Schools

New school partnerships in Hull, Leeds, Bradford and Dorset!

We are absolutely thrilled to share that Action Tutoring is expanding its reach even further across England! We are delighted to announce the launch of new school partnerships in Hull, Leeds, Bradford, and Dorset, bringing vital tutoring support to more young people who need them most.

This expansion marks a significant step in our mission to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to achieve their academic potential and build a bright future.

Why Hull, Leeds, Bradford and Dorset?

Establishing partnerships in these communities stems from our commitment to addressing educational inequality where the need is greatest. The attainment gap – the difference in academic outcomes between disadvantaged pupils and their peers – remains a pressing issue across the country, and a child’s postcode can have a huge impact on their attainment in school.

High-quality tutoring can be a powerful tool to help close this gap, providing targeted support that builds knowledge, confidence, and crucial study skills. By bringing our heavily-subsidised programmes to Hull, Leeds, Bradford, and Dorset, we aim to make this impactful support accessible to young people who might otherwise miss out.

‘We are incredibly excited about this expansion. These areas represent key areas where our targeted support can make a truly significant difference to young people’s lives. We’re looking forward to building strong partnerships with schools and witnessing the positive impact our dedicated tutors will have.’

– Rachael Galletly, Northern Programme Manager

What Action Tutoring does

Action Tutoring is an education charity dedicated to supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. We partner with primary and secondary schools to deliver consistent, small-group tuition in English and maths. Our volunteer tutors work closely with pupils in key year groups (typically Years 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11) to reinforce classroom learning, prepare for exams, and foster a love of learning.

Our programmes are designed to integrate seamlessly with school life, providing a valuable layer of additional support that complements the work already happening in classrooms.

“Action Tutoring gives pupils a real chance to engage in real catch up interventions which might otherwise not be available to Pupil Premium pupils. [We’re] really grateful for the input. I feel the routine really helps pupils to progress. It`s a potential life changer!”

– Steve Gittens, Executive Headteacher at Wallsend St. Peter’s in Newcastle

I decided to volunteer because education changed my own life. I was thrilled to see my pupils improve their grades last year. It’s so rewarding. Getting a Grade 4 or above makes such a difference to their prospects, whatever they want to pursue in the future.

– Shirley, volunteer and retired social worker

Find out more

• The link between pupil wellbeing and attainment
• Why our curriculum is in expert hands
• Decoding Ofsted’s new focus: How to ensure your Pupil Premium strategy meets the ‘Inclusion-first’ standard
• “The greatest vehicle for progression”: A conversation with Maro Itoje
• New independent study identifies Action Tutoring’s powerful impact

Engaging pupils with external tutoring: a guide for schools

Unlock the potential of tutoring to boost progress, confidence and engagement.

Are you looking for practical, evidence-based ways to help pupils facing disadvantage catch up in English or maths?

This guide is designed specifically for school leaders and staff looking to:

• Improve outcomes for pupils eligible for Pupil Premium.
• Reduce teacher workload with high-quality, curriculum-aligned support.
• Boost pupil confidence and engagement in learning.
• Embed tutoring as part of a whole-school attainment strategy.

With insights drawn from 12+ years of experience and backed by Education Endowment Foundation research, we share:

• Why external tutoring works.
• Practical ways to engage pupils.
• How to maximise tutoring impact in your setting.

📥 Download the full guide below and discover how external tutoring can help meet your school’s most pressing challenges.

Exciting news! Expanding to Rotherham with new school partnerships

Here at Action Tutoring, we’re thrilled to announce fantastic new partnerships in Rotherham! 

Brinsworth Academy, Thrybergh Academy, Rawmarsh Community School, and Clifton Community School are all joining our mission to support pupils facing disadvantage. These collaborations are a huge step forward in our ‘Reach’ strategy, bringing vital academic support to more young people that need it most.

For those of you who know us, you’ll be aware that our core belief is in the power of tutoring to open doors to future opportunities. Last year alone, 6,003 children and young people accessed over 61,000 hours of tutoring nationwide, all thanks to the dedication of nearly 1,900 incredible volunteers. Tutoring is a proven method to improve grades at both SATs and GCSE.

Now, we’re bringing that same impact to Rotherham, with these four schools participating in our secondary maths EEF evaluation.

Our “Reach” pillar is all about expanding the locations we work in, especially those outside of urban city centres. We’ve crunched the numbers and found that there are over 5,500 schools within just a two-hour radius of our current cities of operation that we could be working with. 

Our ambition is bold: to deliver 30% of our tutoring in these locations within the next three years, primarily through our highly effective online model. One of the many benefits of online tutoring is that it allows us to bridge geographical gaps, bringing expert volunteer support directly into classrooms, regardless of where the school is located.

“These new Rotherham partnerships are a powerful step in our ‘Reach’ strategy. They directly address the geographical inequalities that widen the attainment gap, ensuring more pupils facing disadvantage get the vital support they need to succeed, no matter where they live.”

