Our advocacy and policy work
Advocacy has been central to Action Tutoring’s strategy since 2022, when it was established as one of our four strategic priorities. We are dedicated to securing cross-party support to make state-funded tutoring a permanent fixture of the UK education system.
With the attainment gap at its widest point in over a decade, we actively engage with politicians and policymakers to advocate for pupils facing disadvantage. Following the conclusion of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) in July 2024, our advocacy efforts have focussed on building a robust evidence base to prove that high-quality, targeted intervention is essential for closing the attainment gap.
In 2024-25 we maintained a high-profile presence at major political events, including the Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences.
Partnering with the Education Policy Institute and sector peers, we joined critical panel discussions focussed on pandemic-related learning loss and the necessity of a sustained national recovery strategy.
Additionally, we submitted extensive evidence to the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, providing expert insights into improving maths and English outcomes for the most vulnerable learners.
A landmark moment in our advocacy work took place in April 2025 when we jointly published the important report, Past lessons, future visions: Evolving state-funded tutoring for the future with other sector leaders.
Launched at Portcullis House, Westminster, the report provided rigorous analysis of previous funding schemes and a roadmap for future initiatives that specifically support the education of children and young people who are unable to access the same support as their more affluent peers.
The strength of our advocacy work has significantly boosted the organisation’s credibility and visibility with several Number 10 visits and an explicit Action Tutoring reference during an MP debate, which drew media attention.
We have raised national awareness of the issues faced by the young people we support; strengthened our voice within the sector and laid the groundwork for future influence in educational policy.
Featured reports
Alongside speaking out about changes to the National Tutoring Programme, we’ve also been pleased to sponsor key reports helping to inform the debate around the long-term role tutoring can play in the education system.
In 2025 the ‘Past lessons, future vision‘ report was published in collaboration with Impetus and other education charities. The report drew lessons on how the NTP and 16-19TF were designed, and to outline a set of recommendations for any future state funded tutoring schemes that a future administration may consider.
Previously in 2023 we partnered with The Tutor Trust, Get Further and Impetus to commission Public First to author The Future of Tutoring. The report draws on teacher, parent and pupil views about tutoring, highlights the ‘spillover benefits’ of tutoring including building confidence, attendance and mental health and makes recommendations for a future ‘Tutoring Guarantee’ for pupils.
In 2022, we partnered with Third Space Learning and White Rose Maths to commission the Centre for Education and Youth, which authored a report entitled Levelling up Tutoring, making a series of recommendations for improving, embedding and transforming the NTP.
(Image: at the launch event for ‘Past lessons, future vision’.)
Our latest policy and advocacy news
- Ensuring every child can leave school and progress in life: Action Tutoring’s response to the Schools White Paper
- Beyond the page: Why the ‘National Year of Reading’ must prioritise disadvantaged pupils
- A brighter blueprint for education: Action Tutoring’s take on the curriculum and assessment review response
- Action Tutoring at Labour Party Conference – how tutoring is integral to education and economic growth
- Bridging the gap: how a state-funded tutoring programme can ensure excellence for all
Since the NTP
Action Tutoring was an accredited National Tutoring Programme provider from the programme’s inception until its close. The programme went through some turbulence, not least being overseen by three different organisations (a consortium led by the Education Endowment Foundation, Randstad and Tribal).
Action Tutoring hasn’t been afraid to be vocal when we felt these changes were a deviation from the original aims of the programme. In particular, we were very disappointed when a target for Pupil Premium participation for the programme was removed and when group sizes were increased from 1:3 to 1:6. Our goal has been that the programme remains targeted and impactful, to really benefit those that need the support the most.
(Image: contributing to a panel discussion on how tutoring can help to tackle the attainment gap at the Conservative Party conference 2022.)
History
Since our inception, Action Tutoring has regularly tried to engage local MPs in our work, especially in constituencies where our partner schools are located. We have also followed closely the calls of influential education figures and organisations such as The Sutton Trust and Lee Elliot-Major, who long before the pandemic, were suggesting that the Government should consider funding tutoring for those who could not afford it.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, our work was rapidly thrust into the spotlight. Government and policymakers recognised the strong evidence base of tutoring and became quickly interested in rolling out a tutoring programme to support recovery from the disruption of school closures.
During April – June 2023 we found ourselves regularly featured in the media and invited to speak to policymakers. This culminated in being invited to give evidence to the Government’s Education Select Committee about our work and model.
Shortly after this, the National Tutoring Programme was announced in late June 2020, with £350 million of funding committed for 2020-24.
