Partnership

“The greatest vehicle for progression”: A conversation with Maro Itoje

What happens when world-class leadership on the rugby pitch meets a relentless passion for social justice? You get a partnership designed to “power potential” in the heart of our communities. 

In 2025, The Pearl Fund – the philanthropic initiative founded by British Lions and Saracens Captain Maro Itoje – expanded its work into the UK, partnering with Action Tutoring to deliver targeted academic support for young people facing disadvantage.

Rooted in Maro’s British-Nigerian heritage, The Pearl Fund was established to widen access to education across both Nigeria and the UK. The Pearl Fund was launched in 2023 in Nigeria which is home to some of the highest numbers of out of school children globally. Currently, the Fund supports 40 children in one of Lagos’ most deprived areas from cradle to college with financial support for their families, clean water, and nutrition. Keen to support in his country of birth and recognising the widening attainment gap in the UK, Maro chose Action Tutoring as the Fund’s first UK charity partner to deliver targeted educational support to young people in London.

Alongside this work, the Fund’s expansion into London reflects a growing need for targeted academic support closer to home. In England, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers remains significant and, in recent years, has widened. In boroughs such as Tower Hamlets, where this programme is focused, progress sits alongside persistent inequality, with many pupils still facing structural barriers to achieving their full potential, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.

To deliver impact in the UK, The Pearl Fund selected Action Tutoring as its first delivery partner – bringing a proven, evidence-based approach to supporting pupils in maths and English. Together, they are now supporting over 30 primary school pupils in East London through targeted tutoring.

On 25th March, Maro visited St Paul’s Way Trust and The Clara Grant Primary School to see the programme in action. We sat down with him to discuss why this mission is so personal, the “heart-filling joy” of the classroom, and why education remains the ultimate tool for self-determination.

Why did you start The Pearl Fund?

We started The Pearl Fund because I’ve always felt a responsibility to give back – but to do it in a way that is sustainable, long-term, and where you can clearly see the impact on young people’s lives.

Why did The Pearl Fund decide to partner with Action Tutoring?

We were looking to partner with a UK-based organisation to help deliver our programmes in London. The Pearl Fund is all about education, and there were so many synergies with what Action Tutoring was doing – particularly in the education space and with this tuition programme.

Once we started talking, it became clear that Action Tutoring was the right fit for what we were trying to achieve.

How was it seeing a tutoring programme in action today?

I was very impressed. Very impressed by the children, by the tutors, and the work that they’re doing. It filled my heart with joy to see how engaged the children were and how much they were enjoying it. I’m very happy that I came to see it.

What difference do you think it will make for the pupils on the programme?

I think the difference it will make is enormous. These are children facing learning challenges, often from difficult socioeconomic backgrounds, so they are doubly disadvantaged. It could be the difference between passing and failing their exams.

At the age they are, it’s critical that they catch up. I was told today that many are still impacted by the effects of Covid – both in terms of their learning and the environment they were learning in. Programmes like this help accelerate that development.

What are your hopes for these pupils’ futures?

To pass their exams and to grow in confidence. But my long-term hope is that they are able to take control of their own stories. That their education gives them the ability to choose their path – whether that’s through school, university, or another route. When you have an education, you have that freedom.

What would you say to the current volunteers?

Keep going; the work that you’re doing is amazing. It is well-appreciated by the kids and everyone else involved in the programme. They’re a fundamental part of this programme because without the volunteers we wouldn’t be able to do this, so thank you. 

What would you say to anyone considering volunteering as a tutor?

I think with all this type of work, you often end up getting more from it than the children! The children definitely benefit and the impact on them is huge, but in terms of what the volunteers get from it: what they experience fills their heart with joy. So, I would encourage any volunteer who is thinking about it: I think you should just try it, and if you try it, I almost guarantee that they will stay in the long term. 

What would you say to schools considering programmes like this?

Do it, because the impact on the kids will be amazing! The impact on their education and their future lives will be amazing, and I think the evidence is there for all to see. I would encourage all the schools who are considering it to go for it. 

Finally — why does a good education matter?

I think it is potentially the greatest vehicle we have as human beings for progression. It’s something that cuts across socioeconomic backgrounds. It cuts across borders. It cuts across race or any other social demographics. It ultimately gives individuals the power and the ability to control their future destiny, and that’s what we all want as individuals. Education is key to that. 

