or in-person, one-to-one or in small-groups, effective tutoring has been shown to improve academic outcomes and provide additional benefits such as confidence and resilience. This is particularly true for low attaining pupils and pupils eligible for free school meals, but the majority of parents cite cost as a barrier for accessing more tutoring for their child. (1)
Between 2020 and 2024, the UK government spent £1bn on delivering roughly seventy-five million partially funded hours of tuition. The National Tutoring Programme has now ended, but the demand for high-quality tutoring remains. It is crucial that we ensure tutoring continues to be made available and accessible to all. As the Sutton Trust put it: “The potential of harnessing tutoring to narrow gaps is evident… and it is vital that going forward we don’t revert to the pre-pandemic status quo of highly unequal access to tutoring”. (2)
Whilst one-to-one and in-person is still considered the gold-standard for tutoring, there are now many different models, adapted to be more affordable and more accessible for our most hard to reach students. Here are eight examples of affordable tutoring for schools and parents, and what to look for with each:
1. Small Group Tuition is nearly as effective as one-to-one tutoring, at a significantly reduced cost. When done well, small group tuition provides the additional benefits of peer interaction. Look for groups that are on the same curriculum and working towards the same target grades.
2. Online Tuition is favoured by some tutors since it reduces travel time and therefore increases their earning potential. This efficiency should be reflected in the cost of tuition; it should be cheaper to work with the same tutor online as it is to work with them in person. Look for tutors who are comfortable with the online learning environment, and who, wherever they are in the world, can understand your child’s unique context.
3. Tuition Centres usually offer small group in-person tuition. Some will combine tutoring with computer-based learning to provide a broader curriculum. For maximum benefit, look for a centre that is well-aligned with your school’s approach, and where the tutors are trained and experienced.
4. Alternative Provision is ‘Education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education’.(3) The provision might be a setting, or a service, and very often includes tutoring. Enquire with your school and local authority about accessing Alternative Provision funding for students with barriers to attendance. You can also explore communities like Not Fine in School for support.
5. Undergraduate or ‘Near Peer’ Tutors can be relatable role models, especially when the tutors themselves come from a comparable background to the students. Look for undergraduates with a strong competence in the relevant subject, and ideally with some experience in youth leadership or childcare.
6. Gap Year Tutors, who are employed to spend a full academic year in your school, can quickly become a valuable additional teaching resource. Be sure to plan their time carefully, and remember that they are also young people in need of guidance and support.
7. Combine Live Tutoring with Asynchronous Learning to maximise time on feedback. Consider how to use the ‘Flipped Classroom’ approach to provide students with core content, past papers or homework to do outside the tutoring session, so that the majority of tutoring time is given to the highest impact activities.
8. Volunteer Tutors may come from a professional background, they may be retired or they may be teachers or tutors looking to give back. They can be very effective in mentoring young people, bringing real life experience to the classroom. Look for tutors who are subject specialists.
Whichever route you take, it is crucial that you verify that every tutor you work with has an Enhanced DBS on the Update Service checked daily, safeguarding training, insurance, terms and conditions and verified client reviews. You can find certified tutors that work in each of the above models on the Qualified Tutor Directory, where you can be confident that every tutor you work with is safe, skilled and supported.
Read Julia Silver's new book 'Love Tutoring: Be the tutor your student needs' (Crown House Publishing, 2024) [here](https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/love-tutoring)
(1) ‘Small group tuition’ in Teaching and Learning Toolkit, Education Endowment Foundation, 2021. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/small-group-tuition, ‘The Future of Tutoring’, Impetus, 2023. Available at: https://impetus-org.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/publications/The-Future-of-Tutoring.pdf p.28.
(2) Carl Cullinane and Rebecca Montacute, ‘Tutoring – The New Landscape: Recent trends in private and school-based tutoring’, Sutton Trust, 2023, Available at: https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Tutoring-The-New-Landscape.pdf
(3) ‘Alternative Provision’, East Riding Gov. Available at: https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/learning/schools-colleges-and-academies/behaviour-and-exclusion/alternative-provision/
Julia Silver is the founder of Qualified Tutor, a professional development community that develops and certifies tutors. She lives in North London with her husband Simon, her five children and her Labrador puppy. Her book, Love Tutoring: Be the tutor your student needs (Crown House Publishing, 2024) is out now: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/love-tutoring
