‘Future of Tutoring’ Event: Shaping the Future of Education
This summer, we had the privilege of attending the ‘Future of Tutoring’ event held in Westminster, an important gathering hosted by a coalition led by charities Impetus, Action Tutoring, The Tutor Trust and Get Further, aimed at discussing the pivotal role of tutoring in the educational landscape.
The event brought together key stakeholders including educators, policymakers, and representatives from leading educational organisations to explore innovative approaches and future directions for tutoring in the UK.
The event featured insightful keynote addresses from prominent figures such as Dame Rachel De Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, and Robin Walker MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee. They emphasised the critical need for sustained investment in tutoring to address the widening attainment gap exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions highlighted how targeted tutoring can significantly boost academic progress, enhance student confidence, and support mental health.
One of the central themes of the event was the demonstrated effectiveness of tutoring in improving educational outcomes. Recent research showcased during the event indicated that just 12 hours of tutoring can lead to three months of additional academic progress. Moreover, teachers reported increased pupil engagement and confidence, and parents echoed these sentiments, with a majority supporting expanded access to tutoring for students from all backgrounds.
Speakers argued that a well-funded, nationwide tutoring programme is essential to ensure equitable access to this valuable educational support, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The coalition of charities leading this initiative, including Impetus, Action Tutoring, The Tutor Trust, and Get Further, underscored the importance of making tutoring a permanent fixture in the UK’s educational strategy.
Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England said:
“It is vitally important that children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, get the help they need to be able to succeed in life and play their part in improving the world around them. Tutoring is an intervention that is proven to help children catch up on lost learning and also support their wider needs, like improving attendance and protecting mental health. Tutoring can play a central role in unlocking the ambition of England’s children if we deliver a Fair Tutoring Future.”
Robin Walker MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee and former Schools Minister said:
“Tutoring is a vital and proven intervention for providing effective catch-up support at school and, used effectively, it can make a huge difference in children’s life chances. I have seen some excellent examples of tutoring and hope that the lessons learned from the National Tutoring Programme can ensure that it is used even more effectively in the future. Embedding tutoring into the education landscape as we move forward will be vital if we are to close the gap in attainment for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Former Education Secretary, The Rt Hon. Lord Blunkett, said:
“This and other substantive and credible research has demonstrated that long Covid has hit young people where it damages them most: in their educational experience. A reshaped and properly invested tutoring programme is not only essential for re-engaging young people post-COVID but also to provide direct equality of access to essential out-of-classroom support. Those who can afford it, provide it, those who can’t don’t. It is the most stark and challenging divide, underlining societal disadvantage, and we are seeing it reinforced in the availability of extra help and tuition, but only for the few and not the many.”
