Our charity community’s plea to the Government: keep funding tutoring

Our CEO and founder, Susannah Hardyman, is calling for Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer to urgently find new funding for the national tutoring programme (NTP). 

Alongside support from leading politicians and headteachers, our charity network is urging for immediate support for the nation’s most disadvantaged pupils.

Why supporting tutoring matters

In July, school leaders united to express their concern over the NTP ending in the same month. They called for renewed government support. 

In figures provided by the National Association of Headteachers: 

• 70% of schools in England receive less funding in real terms than in 2010 – and the attainment gap is at its widest in 12 years. 
• On average, disadvantaged pupils are 19.2 months behind their peers by the end of secondary school. 
• For GCSE pupils in 2023, only 43% of disadvantaged pupils met expected standards compared to 66% of their non-disadvantaged counterparts.

Intervention needed now

Those backing our charity’s mission to continuously campaign for reform is The Rt Hon. the Lord David Blunkett. 

As a former Labour Party MP and ex-Secretary of State for Education and Employment, Lord Blunkett is supporting us as a staunch advocate for substantial and equitable education provision. 

An excellent tool

A fellow politician championing our charity’s cause is Munira Wilson MP.

As a Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham and spokesperson for education, Munira is backing our charity’s call for government funding for the national tutoring programme. 

Having led the parliamentary debate on tutoring provision earlier this year and passionately advocating for its sustained financial backing, Munira is a leading political voice on children and young people’s behalf. This includes calling for free school meals to be offered to an additional 900,000 children living in poverty during the September 2024 Liberal Democrat annual party conference. 

Ensuring no child is left behind

At the heart of our call for sustained funding for the national tutoring programme is our very own CEO, Susannah.

Empowering our staff team for 13 years to deliver powerful impact-based evidence on how and why tutoring works, Susannah believes action to maintain its funding is required now.

The wider picture: 2023-24

In the 2023-24 academic year, Action Tutoring supported more than 6,000 disadvantaged pupils. Key statistics include:

• 1,000 pupils received tutoring for both English and maths.
• More than 7,000 tutoring courses were delivered in total.
• 36,000 learning hours were accessed by maths pupils.
• 25,450 learning hours were recorded by English pupils.

In addition, as you can see from the graphic above:

• In 2023, after attending at least 10 tutoring sessions, 65% of disadvantaged pupils passed their maths GCSE.
• This percentage is compared to 52% of other disadvantaged pupils nationally.

Industry support

Our commitment to providing life-changing tutoring programmes is highlighted by our corporate partnerships.

This includes industry support from partners such as the QBE Foundation. We are extremely grateful to QBE for their £1.5million investment. This helps us to scale-up the access and impact of tutoring to more than 12,000 pupils.

Regional divide

A clear regional divide exists when it comes to exam results. This is true for both North and South and cities compared to rural areas.

As you can see from the graphic above, as of 2022:

• 24.9% of pupil premium pupils in South Yorkshire achieved pass grades.
• 42% of pupil premium pupils in London achieved pass grades.

A headteacher’s call for action

Paul Haigh, Headteacher of King Ecgbert School, Sheffield, which works with Action Tutoring, has suffered declining financial Government support. He witnesses the educational challenges disadvantaged children face every day.

Together, Paul and our charity are calling for action from the new Labour government:

Tackling rural educational challenges

Our tutoring impact

Want to find out more about our impact and why funding should continue for tutoring? Simply read more in our latest impact report – published earlier this year – below:

Hear from our 2023-24 pupils, volunteers and partners

It’s not just our charity which believes funding for tutoring should continue.

Hear from pupils, volunteers and partners during the last academic year in our video below, highlighting how much tutoring has benefited them.

Thank you for your continued support.

My Smoke Ring challenge for Action Tutoring

175 miles, one ripped tyre and a whole lot of learning

Blog written by Action Tutoring’s Nich Bull:

On Friday 5th July this year I took on the challenge of a lifetime – the Smoke Ring 2024; a gruelling 200 mile off-road bike ride around London raising money for Action Tutoring.

The ride is definitely a brutal test. Overall it was a super wet night, constant pedalling for nearly 20 hours, and the significant physical and mental strain that comes with pushing yourself to the limit.

While I didn’t quite make it the full 200 miles, I still managed 175 miles as a ripped tyre forced me to stop around 10 am on Saturday. Disappointment? Sure. But this ride wasn’t just about the finish line. It was a journey of self-discovery, and it taught me some invaluable lessons that I want to share with you.

Resilience and the power of learning from failure

The Smoke Ring was altogether the most challenging thing I have ever done. It certainly pushed me to my absolute physical and mental limits. But you know what? It also shows me the power of resilience and the importance of learning from failure.

Now, I have a year to analyse what went wrong and return stronger next time. Going forward, I will look to prepare different tools and strategies. That’s the beauty (and sometimes frustration) of pushing your boundaries – you learn what works and what doesn’t.

