Our story

Action Tutoring was founded by Susannah Hardyman in 2011. Having seen first hand the difference tutoring could make, Susannah set about establishing an organisation that could make the benefits of tutoring available to those who couldn’t otherwise afford it, through the use of volunteers.

Following the success of the pilot programme, the SHINE Trust provided funding for a larger pilot programme and in the academic year 2011-12, fifteen programmes were delivered with schools across London, benefitting 250 pupils.

Growth and expansion

Since 2012, the organisation continued to grow rapidly in London and in spring 2013 a pilot programme launched in Manchester. Funding from NESTA and the Cabinet Office enabled Action Tutoring to expand the regional model quickly around the country.

Action Tutoring was thrilled to begin working with Impetus-PEF in May 2014 to further refine the model, ensuring the greatest possible impact for the pupils it worked with.

In October 2016 Action Tutoring began working with primary schools to prepare Year 6 pupils for their SAT exams.

Action Tutoring now supports pupils in eight cities and areas across England: Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and Sussex (including Brighton, Hove and Seaford).  You can find out more about this delivery under the Where we work pages.

After a successful trial period, Action Tutoring launched its first online programmes in October 2020, offering tuition to pupils via video link from tutors based across England and Wales.

You can read Action Tutoring’s latest annual report and financial accounts below:

Action Tutoring Annual Report and Financial Accounts (year end August 2019)