Tackling the challenges in education beyond GCSE results day

The GCSE results are in. Over five million young candidates across the country who took their GCSE exams can now find out the outcome and possible options for moving to the next stage of their lives.

Getting to this point has certainly not been easy. In the last few years, young people and their schools have braved the storms of uncertainty and adapted to unprecedented challenges. We should not only acknowledge their academic achievements but also loudly applaud their unwavering determination and spirit through some very difficult years. 

The stark reality

The Covid-19 pandemic was the biggest ever disruption to education in history. Three years on, it still casts an unforeseen shadow over the academic landscape, creating an aura of uncertainty for GCSE candidates.

Facing multiple school closures spanning months, the struggle of catching up with remote learning (and indeed, the inequality of access to remote learning), changing examination formats, and declining mental health, these candidates have demonstrated adaptability and had to forge ahead through extremely choppy waters. 

Whilst we don’t yet fully know how this year’s GCSE results will break down specifically for disadvantaged pupils, we do know that last year the attainment gap was at its widest in over a decade. A few years ago, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) published research highlighting that on the trajectory at the time, it would take 500 years to close the attainment gap. More recently, the EPI has warned that at the current trajectory, it will never close. 

We know that a key contributing factor to the disparity recorded in attainment between the different socioeconomic groups of pupils is the access to learning support and resources. The results these pupils will receive today are not simply a reflection of their ability but also a reflection of the challenging circumstances they are grappling with – less access to the same levels of support and opportunities as their peers.  All of these issues were of course exacerbated during covid, with the government’s flagship plan to address that the launch of the National Tutoring Programme. 

The power of tutoring

As the leader of a charity that has provided tutoring support for young people facing disadvantage for over ten years, you’d be forgiven for thinking I’m biased towards tutoring. But I have reason to be: tutoring is a tangible and effective intervention, yielding significant academic improvements for pupils beyond regular school lessons.

Small group tutoring has been found to contribute an average of five months of academic progress to a child’s education, according to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) – one of the key pieces of evidence that led to the government introducing the National Tutoring Programme to try and mitigate the covid damage.

Despite still being a big believer in the value of tutoring, I would be the first to say that I’ve had many frustrations with the implementation of the National Tutoring Programme over the last three years and still do: not least that it has lost its focus on supporting those facing disadvantage, group sizes have been increased beyond the evidence base, the administration has been complicated and in the context of extremely challenging school budgets it’s been hard to be sure the NTP is really providing additional support. 

But I’m certainly not giving up on the potential that exists for those facing disadvantage to benefit hugely from tutoring. A recent report by Public First, The Future of Tutoring, has shown that tutoring has spill over effects beyond academic performance, including increasing confidence, driving attendance, and improving the mental health of pupils.

For many pupils, it’s bringing the joy back into learning:

“I enjoy that our tutors teach us through games, learning and having fun”

a pupil on an Action Tutoring programme said

Teachers in schools with higher levels of deprivation were more likely to report the impact tutoring could have. Furthermore, the report revealed that parents are in full support of tutoring too. 81 percent of parents polled said tutoring should be available to every child in state school or college and 73% said this should be focused on those from low-income backgrounds.

Levelling the playing field beyond results day

For the NTP to embed longer term, funding is a key issue. Results of the teacher polling in the Public First report highlighted clearly that without continued ring fenced funding for tutoring, uptake would seriously diminish. Yet with the damaging effects of covid far from over, now is not the time to reduce the support available for those that need it.

That’s why the Public First report calls for a ‘Tutoring Guarantee’ – a commitment for all pupils eligible for the pupil premium who are behind in English or maths to be offered a course of high quality tutoring. This would benefit approximately 1.75m disadvantaged pupils per year. With those crucial English and maths qualifications in their pockets, the doors open for these young people will be significantly widened. The benefits of that on their lives as well as wider society cannot be underestimated. 

To the GCSE candidates and teachers: your achievements are a testament to your spirit and perseverance during this unprecedented period. Congratulations on this milestone!

GCSE Results Day: Celebrating the successes of the Class of 2023

Results day is one of the most critical days on the education calendar. Across the country today, candidates are receiving the outcome of the GCSE exams and considering the next stage of their lives – further education, training, or employment.

