Cara and Sobia, volunteer tutor and pupil

Sobia is in Year 6 at Walnut Tree Walk Primary School, London, and has maths tutoring each week with Cara. Sobia wants to be a doctor or a scientist when she grows up, and she says working with Cara has given her a ‘boost’ and makes her feel more confident . For Cara, watching her pupils make progress has been incredibly rewarding. 

Cara says:

“I work for a bank, working on international compliance, so that keeps me really busy.  I come [to tutoring] before work. Fortunately I work in central London so this is nice and convenient. It’s on the way in.

Maths is a really great subject, but how you get pupils excited about it – I was a little apprehensive about that. Maths is so important to get right and if I can instil in them at this age an enthusiasm and really encourage them through this, then this is a really great start before secondary school. This is the time when they can really learn and catch up.

I was quite nervous but the children were so lovely and enthusiastic. I learned early on that if I play a little game with them then they are quite competitive with each other in a good way. It helps to break up the session. [I can see] the joy in their faces, they enjoy it.

I get a lot of support from Action Tutoring. The workbook helps me plan my sessions and I receive regular emails. The Programme Co-ordinator is always on hand to answer any questions I might have.

As they first came in, they were reserved but now they are much more confident and fly through the questions.

I would encourage anyone who was thinking about getting involved to just do it, it is really rewarding.”

Sobia says:

“My favourite part of tutoring is working the questions out together.  Cara is very kind and she always helps me out. Whenever we get stuck on a question she will always be able to help us out.”

I think I want to become a doctor or a scientist but I still can’t decide. I would be a medical scientist, because I want to help out people in the world. Imagine if there’s like a new disease then I would be able to figure it out.

Action Tutoring really gives you a boost at school. You feel more confident.”