Sustaining the momentum: Action Tutoring in a post-NTP world

On 17th July, our final tutoring session funded by the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) took place for us here at Action Tutoring. We are now reflecting on the NTP’s significant impact on education in the UK, and for us as an organisation, and planning for the next stage of our development following its conclusion. We’ve often said that we were here long before the NTP and we’ll be here long afterwards. Disappointed as we are that it’s not continuing, that remains true! 

The birth and achievements of the NTP

In June 2020, Action Tutoring was asked by Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee at the time, to give live evidence to the Committee’s inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on education and children’s services. Our contribution played a significant role in the subsequent creation of the NTP. Its primary goal initially was to provide additional support to pupils, particularly those who were facing disadvantage, who were most affected by school closures. The programme’s reach was substantial: between November 2020 and May 2024, over 5.6 million tutoring courses were started nationwide.

There’s no doubt that such a number is a significant achievement and despite some of the implementation challenges of the NTP, it has clearly demonstrated that it is possible to roll out and deliver tutoring at scale nationwide. The potential of this should not be underestimated. 

Action Tutoring and the NTP

For Action Tutoring, the NTP has been transformative. It enabled us to:

1. Triple in size, expanding our reach to more pupils than ever before.
2. Implement virtual delivery methods, allowing us to continue supporting pupils even during lockdowns and in harder to reach locations. 
3. Become a truly national organisation, extending our services to areas previously beyond our reach, from Cumbria to Devon

We’ve reached more than 20,000 individual pupils since the NTP started. Some of these pupils took part over more than one academic year, and some benefited from tutoring in both English and maths. Collectively, these pupils received more than 248,000 tutoring sessions. In this time, approximately 69% of pupils we worked with were eligible for the Pupil Premium. We’re especially proud that although the Pupil Premium target for the NTP was disappointingly removed in the second year, we exceeded their original 65% target and have remained relentlessly focused on supporting pupils facing disadvantage.

Our advocacy for an extension

Having been at the forefront of calls for the introduction of the NTP, were then also at the forefront of efforts to extend the NTP, highlighting several crucial factors:

1. The attainment gap is now at its widest in a decade, emphasising the ongoing need for targeted support.
2. The educational needs that prompted the NTP’s creation have not disappeared.
3. Extremely robust evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of tutoring in improving educational outcomes. In fact, tutoring ranks among the best-evidenced interventions schools can use.
4. The sector has built up a huge amount of tutoring infrastructure and knowledge. The result was a working tutoring programme – undoing all of this would waste significant resources and expertise.

Looking ahead

We know that the public purse is under huge pressure, with challenging decisions being made and we know that the fiscal environment was a major factor in why the NTP hasn’t been extended. This is despite the many calls from the sector about the role it can play in tackling the attainment gap. However, while the NTP has ended, our mission continues. We’re hugely grateful that numerous funders have stepped in to support our work, recognising the ongoing need for educational support, and helping us keep costs low for schools.

We remain hopeful that over the next parliament, there will be a renewed commitment to funded tutoring for disadvantaged pupils. The positive impact of the NTP showed what’s possible when resources are directed towards closing the attainment gap. 

You can read more about the benefits teachers, pupils and education leads see in the Guardian article that Action Tutoring featured in earlier this month:

We plan to work with others in the sector to convene two reports to publish in early 2025, building on our tutoring advocacy work. One will look at lessons learnt from the NTP and the other will outline what a future tutoring policy could look like – watch this space! 

The end of the NTP marks a significant moment in UK education. At Action Tutoring, we’re committed to building on its legacy, continuing to provide vital support to pupils who need it most. We call on policymakers, educators, and communities to join us in ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

‘Thank you’ for another amazing year

Thank you – it’s been another amazing year of growth at Action Tutoring.

We’re delighted to have worked with more than 6,000 pupils this year across our programmes, delivering 61,685 pupil sessions. We’re particularly pleased to have expanded our reach to work with schools in areas including Cumbria, Devon and Hartlepool.
In addition:

• We have delivered more than 7,000 tutoring courses, with nearly 1,000 pupils having tutoring in both English and maths
• 36,000 learning hours were accessed by our maths pupils
• 25,450 learning hours were recorded by our English pupils.

It is fantastic to see this volume of tutoring taking place this year. A huge well done to all involved! 

It’s not just our pupils who have enjoyed the last academic year within our community. Read on to find some of the many highlights we’ve all been part of.

Just some of these highlights include:

• 12 years of tutoring success, highlighted by our birthday event at Drapers’ Hall
• Great results including how our tutoring sessions have helped close the achievement gap, as detailed in January’s impact report
• Recognising the contribution of our various vital volunteer tutor award winners. Meet some of them here.
• Celebrating our volunteer tutors’ and charity representatives’ achievements as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Awards.