As an education charity that supports thousands of pupils in secondary schools each year, we appreciate firsthand the efforts and resilience of the cohort getting their results today. The pandemic dealt them a harsh hand, having to experience learning loss and disruption like never before in the last three years.

This cohort spent their years 8 and 9 learning through the Covid-19 lockdowns, with many reportedly struggling with post-pandemic school attendance and mental health challenges.

After years of hard work and determination in getting their learning right, the outcome is finally here. This morning, we visited schools in Merseyside, Newcastle, Bristol, and Sheffield to share in the excitement of results day and applaud the efforts of all the pupils we’ve supported through tutoring in the past year.

Let’s celebrate the successes and resilience of the Class of 2023!

The power of lived experiences

At the Prescot School in Liverpool, Rhiannan and her family were excited about the outcome of her maths GCSE. Achieving a 4 in maths despite her learning difficulty with comprehending the subject is a win for Rhiannan, expressing her excitement about going on to study French, graphics, and 3D design in college.

“I can do what I want in college now that I have my maths GCSE. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Action Tutoring.”

Rhiannan

Rhiannan received maths tutoring throughout the 2022-23 academic year, attending 13 sessions with her tutor, Rajinder – who also struggled with maths comprehension in the past.

Rhiannan’s mother, Lorraine, said she owes her daughter’s success to the tutoring support from Rajinder in the past year.

‘They were bouncing off each other. Thank you all for your help with everything. I hope you carry on your work with this school because it does work – it’s been a godsend.

Lorraine

Tutoring made a difference

At the Longbenton School in Newcastle upon Tyne, Kwadwo is happy with his results. He secured a 4 in maths and shared his gratitude to Action Tutoring for the tailored maths support he received in the last year.

Kwadwo had a strong attendance record for tutoring sessions – turning up for 26 tutoring sessions in total last year and this year. He is excited about going on to sixth form to study product design.

“Thank you for helping me pass my maths GCSE.”

Kwadwo

Good to have support

Hafsa and Frankie are beaming with smiles and ‘feeling great’ about their GCSE results at the Fairfield High School in Bristol. They are both proceeding to sixth form.

Hafsa is going on to read human biology, psychology, and criminology while Frankie pursues psychology, sociology, and photography.

“It’s good to have one-on-one support and more in-depth help. You don’t have to be ashamed for not knowing something, you can just say it to the tutor and they’ll help you.”

Frankie

Definitely worth it

At King Ecgbert School in Sheffield, Casper is pleased with his results. Having received English tutoring in 13 sessions last year, he scored a 4 in English language, a 5 in literature, and a 4 in maths.

“I’d say a big thank you. Going to those sessions really helped me and was definitely worth it. For an hour after school, it would be really easy to choose to skip it, but it could be the difference between a 3 and a 4.”

Casper

Looking upbeat after seeing his results, Chris at King Ecgbert was full of gratitude to his maths tutor.

“I’d say thank you to my tutor if they were here.”

Chris

Chris scored a 4 in his maths GCSE plus a 5 in English language and 6 in literature.

Be proud of yourself

The results and emotions in the schools we visited and across the country show that an incredible amount of hard work was invested by candidates into the GCSE qualification. All young people receiving their results today deserve immense credit for what they have achieved.

To the GCSE candidates and teachers: your achievements today are a testament to your spirit and perseverance during this unprecedented time in the history of education. Be proud of yourself and your hard work and remember you are worth more than your grades. 

Congratulations on this momentous day!

Volunteer in Coventry school for one hour a week

Action Tutoring is delighted to announce its first face-to-face programme in Coventry!

This academic year we’re partnering with Whitmore Park Primary School to provide disadvantaged pupils with support in maths and English.

We’re looking for four English tutors and four maths tutors to volunteer at Whitmore Park Primary School for one hour a week. Read on to find out what your support would mean, and how to get involved. 

Why volunteer in Coventry?

