FAQs

Why is tuition recommended to help close gaps?

There have been several robust studies of tuition that demonstrate that it is one of the most effective types of intervention in education. Well delivered, one-to-one or small group tuition provides children and young people with tailored lessons and immediate feedback, which can support them to make progress, potentially at a quicker pace than when in larger classes.

Why can’t all children and young people access tuition at present?

Private tuition is often expensive - and this means that many children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are not in the position to be able to benefit from a tutor. This perpetuates the attainment gap in the education system, which can lead to those from poorer backgrounds falling behind their more advantaged peers.

A Sutton Trust report in April suggested the pandemic would only widen the attainment gap further, highlighting that students from poorer backgrounds are less able to access tutoring. Previous research has shown that 34% of students from richer homes have had tutoring, compared to 20% of those from poorer homes.

As a result, many schools, colleges, charities and not-for-profits are working in partnership to deliver large-scale tuition programmes across the country to ensure that all children and young people are able to access this type of support.

What do studies of tuition show?

Recent evaluations cited by the Education Endowment Foundation have shown:

  • Delivered well, one-to-one tuition interventions can add between three and six months’ progress (see Catch Up Numeracy, Catch Up Literacy, REACH, and Switch-on Reading)

  • On average one-to-one tuition delivers an additional five months’ progress (What Works?, Major & Higgins). 

  • Small group tuition is also effective, and can mean that tuition can be delivered to more students at a lower cost

  • Effects on pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to be particularly positive

  • Initial findings from a study of primary and secondary pupils during lockdown shows online tutoring can be a powerful tool for helping disadvantaged pupils. 

  • Studies have shown that tuition can also lead to improved self-confidence. (What Works?, Major & Higgins, 2019); 90% of children in a recent online pilot said online tutoring helps them feel more confident with their schoolwork. Students also cited reduced fear of peer judgment and the flexibility to learn at their own pace. 

Evidence of the effectiveness of tuition is not only limited to the UK. A recent report by the Brookings Institute, Tutoring: A time-tested solution to an unprecedented pandemic, highlighted: 

  • Tutoring ranks among the most widespread, versatile, and potentially transformative instruments within today’s educational toolkit. 

  • 80% of the 96 tuition studies that were included in the report had statistically significant effects

What support is there nationally for different groups of children and young people?

The National Tutoring Programme allows schools access to subsidised tuition for pupils from 5-16 years old through approved Partners and Academic Mentors. The government has also given a catch up fund for schools to spend as they choose to help offset the adverse effects of the pandemic on learning and development. A 16 to 19 tuition fund of £96 million was also announced, for the 2020 to 2021 academic year only.

What is the National Tutoring Alliance?

At the start of the pandemic and the introduction of a nationwide lockdown, several charities and not-for-profits that provide tuition programmes targeted to support disadvantaged children and young people, came together to share best practice on how they could continue to provide their support online. This group has continued to collaborate and support each other’s work throughout this period, widening the remit of this group to form a National Tutoring Alliance.


The aims of the Alliance are to increase the number of disadvantaged students accessing high quality tuition, allowing them to feel benefits of increased attainment and confidence.

What is the impact of the Alliance?

These organisations work with thousands of children and young people across the country every year. They deliver programmes to learners in all year groups, and provide targeted academic support across a wide range of subjects and qualifications. Programmes can also include mentoring for university and apprenticeships, support for exams or early years development, or addressing specific individual needs, including speech and language difficulty. Their work reaches some of the most vulnerable groups in society, including those with acute needs and those under the care of children’s social services.