Steve, KS 4 Director at St Ursula’s Convent School
Historically, maths results at St Ursula’s had been weaker than other subjects. The school leadership was determined to drive rapid internal improvements. A key part of this strategy involved identifying an external intervention that could specifically accelerate progress for Pupil Premium (PP) pupils in Key Stage 4.
The school required a partner that could deliver both academic rigour and holistic support for their most vulnerable learners. Having seen Action Tutoring’s track record at a previous school, the leadership team identified the EEF-partnered programme as a high-quality, cost-effective alternative to expensive private tutoring.
On the decision to partner
“I had worked with Action Tutoring at a previous school and knew they had a proven track record. We were looking for a partner that supported not just academic outcomes, but also the holistic needs and wellbeing of our most vulnerable pupils. When researching alternatives, individual private tutors can be an expensive route; Action Tutoring, particularly through their partnership with the EEF, provided a high-quality, affordable way to support our pupils.”
On quality and trust
“When discussing the programme with my colleagues, I was confident in the quality of the intervention. The tutors are well-vetted, knowledgeable, and come from a reliable organisation. They have the strong subject backgrounds required to teach the specific areas where our pupils need the most support.”
On pupil confidence and wellbeing
“The most significant change I’ve noticed is a boost in pupil confidence. The pupils are aware of the internal challenges we’ve faced in improving maths attainment, and they see this intervention as a tangible sign that the school is actively listening and investing in them. It makes them feel valued. This cumulative effort—combining external intervention with internal teaching—has helped them feel more capable in the subject.”
On teacher workload and logistics
“The Programme Coordinators are super helpful, acting as a vital conduit between the tutors and the school. From a workload perspective, it is incredibly helpful that I can arrive first thing, ensure the session is running, and then leave it in the PC’s hands after 15 minutes. Knowing there is a trusted adult in the room and that things will run smoothly allows me to get on with my day.”
On the Ofsted experience
“Ofsted visited an Action Tutoring session specifically to see what the school was doing to drive achievement for PP pupils in maths. Even though attendance wasn’t full, the inspectors could see we were making progress with harder-to-reach families. I was able to explain how the Action Tutoring baseline assessment helps us identify and target specific skill gaps. This was a key lever in us securing a ‘Strong Standard’ for Achievement.”