Approximately 31% of Coventry children live in low income families (after housing costs). Children from low-income families are statistically less likely to achieve a passing grade in their maths and English GCSEs. They’re also less likely to achieve the grades at the end of primary school that will help them stand a fighting chance of keeping up in secondary school.

Action Tutoring first expanded its reach to Coventry in 2021 as part of its strategy to support children outside of bigger urban centres, like London and Birmingham. 

We have an ambition for 30% of our delivery to be happening in these locations through our online model in three years’ time. To be able to provide face-to-face tutoring opportunities for these children, we need to engage local volunteers.

What difference can I make? 

That’s where Action Tutoring volunteers come in. Disadvantaged pupils supported by our volunteers consistently outperform the national percentage of this group achieving expected standards in their SATs exams.

In 2021-22, pupils supported by Action Tutoring were 8 percentage points more likely to achieve expected standards in maths and 8 percentage points more in English, too.

“Our children have gained so much confidence and enjoyment of maths thanks to Action Tutoring. Children talk so positively about their sessions and we have had very positive feedback from parents. We can see the children making progress in their sessions and the impact it has on their work in the classroom.”

Deputy Headteacher, London primary school

How do the volunteer programmes work?

Our volunteer tutors support between one and three pupils for one hour a week. Usually the sessions take place before, during or after school. 

Action Tutoring provides tutor workbooks, which contain everything you need to plan and tutor each session. For in-school programmes like Whitmore Park, a staff member (Programme Coordinator) will be there to oversee the session and provide any support needed.

What kind of volunteer community would I be joining?

We’re proud that our diverse group of volunteers range in age from 18 to 82, and are a mix of university students, retired professionals, working professionals and many others. 

As well as having access to our tutor workbooks, you’d have access to our ongoing training sessions, called “Bright Ideas”. We want to foster a community of volunteers where we learn from and grow with each other.

“Since starting my volunteering, I have learnt that you are never too old to learn new skills. I now have greater confidence with technology and a greater understanding of how to communicate with children and young people in an academic environment.”

Elaine Mitchell, retired volunteer from Wolverhampton

How can I sign up to volunteer in Coventry, or elsewhere?

You can sign up on our volunteer page. Once you’ve expressed your interest, you can get started in three simple steps:

1. Complete the application form (this should take around 15 minutes)
2. If accepted, we’ll invite you to an online training session to share all the introductory information you need
3. We’ll then process a DBS check for you (you need this to work with children in the UK). 

Once that’s processed, you’ll be all set to sign up to a programme of your choice. We also partner with schools in London, Bristol, Sussex, Birmingham, Nottingham, Merseyside and Cheshire, Sheffield, Newcastle and County Durham. If you’re not based in any of these locations, you can volunteer as a tutor online. 

Questions?

Contact our friendly team at hello@actiontutoring.org.uk.

Action Tutoring wins £1,000 Movement for Good Award

Action Tutoring has been selected to receive a £1,000 donation as part of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards. This gesture was made possible by nominations from the public, showcasing the widespread recognition and support for the education charity’s valuable work.

Now in its fifth year, Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards aims to contribute over £1 million to various charities. Action Tutoring’s selection highlights its commitment to empowering young learners and making a positive impact on their education and life chances.

Expressing gratitude for this recognition, Head of Philanthropy at Action Tutoring, Hannah O’Neill said,

“We are immensely grateful to everyone who nominated us for the Movement for Good Award. It is heart-warming to see the public’s belief in our mission and our positive impact. This award is a recognition of the dedication of our team, volunteers, and supporters who work tirelessly to improve outcomes for disadvantaged young people.”

The funds will be directed toward providing additional workbooks and training more volunteer tutors to support young people in maths and English. The donation translates into the equivalence of purchasing 166 workbooks or training over 300 tutors online.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive at Benefact Group, said:

“We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”

With the continued funding and support from organisations like the Benefact Group, Action Tutoring can continue making a significant difference in the lives of disadvantaged young people, fostering a brighter future for generations.

Action Tutoring provides tailored maths and English tuition to pupils facing disadvantage in Years 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11 to pass their SATs and GCSEs. Trained volunteers tutor pupils through weekly one-hour sessions, online or face-to-face in partner schools.