The importance of evidence-based action in overcoming challenges

This experience got me particularly thinking about the importance of resilience and learning from failure in a broader sense – not just for individuals, but also for organisations. Research shows that the best organisations are the ones that embrace failure as a learning opportunity. They take stock of what went wrong, analyse the data, and use that information to improve.

A core Action Tutoring value is basing our work on evidence. We especially focus on analysing our results, even when they’re not what we specifically hoped for. This allows us to constantly improve and make a bigger impact on the lives of the children we serve.

Maybe we all need to get better at embracing evidence-based failure. By learning from our mistakes, we can grow stronger and achieve even greater things.

This Smoke Ring challenge may not have ended with me crossing the finish line, but the journey of learning and growing is far from over. Together, let’s keep pushing forward, embracing challenges, and positively impacting the world.

Support Action Tutoring and keep the journey going

If you feel inspired by Action Tutoring’s mission and Nich’s Smoke Ring challenge, there are a few ways you can get involved:

• Take up a challenge yourself: See a list of our events here or get in contact with our Fundraising Coordinator, Molly, molly.cottrill@actiontutoring.org.uk if you have your own event in mind.
• Corporate partnerships: Are you looking to get your company involved in a cause that matters? See more information here or get in contact with our Corporate Partnerships Manager, Mollie, directly on mollie.vessey@actiontutoring.org.uk.
• Volunteer as a tutor: Share your knowledge and make a real difference in a child’s life. Sign up to volunteer below!

10 formidable fundraisers challenge themselves at the London 10k!

Ten fearless runners have raised over £3,000 for Action Tutoring by taking on the Saucony London 10k.

Cheered on by family and friends, fundraisers completed the flat and urban route, supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds across England.

Read on to find out about how our runners triumphantly crossed the finish line on this fantastic day of fundraising.

Fantastic day at the London 10k

On Sunday 14th July, London’s streets were not filled with the usual traffic. Instead, 13,000 keen runners completed the London 10k, surrounded by sun and blue skies.

Starting in Piccadilly, passing many iconic landmarks, and finishing near Parliament Square, the route was made  for a personal best!

“Running through the beautiful streets of London was an exhilarating experience, and it was made even more special knowing that every step taken was towards supporting Action Tutoring.” – Ashutosh, fundraiser

Booming atmosphere and iconic London 10k route

The London 10k is renowned for its carnival-like atmosphere, and this year’s event was no exception, with roaring music and applauding supporters.

“The atmosphere throughout the run was amazing, people cheering and music blaring was so much fun and helped push me on.” – Eluario, fundraiser

Running past incredible sights like Big Ben, the London Eye, and the River Thames made for an unforgettable experience. Westminster Bridge even brought a welcome surprise!

“Reaching Westminster Bridge and having people shoot water guns to help cool us all down for the last couple of kilometres was a much-needed blessing and so much fun for everyone involved.” – Gabe, staff fundraiser

Best-friend duo

The camaraderie shared between friends can be a powerful motivator for taking on a personal challenge. Running the race as a duo, Gabe and Eluario created a lasting memory as they ran side-by-side.

“Running with one of my best mates made the experience so much better as we were able to push each other.” – Gabe, staff fundraiser

They both attributed their success to the mutual encouragement they provided throughout the race, helping them push through to the finish line.

Keeping the cause in mind

Driven by their commitment to our cause, our runners maintained high motivation and determination throughout their training and on race day.

“Knowing that our efforts will support educational needs for those who require extra help made it all worthwhile.” – Bernard

Not only did they raise vital funds, but our team pushed themselves physically and mentally to achieve their goals.

“Running for such a great cause was a huge motivator, making me push myself to complete the race and finish it in as fast a time as possible.” – Eluario, fundraiser

“This event was not just about pushing my physical limits but also about contributing to a cause close to my heart.” – Ashutosh, fundraiser

Victorious fundraising

All their hard work paid off! The team raised an incredible £3,049.93, rising to £3,321.80 with Gift Aid.

This could provide an incredible 610 high quality pupil workbooks, or online training for 1,071 volunteer tutors.

A huge thank you to QBE, of which Action Tutoring is the UK community partner of their foundation. We are grateful to them for matching the donations of their four runners in this race.

“A huge well done to our team of 10 who took on this personal achievement whilst fundraising for our important work. Our vision is a world in which no child’s life chances are limited by their socio-economic background. We couldn’t achieve this without you. Thank you!” – Hannah O’Neill, Head of Philanthropy

Fundraise for us

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

Contact our Fundraising Coordinator, Molly, at molly.cottrill@actiontutoring.org.uk for a full list of our events. You can also check out our Fundraising Pack for all the ways you can support us.

Some news about our CEO and founder, Susannah

It is with a heavy heart that Action Tutoring announces its CEO, and founder, Susannah Hardyman, will be moving on to become the new CEO of Impetus. We would like to congratulate Susannah on this exciting new opportunity! 