A legacy beyond the pitch

Maro’s visit serves as a powerful reminder that the attainment gap is not just a statistic – it is a hurdle that can be cleared with the right support. Throughout our conversation, Maro highlighted that tutoring is “the difference between passing and failing” for pupils facing double disadvantages, particularly those still navigating the “learning scars” left by the pandemic.

His message is clear: education is the “greatest vehicle for progression” because it transcends borders, socioeconomic status, and race. By providing pupils with the tools to “control their future destiny,” the partnership between The Pearl Fund and Action Tutoring is doing more than just improving test scores; it is giving young people in East London the agency to write their own stories.

As Maro noted, this work wouldn’t be possible without our volunteers. Whether you are a school leader looking to close the gap or an individual looking for a “heart-filling” way to give back, the evidence is there for all to see: tutoring works.

Find out more 

To find out more about The Pearl Fund and their work, please visit The Pearl Fund website.

Partnering with a charity in three easy steps

At Action Tutoring, we know that strong partnerships make a powerful difference. By working together with like-minded organisations, we can reach more young people from low-income backgrounds in need of extra academic support – all while helping our partners engage employees to support their wellbeing and harness their skills to give back and deliver meaningful social impact.

If you’re a business looking to support a cause with real, measurable outcomes, here are three simple steps to partner with Action Tutoring!

Step 1: Find the right fit

Just like any strong collaboration, it starts with shared values.

At Action Tutoring, we’re on a mission to close the academic attainment gap for young people facing disadvantage. We provide high-quality tutoring in English and maths to pupils who need a helping hand—working in partnership with schools, volunteers and organisations across the country.

Our work is evidence-based and focused on making education fairer on a national level, both through our tutoring programmes and advocacy work to ensure that no child is left behind no matter their socio-economic background.

If your organisation shares these values—whether through a commitment to social mobility, diversity and inclusion, or investing in the next generation—we could be a great fit.

Partnering with a charity that aligns with your mission and goals ensures a more authentic and lasting relationship. It also means your support will go further, making a real difference where it matters most.

Step 2: Create a mutually beneficial plan

Once you’ve found the right partner, it’s time to shape a plan that works for both sides.

We know that every organisation is different, so we offer a range of ways to get involved. Our partnerships are flexible, impactful and designed to add value to your team.

Here’s how you can support us:

• Volunteer with us – Encourage your staff to volunteer as tutors for just one hour a week using our structured workbooks and help us to improve social mobility across England, building a diverse talent pipeline for the next generation.  Volunteering is a fantastic way to support your employees to improve their wellbeing and motivation at work and develop transferable skills to step more easily into leadership roles – all vital to maintaining performance and retaining staff. 

• Fundraise as a team – From challenge events like half-marathons or skydives, to quizzes and escape rooms, fundraising is a great way to engage employees and build team spirit—while supporting a meaningful cause.

• Sponsorship and donations – Whether it’s sponsoring a school programme, funding resources, or making a one-off corporate donation, your financial support helps us reach more pupils. Our funders have an impact that goes beyond simply attaining better grades; they are contributing to building up our pupils’ social skills, cultural capital, confidence, aspirations and opening the doors to brighter futures.

Step 3: Shout about the impact

We believe in recognising and celebrating the difference your support makes.

From the start of our partnership, we’ll provide tailored data, stories and case studies you can share with stakeholders to show the value you’re bringing to communities across the country.

We also love to shout about our partners on social media, in newsletters, and through our website—giving you the opportunity to showcase your social impact to your staff networks and a wider audience.

Want to go further? Join us for a school visit to see the impact in action, or hear directly from the pupils and volunteers who benefit from your support.

Special thanks

We are so grateful to all of our volunteers and partner schools for the support they gave in 2023-24.

Every volunteer helped us to achieve our overall impact.

A big thank you to all of our volunteering partners, particularly the following who sourced the most volunteers for us in
2023-24:

Arup | Civil Service | DAC Beachcroft | Deloitte | KPMG | NatWest | PPP at Sellafield Ltd. | QBE

Special thanks to Burges Salmon and Weightmans for donating monthly office space to our Bristol and North West teams.

Ready to take the first step?

Partnering with Action Tutoring is more than just corporate social responsibility—it’s a chance to change lives, inspire your team and build a brighter future for young people across England.

