My final reflections

It might sound obvious but you just can’t be all things to all people or address every need out there. A clear mission and purpose has been at the heart of Action Tutoring from the very beginning. This is essential for focusing on the area we wanted to tackle and for where we could best add value.

This doesn’t mean you can’t seize opportunities. For example, we did during the Covid pandemic and the subsequent National Tutoring Programme (NTP). But, they need to align to that north star of your mission and purpose. Essentially, we’re here for our pupils and keeping them at the heart of decision making has been critical. 

Getting recruitment, structures and a strong culture right has been critical to growth and driving impact. If in doubt, it’s always better not to hire and to re-advertise. Structures have needed to evolve as Action Tutoring has grown. The trick has been endeavouring to anticipate this and to plan ahead, given recruitment takes time.

Once you’ve got the right people on the bus, hang on to them! It’s an absolute joy to see brilliant people progress internally. Driven by our values, mission and culture, they’ve all risen to meet new challenges as the organisation has grown.

Build reserves as soon as you can and preserve them. Do this while keeping a constant eye on the longer-term funding pipeline. 

Hiring great fundraising people isn’t easy. For us, raising up great internal talent has been a route to building our philanthropy function alongside external hires. I don’t think many CEOs can fully let go of fundraising. It’s always part of your role.

The little mantra, ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get’, has served me quite well in this space. It’s always worth a try!

The board has been a critical partner in managing risk and knowing when to seize opportunities too. They enable the decision-making burden to be shared on big questions. 

I believe good governance is a big key to success. For me, the chair/CEO relationship is critical. High trust, high challenge, high support. Regular rhythms with the board have helped establish strong SMT/board relationships. This includes an annual strategy day and annual summer social, alongside monthly CEO/chair meetings. 

When you’re forming an organisation, it takes a long time to build awareness and publicise your name.

Balancing how much time you spend on the internal versus external isn’t always easy. But, there are various ways to maximise time, including:

• Attending sector events.
• Asking someone for a coffee to seek their advice.
• Going to conferences.
• Getting out to our work across the country in person.
• Going on school visits.

Be ruthless about following up with people you’ve met too to make the most of all that networking!

There have been some wonderful moments of introductions or connections. I’ve often been able to look back, sometimes months later, and see the fruits of those interactions. Whether it’s on new funding, new schools, or meeting a key advocacy ally; it’s all powerful. Talking to different people also helps you stay alert to the external environment, whether this presents challenges or opportunities.

It’s your organisation’s face to the world! It wasn’t intentional but it turned out starting with an ‘A’ has also been really helpful. I feel this is certainly true as you’re often listed first in briefings or brochures.

Spoiler alert, as the founder, one of your privileges is picking branding colours you really like! I’ve lost track of how many times people have commented that I’m often wearing the Action Tutoring colours.

Otherwise, noting when you need a refresh is worth it. I admit I was sceptical when a refresh was suggested a few years ago but the end result spoke much more powerfully to the size of organisation we were by that point. 

…If it’s going to be more than a few quotes or one-off survey results and it needs investment.

It’s depressing that more funders don’t want to invest in impact roles. But, they’re keen to require – and love you to share – data. Certainly, banging the drum to them about why this matters, does pay off. Ultimately it will set you apart. Essentially, if we’re not having an impact, we might as well pack up and do something else. So it’s vital we can demonstrate that we are.

I’m increasingly convinced that while charities do great work tackling immediate societal issues, we need to champion the system change required alongside our delivery. It’s possible to do both well. Be the change you want to see now for your beneficiaries and use your experience and evidence to influence the system. MPs are more open to visiting programmes or having a short meeting than you might think.

An easy place for us to start was writing to MPs where we had a partner school in their constituency, inviting them to visit. Plus you never know where they’ll end up. In 2018 Sir Keir Starmer visited a programme. We’ve also been able to engage the now Chair of the Education Select Committee over a long period following her visit to a partner school in 2017. 

These 12 years have been the most enormous privilege. They’ve enabled me to:

• See the organisation grow to national reach and demonstrate evidence of impact.
• Work with the most amazing team, with relationships and friendships I’ll treasure for life.
• Seize the opportunities, as well as challenges, learn together and rise together.

It’s not an easy time in the sector, or for schools nationally. It’s certainly not easy for so many of the pupils we exist to support and the need for our work has most certainly not gone away.

I leave with confidence that what we do absolutely works and that the organisation and team will continue to flourish, at the heart, doing what we’ve always set out to do, unlocking the potential of precious young lives.