But once again, our hearts have truly been melted by the thanks and praise from our pupils. So, how best to reflect on another positive year at Action Tutoring? By taking a look at just some of the lovely tributes paid to their tutors, below, of course.

Looking forward to the year ahead

It’s always so lovely to receive such amazing feedback from our pupils through wonderful thank you notes like those above. We really appreciate how our volunteer community supports our pupils throughout the academic year. Your endless efforts to help the lives of children facing disadvantage are incredible. You are a great part of young people being able to experience the joy of learning.

We are certainly very excited to see what 2024-25 will bring for us. In light of a new Labour education team, we are looking forward to seeing opportunities this may present for tutoring. We’re also looking forward to welcoming more of you to (hopefully) become volunteer tutors with us.

So, are you ready to share in the experience of a pupil saying, ‘I get it’ and volunteer? If so, find out more by clicking the link below.

Summer policy and advocacy update

As the dust begins to settle following a momentous election, the education policy landscape is poised for significant change. Disappointingly, education didn’t feature highly in the election debates, but the pledge to recruit 6,500 teachers has already been making headline news over the weekend. We know that Labour has the potential to reshape key parts of our educational system in profound ways. I was fascinated to read this piece by Ed Dorrell at Public First talking not so much about specific policies but about the different mindsets and approaches that a Labour Government could bring to education. Well worth a read!  

We were disappointed that the Labour manifesto didn’t make a specific tutoring commitment (it was however in the Liberal Democrat manifesto); neither was there anything specific on tackling the attainment gap, now at its widest in over a decade. However, that’s not to say there wasn’t plenty in there relevant to our work and to give reason for optimism. 

Teachers, teachers, teachers

“As we all know at Action Tutoring, great teachers are at the bedrock of a strong school system and education for all pupils” – Susannah Hardyman, Action Tutoring founder and CEO

With a new look team in place, all eyes in education will be on Bridget Phillipson, the new Education Secretary, to see how Labour’s education pledges manifest in practice. Top of her inbox and making headlines even today is the pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers. In addition, Catherine McKinnell has been announced as an education minister. At time of writing, her exact remit is yet to be confirmed. We had a great meeting with Catherine in April this year, so we are pleased to continue this relationship.

Otherwise, as we well know at Action Tutoring, great teachers are the bedrock of a strong school system and education for all pupils. We’ve seen first hand in recent years the huge challenges our schools have faced to recruit and retain them. However, there’s been criticism that there has been little detail on how this will be achieved – one to watch. This policy has garnered major support, emerging as the most popular education pledge during the campaign.

The all important early years

“This isn’t just about childcare – but the learning and education that is so crucial to children’s development, ensuring gaps don’t open up early on” – Susannah Hardyman, Action Tutoring founder and CEO

Starting even earlier though, we know Labour have a real interest in tackling the issues that can emerge right at the beginning of a child’s life, with a pledge to open an additional 3,300 nurseries by upgrading space in primary schools, to deliver the extension of government-funded hours families are entitled to. This isn’t just about childcare – but the learning and education that is so crucial to children’s development, ensuring gaps don’t open up early on.

You can’t learn if you’re hungry

Children can’t learn or concentrate well if they’re hungry and with child poverty significantly on the rise in the last few years, a key Labour pledge throughout the campaign has been to propose free breakfast clubs in all primary schools. Labour’s manifesto commits to spending £315 million on this initiative by 2028-29, although details of the implementation model remain unclear. Here at Action Tutoring, we’re excited about the possibility of linking our early morning tutoring programmes more closely with breakfast clubs, something we’ll be exploring over the coming months.

It all needs funding…

“We know Labour is coming in fiscally conservative, so it remains to be seen if more will be done to improve the overall state of school funding” – Susannah Hardyman, Action Tutoring founder and CEO

It won’t surprise readers to know that school funding remains a hot topic. Another pressing item in Bridget’s inbox will be whether the teacher pay rise will be fully funded this year and how to address school funding falling in real terms since 2010, plus the fact that the Pupil Premium has not been uprated in line with inflation. 

We know Labour is coming in fiscally conservative, so it remains to be seen if more will be done to improve the overall state of school funding. Disappointingly, school spending ranked just seventh, at 15%, when asking the public about spending preferences for government funding in a survey carried out by Public First. Understandably, a large preference (68%) was given to increasing NHS funding, but this highlights a significant challenge for organisations such as ourselves, who will always remain strong advocates of education investment – not least because a well educated workforce is the future of the economy. 

What about the curriculum?

Other areas to look out for over the coming months include a comprehensive curriculum review, focusing on fostering creativity, digital literacy and communication skills to equip young people with the tools needed for success in life and work, beyond the education system. The curriculum went through major reforms under the last Conservative government, not least the introduction of phonics in reception and KS1, but for many the return to a focus on oracy skills will be welcome.