If you’d like to explore a partnership with us, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with our Corporate Partnerships Manager, Mollie, to start the conversation.

Together, we can level the education playing field and unlock the infinite potential of the next generation – one pupil at a time.

Powering potential: Action Tutoring joins forces with Maro Itoje and The Pearl Fund

We are thrilled to announce that Action Tutoring has partnered with philanthropist and Lions, England and Saracens rugby captain, Maro Itoje and his organisation, The Maro Itoje Pearl Fund. 

Maro Itoje launched The Pearl Fund in 2023 to break the cycle of poverty for children in Nigeria and other African countries through a multi-million pound investment in the education of children living in abject poverty.

Following a ‘depth not breadth’ approach, The Pearl Fund currently supports a cohort of 40 children in one of Lagos’ most deprived areas from ‘cradle to college’ through private school education. It also provides clean water, nutrition and economic support to their families. The organisation is now expanding its powerful mission to support pupils facing disadvantage in the UK.

Maro Itoje’s thoughts on the partnership

Jen Fox’s thoughts on the partnership

Spread the word

Take a look at how you can get involved with Action Tutoring’s mission, below.

You can also follow, share and spread the word on our socials too, below!

QBE Foundation partners with Action Tutoring to expand support

In a bid to scale up access and impact of tutoring to over 12,000 pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, QBE Foundation is investing more than £1.5 million in its partnership with Action Tutoring within the next three years.

QBE’s funding will significantly increase the number of disadvantaged pupils who receive tutoring support and enable the charity to reach more remote and hard-to-reach locations. The partnership aims to help narrow the attainment gap, which is at its widest in ten years at both primary and secondary levels.

With the government set to end the funding for the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) in 2024 and schools struggling with budget squeezes, the future of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds is at serious risk without funding support to keep catch-up interventions afloat.

Supporting young talents

“We want to create resilient and inclusive communities. We’re excited to partner with Action Tutoring because they do this through developing skills and supporting talent. It is wonderful to help children reach their full potential. Investing in them at an early age also offers fantastic returns.”

Grant Clemence, Chairman of QBE Foundation, said

Children from low-income backgrounds are on average 18 months behind their wealthier peers by the end of GCSEs. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated existing education inequalities, hitting historically disadvantaged students the hardest.

Expand our support

Susannah Hardyman, founder and CEO of Action Tutoring, believes the partnership will accelerate the work of the charity in education recovery and fight inequalities.

“Achieving good GCSEs in both English and maths is critical to young people being able to progress to further education, employment or training. This not only benefits their individual lives but creates a healthy workforce and ultimately benefits the wider economy. Skills shortage is a chronic problem for businesses. This funding aims over a five-year period to help us tutor twice as many pupils as we do today, and also expand our reach from urban to rural areas.”

Susannah Hardyman

Through the funding, Action Tutoring will partner with more state schools to provide maths and English tutoring to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The support will help more young people to make meaningful academic progress and open doors to higher education and employment opportunities.

The QBE Foundation has committed to a minimum of three years of funding with an annual contribution of at least £500K, with the ambition that the partnership and funding will extend to five years and beyond. QBE employees across the country will be able to volunteer to provide regular tutoring in local schools, using Action Tutoring’s structured programmes and resources.

Worthwhile partnership

Since the summer term, some QBE employees have already been volunteering as tutors on programmes in schools. Sophie Miller-Molloy, an employment lawyer at QBE who started tutoring pupils in Newcastle’s Tyneview Primary School remotely, said the ability to boost the studies and confidence of young people are her driving motivations.

“Taking some time out each week to volunteer and do something which is going to help someone else out in a meaningful way also gives me the boost to volunteer.  It’s part of my week that I look forward to the most. It’s such a great contrast from my day-to-day legal work,” Sophie said. “I’m really grateful that QBE partners with Action Tutoring and it’s great that QBE empowers its employees to participate in such a fantastic and worthwhile scheme.”

Sophie Miller-Molloy

Profound impact

This partnership will be a significant boost for Action Tutoring’s work, propelling the charity to expand its impact to rural areas and bolster the advocacy efforts to ensure tutoring is embedded in the education system permanently.

By harnessing the expertise of trained volunteers to provide high-quality small group tutoring, Action Tutoring will profoundly impact more children from disadvantaged backgrounds with this investment.