#BackToSchool – How Action Tutoring is preparing for the autumn term
The new autumn term is fast approaching and we couldn’t be more excited to continue our work and support more disadvantaged pupils to progress academically around the country this year!
The summer break was an opportunity to reflect on our work and the impact we had, plan our autumn activities and make sure we are fully equipped so we can support our pupils in the best possible way.
Our teams in action! How are we preparing for the autumn term?
Action Tutoring is made up of multiple teams: the Programme team, Marketing and Communications, Impact and Quality, HR and Operations and our Senior Management Team.
The Programme team’s role is crucial in ensuring the smooth delivery of tutoring in our partner schools. They work closely with our tutors and are there to support and make sure the programmes run successfully on the ground.
Here’s what Hannah, our Programme Coordinator in Newcastle, has to say about the new term approaching:
‘’Like a lot of people who work in education, the summer break for a Programme Coordinator is a mix of wrapping up the loose ends from the previous academic year and mapping out what the next will look like.
I’m moving into my second year working for Action Tutoring, so I feel much more equipped to plan for my upcoming programmes, pulling together everything I learnt last year and all the brilliant tips from my colleagues.
I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running with schools who are continuing working with us from last year, which will make a lovely smooth transition, as well as getting to know some new schools, including my first secondary school face-to-face tutoring programme!’’
Our Marketing and Communications team work to raise our profile and recruit high-quality volunteers through partnerships, social media, our website and localised recruitment. Once a tutor has applied, they ensure through communications that volunteers are able to progress through their tutoring journey as smoothly as possible..
Summer for the Marketing and Recruitment team is a chance to reflect on our volunteer recruitment strategies for the first six months of the new school year and start putting them into action.
We’re working towards attracting as many volunteers as possible to take part in our autumn term programmes, and make the transition into the new year as smooth as possible for all of the pupils who are excited to meet their tutor!
How do we ensure our programmes have impact? That’s where our Impact and Quality team come in. They ensure that our programmes meet our high standards and are making a measurable impact on the pupils we work with. They create and tailor the maths and English resources volunteers use, lead tutor training sessions, and develop our online programmes.
Our Senior Training and Quality Coordinator, CJ, says:
‘’Over the school summer holidays, I’ve been leading on a project to refresh our online tutoring resources, giving them a new look for the new academic year.
As well as adding Action Tutoring’s new branding, we’re implementing good practice we’ve learned about dyslexia and visual accessibility, which we hope will improve the pupil and tutor experience of using our resources.
I’m really proud of the project team who has made this happen – mostly our brilliant Programme Coordinators, who have picked up the design skills needed for the task really quickly. I’m looking forward to seeing pupils and tutors using the new resources in action!’’
Leo is our Online Programmes Manager and also part of the Impact and Quality team.
When asked how he is preparing for new academic year, he said:
I’m using feedback from our volunteers and staff to make small changes to the online programme and our platform, Vedamo, to try to make our online offering effective as possible for pupils.
‘’I’m feeling positive about the new academic year and confident that we can use the learnings from last year to have an even more impactful year. I am most looking forward to visiting our online programmes to see how pupils are engaging with the new design of our online resources.’’
Last but definitely not least, our Hr and Operations team ensures that we are fully equipped and supported when it comes to safeguarding policies, finances, organising internal and external events and keeping everything up to date.
Our HR & Operations administrator, Sav says:
‘’In the run up to the new school year, the HR and Operations team are often busy with the onboarding of new Programme Coordinators and ensuring that our operational processes are up to speed. This summer has been particularly hectic in this regard with numerous aspects needing updating to reflect the organisational growth!
As a result, I would say that the area of my job that I am most looking forward to is all of the calls from prospective tutors looking to get signed up to new programmes. These calls regularly give me an opportunity to slow down and enjoy a conversation with someone that is really passionate about volunteering. This often leads to the sharing of tutoring experiences and classroom stories, which is a welcome change from being faced with logistical challenges and red tape!’’
Our focuses this term
Build solidarity in our communities
The ultimate goal is to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers.
Evidence suggests that tutoring is highly effective in a pupil’s learning progress, but only 18% of disadvantaged young people have been able to receive tuition support during the pandemic, compared to the 43% of pupils from more affluent backgrounds.
We want to make sure our work has an impact on the lives of the pupils we work with, and that we can support as many pupils as possible. That’s why this term we want to build solidarity in our communities, inspire more to join our cause and grow our volunteering group so that more disadvantaged young people can receive high-quality additional support.
Expand our reach by partnering with more schools
In addition, we are looking forward to expanding our partnership with more schools across the country. Since 2012, when Action Tutoring was registered as a charity, we have provided tutoring for over 6,700 primary school pupils and over 12,500 secondary school pupils.
We understand the demands and pressures that schools are under, especially after the pandemic. Get in touch with us to learn more or apply by completing this form.
Be there for our pupils
The new autumn term is another opportunity we have to be there for our pupils. We want to make sure our volunteer tutors have the support and resources they need so that sessions are not only educational, but also welcoming and safe for all pupils.
Our volunteers are not only educators, but also serve as role models, motivating pupils to overcome learning barriers and achieve their potential in life. As they come from a whole range of backgrounds, including university students, working employees and retired professionals, tutors can empathise and understand the additional struggles of pupils from low-income families.
At Action Tutoring we believe the emotional well-being of pupils is as equally important as their academic progress.
Get involved
At Action Tutoring we believe that inclusive and equal education opportunities for all children, no matter their socioeconomic status, leads to a brighter future for everyone.
We are proud to have created a strong community of inspiring volunteers, who are crucial in our mission to reach more disadvantaged pupils and offer tailored academic support. All our volunteers receive mandatory induction training, complete the necessary safeguarding checks and receive additional resources and ongoing support from the team to help them develop as tutors.
Read our FAQs to learn more about our charity and how we work.
To reach even more pupils, we need more volunteers.
