Volunteer while you study
Join our community of students bridging the attainment gap, one tutoring session at a time. Gain classroom experience, give back to your community, and develop the skills employers value most.
Need to complete placement hours for your degree? Visit our university placements page.
Register interest PlacementsWhy we need you
In the UK, only 44% of disadvantaged pupils pass their English and maths GCSEs, compared to 73% of their peers. This is the “attainment gap.” As a university student, you are the perfect role model to help close it.
- Rewarding: See your pupils’ confidence grow every single week.
- Flexible: 1 hour a week, online or in-person.
- Supportive: Full training and workbooks provided – no lesson planning.
What’s in it for you?
- Stand out to employers: Gain leadership, communication, and time-management skills that look great on a UCAS personal statement or LinkedIn profile.
- Expenses covered: We value your time. We reimburse travel expenses up to £5 per session for in-person tutoring.
- Professional safeguarding: We provide and pay for your enhanced DBS check—a vital qualification for any future role working with young people.
- Wellbeing and purpose: Volunteering helps to improve our student tutors’ sense of purpose and helps them feel more connected to their local community.
Build a standout CV
Skills for any career
Tutoring is a masterclass in professional development. By managing your own sessions, you will develop:
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Communication: Learning to break down concepts into digestible steps is a highly sought-after skill.
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Adaptability: Pupils in your group might not learn the same way. You’ll learn to think on your feet and pivot your approach in real-time.
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Leadership and motivation: You aren’t just a tutor; you are a mentor. You’ll learn how to build rapport, set goals, and inspire confidence in others.
Test-driving teaching
Thinking about a PGCE or a career in education, but not sure if the classroom is for you? Our model offers a low-stakes, high-support environment to find out.
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Gain insight: Get a realistic look at the English school system, from school culture to pupil dynamics.
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Skip the lesson planning: Because we provide the workbooks and structured curriculum, you can focus entirely on your pedagogy (the art of teaching).
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Experience for applications: Admissions tutors for teacher training often look for a minimum amount of school-based experience. We provide you with the hours, a professional reference, and specific “classroom stories” you can use in your interviews.
Being exposed to pupils of different ages within a school environment gives you experiences that cannot be gained elsewhere. Volunteering was a great opportunity to develop skills, such as learning to adapt to different school systems, learning to communicate in a clear and effective manner and time management, to name a few.
The programme coordinators are always friendly, super approachable, and have been extremely supportive with any enquiries I’ve had. They host weekly post-session debriefs where you get a chance to share how the session went, meet fellow tutors, discuss any issues you might have faced, and receive feedback.
I’ve been able to see a variety of pupils from different schools all across England and gain a better understanding of the mind of a child, and how absorbent they are!
Information for international students
We welcome students from all over the world! Our tutoring roles are officially categorised as volunteering, not “voluntary work.” This means you can typically volunteer with us without it counting towards your weekly 20-hour work limit.
Register your interest
Whether you’re looking to boost your employability, give back to your local community, or take your first steps into a teaching career, we’d love to have you on board.
If you have any questions, you can contact us at volunteer@actiontutoring.org.uk.
