Hidden disadvantage, visible impact: Action Tutoring is tackling rural educational challenges

In the realm of educational support, the challenges faced by rural and coastal communities often fly under the radar. While urban areas frequently dominate discussions about educational disadvantage, we at Action Tutoring, also want to shed light on the unique hurdles faced by pupils in more remote locations.

Rural inequity in education is a complex issue, often invisible to traditional metrics like Pupil Premium percentages. It manifests in hidden disadvantage such as families relying on seasonal employment, more limited access to resources and a smaller choice, and therefore competition, of schools.

Recognising this gap, Action Tutoring has expanded its reach to more rural settings in areas such as Devon and Cumbria, and will continue to extend this reach in the coming academic year. This initiative marks a significant step in addressing the educational needs of pupils in rural and coastal areas, bringing targeted support to communities where it’s desperately needed but often overlooked.

A coastal example

Kingsbridge Community College in Devon has worked with Action Tutoring since April 2024. It is one of 5 colleges we now work with in the county. Tina Graham, Principal at Kingsbridge, shared her insights on the transformative impact of their first term with Action Tutoring. She tells of how this partnership is not just boosting academic performance, but also building confidence and engagement among pupils facing unique challenges.

Despite a relatively low Pupil Premium percentage, Kingsbridge faces unique challenges.

“We first started working with Action Tutoring because we liked the ethos of the organisation. The charity uses specifically trained volunteer tutors with a focus on pupils who are facing disadvantage.“

“Because we are located in a rural, coastal town, there is a significant amount of hidden disadvantage. We see lots of families rely on seasonal employment and often families are not eligible for state support but they spend many months of the year in financial hardship. We are continually looking for ways to support the pupils from those families.”

The principal’s enthusiasm for the program is evident. “Our experience of Action Tutoring has been absolutely fantastic. It is a professional and solution-focused organisation. Our programme coordinator, Lauren, has been absolutely phenomenal. She keeps the pupils at the heart of everything and has built fantastic relationships with other members of staff in the college.“

Visible impact on student engagement

The positive effects of tutoring have been remarkable. “We’ve seen a significant boost in student confidence,” Ms Graham notes. “Even initially reluctant pupils are now actively engaging in their work”. This improvement extends beyond tutoring sessions. “Our pupils have responded really well to the tutoring and we have seen a positive impact. Most were well engaged at the start but some really lacked confidence. The tutoring has built this confidence up and we can see that they are much happier and more able to converse with their tutors.

“We have had some pupils who were reluctant to do any work, and reluctant to pick up their pens in their normal lessons but who are now much more able to engage with their work after the tutoring. We also felt that the tutoring gave the Year 10 pupils much more confidence when they came to sit their end of year exams.“

The principle was not the only staff member whom the effects of tutoring had made an impact on. She noted that the English department heads had been monitoring the tutoring closely and were really impressed. “They have both noticed the shift in engagement levels of the pupils who are receiving the support.“

Building lasting relationships

Ms Graham concludes with heartfelt gratitude: “We wholeheartedly recommend Action Tutoring to other colleges. The volunteer tutors have built remarkably strong relationships with our pupils, evident in the pupils’ eagerness to return each week.

“Because of our experience we would absolutely recommend Action Tutoring to other colleges. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the volunteer tutors who have supported our pupils. They have built such strong, remarkable relationships and that is evident in the fact that the pupils want to come back each week.”
Action Tutoring’s success at Kingsbridge Community College demonstrates the power of targeted support in addressing educational disparities, particularly in rural and coastal areas facing hidden disadvantages.

Continuing to reach rural communities

As Action Tutoring expands its partnerships in Devon and other rural areas, we have the potential to make a significant impact on closing the attainment gap in these often-underserved communities. We recognise that equity in education isn’t just about targeting obvious areas of deprivation. It is also about reaching into communities where challenges may be less visible but equally impactful. We are hopeful that this initiative could serve as a model for addressing rural educational inequity on a broader scale.