Our Reach: Sussex

Action Tutoring is an education charity dedicated to supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve qualifications in English and maths, opening up up access to further education, employment or training.

Why volunteer as a tutor in Sussex

Our decision to establish partnerships in Sussex stems from our commitment to addressing educational inequality where the need is greatest.

Recent figures highlight the pressing need for additional support across Sussex:

• Across Sussex, over 87,000 children are living in poverty after housing costs (2023-2024 data).
• In specific areas, the figures are even more stark. For instance, over a third of children in Crawley are growing up in poverty, making it one of the most deprived areas in Sussex. Similarly, areas like Hastings see one in three children living in poverty. Food insecurity is also a growing concern, with one in five children across Sussex at risk of missing meals during school holidays.

These statistics underscore the significant challenges faced by many young people in Sussex. Growing up in poverty can profoundly affect a child’s development, leading to lower academic attainment and reduced life chances.

By providing targeted, high-quality tutoring, Action Tutoring aims to mitigate these effects, helping to build academic confidence and unlock pupils’ potential.

“My tutor is ten out of ten. [In a recent exam] I could remember some of the stuff she’d told me about and I used it and it definitely helped me get a higher mark. I think it’s definitely helped my communication skills because I never liked to talk to people I don’t know, but it’s been nice to talk to someone who’s genuinely there to help me. It’s going to help me get that [grade] 4 that I really want to get. Quite literally, [tutoring has been] a major deciding factor in my life. It’s definitely one thing that’s helped me.“

Cohen, Year 11 pupil at Seaford Head School in East Sussex

Action Tutoring in Sussex

Working with multiple schools across England has helped us recognise the needs of schools and better understand the demands and pressures that schools are under, especially after the pandemic. Since launching in Hove in 2014, we have been working with volunteers to deliver tutoring programmes in a number of schools across Sussex.

We do more than just tutor. Our volunteers also serve as role models, motivating pupils to overcome learning barriers and achieve their potential in life.

“Both parents and pupils have appreciated the individualised guidance and we have found the volunteer tutors to be professional and they develop good relationships with the children.”

Julia Sherlock, Headteacher, Eastbrook Primary Academy, Sussex

Action Tutoring‘s impact in Sussex

Action Tutoring launched in Sussex in 2014 and has since expanded its reach, working with multiple schools across the county to provide high-quality tutoring in maths and English. Our volunteers play a crucial role in closing the attainment gap and boosting the confidence of disadvantaged pupils.

Our national impact, reflecting the work done across all our regions including Sussex, demonstrates the effectiveness of our programmes:

• Primary age pupils tutored in maths were 20% more likely to meet the expected standard compared to other disadvantaged children nationally.
• In 2023-24, our Year 6 and Year 11 pupils significantly outperformed national benchmarks for disadvantaged pupils.

Become a volunteer tutor

We are working hard to grow our volunteer tutor community in Sussex and are keen to engage more volunteers locally to support our face-to-face programmes.

By tutoring in Sussex for just one hour a week, you will directly support disadvantaged pupils to build their confidence and help ensure they leave school with the grades needed to build a bright future, as well as developing your own skills. 

Partner with us

We partner with primary and secondary schools in Sussex to deliver our high-impact, low-cost tutoring programmes. If you are a school leader or staff member interested in exploring a partnership with Action Tutoring, please reach out to our Southern Programme Team to discuss how we can support your pupils.

Some of our current volunteering opportunities in Sussex take place with pupils from the following partner schools:

Find out more information about becoming a volunteer or partnering as a school in Sussex.

Sussex Programme Team

• Gabi Cumming (Programme Manager)
• Aimee Garner (Senior Sussex Programme Coordinator)
• Tristan Brolly (Sussex Programme Coordinator)