Mental health – a pressing challenge of our times

Having recognised the critical link between mental health and educational success, in tandem with the mental health crisis that has fallen on pupils following the pandemic, Labour has pledged to employ mental health support staff in every school. This is an initiative which is part of a broader community-wide approach to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), which includes the establishment of accessible drop-in hubs offering community-based mental health support for children and young people. Funding for school mental health services was a major priority among the public during the campaign and it’s hugely popular with teachers too, as shown in this Teacher Tapp poll. 

And post-school

Finally, what about post-school? There are plans to reform post-16 education with a pledge to guarantee training, apprenticeships, or job support for all 18 to 21-year-olds and create ‘Skills England’ to unite businesses, training providers and government to develop a highly trained workforce. 

What next for Action Tutoring

“Delivery of tutoring programmes is at the heart of what we do; we also have so much to contribute and influence more widely in the education landscape” – Susannah Hardyman, Action Tutoring founder and CEO

Advocacy has been a pillar of our strategy since 2022, recognising that while our delivery of tutoring programmes is at the heart of what we do, we have so much to contribute and influence more widely in the education landscape from all we’ve learnt over the last 12 years, to ultimately help us achieve our mission. We know public funding is very tight, but we hope for the next parliament, a commitment to funded tutoring for those from disadvantaged backgrounds could be back on the agenda. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to the following:

• Taking part in panels at Labour and Liberal Democrat Party conferences in September hosted by the Educational Policy Institute (EPI) and alongside our sector friends Get Further, Tutor Trust and Impetus.
• Working with Public First on two new reports looking at the lessons learned from the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) and a tutoring policy proposal (‘Tutoring Guarantee’) for the newly-elected Labour Party, with the aim of launching these early in 2025.
• Re-mapping all of our MP contacts and inviting local MPs to visit tutoring programmes in schools in their constituencies, so we can show them first-hand the difference we make and build up a fresh base of supportive MPs.
• Working with friends in the sector to engage Ministers, the Education Select Committee and the Department for Education, building relationships with the new teams and ensuring that tutoring doesn’t leave the agenda.
• Continuing to chair the Fair Education Alliance Tuition Advocacy Group, a network of charities passionate about the potential of tutoring to tackle the attainment gap.

Find out more and keep up to date

Enjoyed this blog? Read our current policy newsletter here or sign up to future editions via the newsletter subscription button below (Tick ‘learning about education inequality’).

Fundraisers take on the Bristol 10k for disadvantaged pupils

Five formidable fundraisers completed the Bristol 10k to raise crucial funds for pupils facing disadvantage across England.

Over 15,000 participants took on the route, passing stunning views and famous graffiti murals, whilst pushing their physical limits.

Read on to hear why our fundraisers took on this challenge to support the cause.

Dedicated support team

Our runners enjoyed some fantastic support on the day.

Staff from various departments of our organisation turned up to support, including Senior Bristol Programme Coordinator, Chloe, Senior Engagement Coordinator, Abby and Bristol and Sussex Programme Manager, Rachel.

Chloe reflects on the buzzing atmosphere of the day.

It was brilliant cheering on the runners at the Bristol 10k! There’s always such a great energy on the day, from both runners and supporters. – Chloe

Abby made a race day poster for Freya. It wasn’t just for cheering her on. The poster, which Freya loves, now holds a pride of place on her bedroom wall!

Dad and daughter duo

Freya, our Senior Bristol Programme Coordinator, teamed up with her dad, David, to conquer the race. It was a fantastic experience they’ll both cherish.

The race was much better than I expected! I was really happy that I achieved my goal of not stopping to walk. It was so good to run with my dad and to see the other fundraisers after the race. – Freya

Being mindful of the heat, Freya’s advice to future runners is to make sure you keep hydrated!

It was really hot and we didn’t know when we ran past the water station that there wasn’t going to be another one, so my advice to future fundraisers would be to grab two water bottles because you never know if there’s another water station on the route! – Freya

Fundraising success!

The team of five raised an incredible £955.17, rising to £1175.93 with Gift Aid!

This amount could provide a year of face-to-face tutoring for 2 pupils. It could also provide 203 high quality workbooks for face-to-face tutors.

Congratulations to our five fantastic fundraisers who worked tirelessly to raise funds for our pupils by running the Bristol 10k. Our vision is a world in which no child’s life chances are limited by their socio-economic background. We couldn’t achieve this vision without you, thank you! – Hannah O’Neill, Head of Philanthropy

Get involved

Do you want to get involved in a fundraising challenge for us? We might just have the opportunity for you!

We’re currently looking for fundraisers to join our team for the London-Brighton Cycle Ride (55 miles) in September. Contact our Fundraising Coordinator, Molly, at molly.cottrill@actiontutoring.org.uk, or sign up via the link below!