You can read our latest impact report here: Action Tutoring 2016-17 Impact Report
Action Tutoring has worked with partner schools and volunteers since 2011. It has supported thousands of pupils across the country to succeed, despite the barriers they face in life. We are committed to making a measurable impact and continually seek to learn and improve the work we do.
For the academic year 2014-15 an external evaluator, NIESR, carried out a control group evaluation of our results, comparing the performance of just over 700 pupils tutored with Action Tutoring against a matched control group of pupils with very similar characteristics, using data from the National Pupil Database. This work was funded by NESTA as part of the Social Action Innovation Fund. During this academic year pupils on the programme had on average 6-8 tutoring sessions. A full copy of the report, including detail about the methodology, can be viewed here.
The headline results suggest that:
- The programme has a positive impact on GCSE point scores equivalent to 1/3 of a grade.
- For those pupils who attend at least seven sessions an additional 1/2 a grade progress was found.
We are delighted that in September 2016 we were validated as having achieved level 3 on Nesta’s Standards of Evidence. They state, “This means there is strong evidence of Action Tutoring’s impact. Rigorous evaluation techniques have been used to show a positive change in one or more key outcomes among the programme’s beneficiaries, and to show that this change was caused by the programme itself rather than other factors.”
View our certificate here: Action Tutoring Standards of Evidence Certificate
Action Tutoring is currently aiming to offer pupils around 12-16 sessions per academic year, to ensure we stand the best possible chance of enabling pupils to reach a Grade 5 in their tutored subject. Following the successful completion of our pilot year delivering in primary schools we will look to evaluate our impact on this group of pupils.
Key stats and facts
- Since 2012, the charity has continued to grow and now operates in seven cities and areas across England: Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Sheffield and Sussex.
- Over 1,600 pupils were supported through tutoring programmes in 2016-17 with 42 secondary schools and 14 primary schools, in sessions delivered by over 800 volunteer tutors.
- In 2016-17, 73%of English pupils and 57% of maths pupils, eligible for Pupil Premium funding (government funding allocated to support the attainment of disadvantaged pupils), who attended 10 or more secondary school sessions with Action Tutoring achieved grade 4 or above (previously a grade C) in their GCSEs. The national average for this group for achieving five grade 4s at GCSE is 33%.
- Research carried out by the Education Endowment Foundation showed that pupils make up to five months additional progress, during an intensive tutoring programme.
- The average cost of a private tutor in the UK is £23 per hour (Sutton Trust 2013). Action Tutoring are able to deliver this to a disadvantaged pupil completely free of charge through the use of volunteer tutors. Donations, grants and school partnership contributions fund the cost of delivery and the Action Tutoring staff team.
- There are almost one million young people leaving school each year without the qualifications to go on to education, employment or training.
- Individuals not in education, employment or training cost an average £56,000 to the UK economy each year.
- Since Action Tutoring began just five years ago it has supported over 5,000 young people preparing for their GCSEs.
Read our current annual report here: Action Tutoring Annual Report 2017-18
Every year Action Tutoring helps hundreds of young people across the country to improve their life chances with tailored tutoring support. Hear from one of these pupils, Malyoon, below about how she has benefited and from some of the other young people our generous funder Impetus has helped.