Joining Impetus

Impetus is Action Tutoring’s longest funder, first providing support to our charity in 2014. It is an organisation that we greatly admire and that has enabled Action Tutoring, through its financial investment and unwavering commitment to impact, to grow into the charity it is today. It feels incredibly fitting that Susannah will be bringing her wealth of experience, in both delivery and policy, and inspiring leadership qualities to this organisation. We wish her the very best of luck in her new role and take comfort in knowing she won’t be far away!

Susannah will begin her work at Impetus in January, so we still have plenty of time to reflect on, and celebrate, all that she has achieved at Action Tutoring. Susannah is leaving Action Tutoring in an incredibly strong position including having robust evidence of impact, solid financial footing and an inspiring and energised team. The Board will begin the process to recruit Susannah’s successor shortly.

Thank you

For now though, we would just like to say ‘thank you’. Thank you on behalf of the thousands of pupils’ whose lives you’ve helped change. Thank you from all of the volunteers who’ve benefited from their time tutoring with us and thank you from every staff member, over the last 12 years, that you have led, inspired and enabled to be the best that they can be.

How being a volunteer tutor is more than I could have imagined

Meet Aneeqa. The third year University of Nottingham English student has tutored at Heathfield Primary and Nursery School and Redhill Academy. She told us about her positive experience as an Action Tutoring volunteer English tutor and why people should sign up.

I first heard of Action Tutoring when visiting their stall at my university’s freshers fair. I knew for my final university year, Action Tutoring would be the best place to consolidate my learning. They certainly appealed as, since being a toddler, I’ve always had a teaching passion. 

What teaching means to me

From teaching my stuffed toys and creating imaginary words, my love for tutoring grew from childhood. For me, tutoring means growth, including for the pupils I tutor. My aim is to provide a safe environment where pupils excel in their subject. Giving pupils patience and compassion creates that safe environment.

More than I ever could have imagined

Little did I know, Action Tutoring would teach me more than I could ever have imagined. After an interview and initial training, I secured a volunteer English tutor place; tutoring both online and in person. Since joining Action Tutoring, which supports pupils facing disadvantage with their English and maths education, I’ve learnt so much. The team has provided me with care, many skills and a new teaching outlook. 

Growing together

“By tutoring through topic-focused games, I feel pupils started to recognise I had their best interests at heart.” – Aneeqa

I distinctly remember my first virtual tutoring session in October 2023. Starting at 3:30pm, after a full day’s schooling, the pupils joined, I feel, tired and slightly unfocused. Perhaps they weren’t looking forward to completing another lesson when their friends had already gone home. 

With this in mind, I spoke to Action Tutoring’s Nottingham Programme Coordinator, Niamh Wilson. We produced a plan to help the pupils get back on track. This included creating topic-focused games around what we were learning that day to immerse them within the lesson. From playing hangman with a key word they would learn that day, to longer games pupils co-created, this really helped. 

Working with pupils like this drastically improved their concentration, and the rapport between us. By tutoring this way, I feel pupils started to recognise I had their best interests at heart. I also truly believe it made us work well as a team. 

Challenging social stereotypes through volunteering

“Through volunteer tutoring, Action Tutoring has most importantly given me the greatest gift.” – Aneeqa

I’ve often felt society can be quick to judge and dismiss anyone facing disadvantage. I feel they’re deemed lesser than others and aren’t given the same opportunities to succeed. 

As a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring, this has enabled me to play a small part in removing educational barriers. It’s been fantastic to see what a pupil facing socio-economic disadvantage can achieve. Through volunteering, I have wanted to show pupils they are capable of achieving everything they want in education. A pupil’s background does not define them. 

By signing up to volunteer with Action Tutoring it has also helped me on my path to becoming a teacher. I’m delighted to have been accepted to start on a teacher training programme with Ark Teacher Training in September 2024. Thanks to the Action Tutoring team and what I’ve learnt from the sessions, this feels a great next step. While I have myself to thank, Action Tutoring has also most importantly given me the greatest gift. By tutoring, I have experienced the joy of a pupil saying, ‘I get it’. 

What I’ve learnt

“By volunteering with Action Tutoring, I’ve also learnt you need to be flexible. You need to adapt to how every pupil’s feeling about learning on that day.” – Aneeqa

I reflect on my first tutoring session and laugh at my assumptions on what tutoring would be like. I believed pupils would be attentive and yes, in some ways, they are. Though I’ve learnt as a tutor you have to remember factors beyond your control. 

There’s one vital thing I’ve learnt. To be the best tutor you can for your pupils, you need to understand their feelings. You can’t force them to act or behave a certain way. Action Tutoring has shown for pupils to learn, you need to talk with them, not to them. I’ve also learnt to remember these sessions are there to help pupils, meaning your lesson could go off plan. 

By volunteering with Action Tutoring, I’ve also learnt you need to be flexible. You need to adapt to how every pupil’s feeling about learning on that day. Each pupil learns at their own pace. This means supporting all learning levels so you always include everyone. This is a juggling task I still have to master; being adaptable isn’t easy, for anyone! 

To sign up to become an Action Tutoring volunteer tutor, apply below.