– Alice Nelson, Director of Programme

Our expansion is more crucial than ever, particularly in light of recent research from the Sutton Trust. Their “Opportunity Index” report highlights a stark reality: opportunity in England is not evenly spread. It’s not just about a young person’s socio-economic background; where they grow up can have an equally, if not more, significant impact on their future. 

The report reveals a dramatic geographical divide, with 42 of the top 50 constituencies for opportunity being in London, while areas like the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber lag significantly behind in educational attainment, access to higher education, and future earnings for disadvantaged pupils. 

For instance, Free School Meal (FSM) pupils from East Ham in London are over three times more likely to have a degree by age 22 compared to those in Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West, despite similar levels of disadvantage.

These findings underscore precisely why our ‘Reach’ pillar is so vital. By extending our support to places like Rotherham, which falls within the Yorkshire and the Humber region highlighted by the Sutton Trust, we’re actively working to counteract these geographical disparities. 

Our aim is to ensure that talent can thrive regardless of postcode, offering high-quality tutoring to young people in areas that desperately need that extra boost.

So how does it work?

Pupils on our programmes always access their tutoring at school, ensuring a safe and supportive environment. Whether sessions are delivered online or in person, they are always overseen by one of our programme coordinators. 

On virtual programmes, our coordinators oversee tutoring remotely, enabling us to confidently expand our reach beyond our traditional delivery hubs. This means that even if you’re not in Rotherham, you can still volunteer in Rotherham by providing online support from wherever you are!

The impact of our volunteers is truly profound. By dedicating just an hour a week, you can help a young person build their confidence, grasp concepts they find challenging, and unlock their full potential. 

“I gained valuable experience of working with pupils in Year 6 tutoring in Sheffield. This enabled me to develop my communication skills and gain a true insight into how they learn various topics, as well as listen to their interpretations on not only academics, but life too. Overall, this experience was very rewarding and inspired me to pursue a degree in education!”

Rachel Adams, volunteer in Sheffield

We’re looking for enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to join our growing family of volunteers in Rotherham and beyond. No prior teaching experience is required, but you’ll need a passion for helping young people succeed. We provide all the training and resources you’ll need, and our programme coordinators are always on hand to offer support and guidance.

So, if you’re ready to make a tangible difference in the lives of young people in Rotherham and contribute to our exciting ‘Reach’ strategy, we’d love to hear from you. Come join us in empowering the next generation!

Ready to inspire? Sign up to volunteer with us today!

Know a school in Rotherham, or anywhere else, who could benefit from our tutoring support? We’re always keen to expand our partnerships and help more pupils. Schools can get in touch here:

Action Tutoring and the EEF partner to evaluate impact of maths tutoring programme

Action Tutoring is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to conduct a rigorous evaluation of its established maths tutoring programme for secondary school pupils facing disadvantage. 

Working alongside leading research organisations, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), this project aims to provide robust evidence about the programme’s effectiveness.

The evaluation will employ a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design, considered the gold standard in research methodology. This approach will allow researchers to assess the impact of Action Tutoring’s small-group tuition on maths attainment and attitudes among pupils in Years 7, 10, and 11. The study will focus on pupils in state-maintained mainstream schools in England with at least 18% of pupils eligible for the Pupil Premium.

Evaluating for impact and improvement

Action Tutoring’s programme provides targeted support through trained volunteer tutors, utilising a curriculum developed by experienced educators. The evaluation will not only assess the overall impact of the programme but also explore potential strategies to further enhance its effectiveness. This “nimble trial” approach will allow for the testing of promising methods, such as those aimed at improving pupil engagement.

The partnership with the EEF underscores Action Tutoring’s commitment to evidence-based practice and continuous improvement. By rigorously evaluating its programme, Action Tutoring aims to contribute valuable insights to the education sector and inform best practices for supporting pupils facing disadvantage in maths. The findings from this study will be shared with schools, policymakers, and other stakeholders to maximise the reach and impact of effective tutoring interventions.

Evaluation timeline

The evaluation will follow a structured timeline, with data collection occurring over the course of the 2025-26 academic year and results expected to be published in summer 2027. This collaborative effort will involve participating schools, volunteer tutors, and the research teams at NFER and BIT.

Explore opportunities to participate: schools and volunteers

For schools interested in learning more about the evaluation, please visit our dedicated EEF evaluation webpage.

Individuals passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people and interested in volunteering as a tutor on an Action Tutoring programme can find more information on our volunteer page.

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GCSE results day: As it happened

It’s GCSE results day. With pupils across England receiving their grades, we’re looking forward to keeping you up to date today (Thursday 22nd August) with how pupils on our tutoring sessions have got on in this live blog. So keep refreshing the page and check back for updates! 

Celebrating pupils’ success

Results day is such an important date in the Action Tutoring calendar, and for all the pupils we support. It’s a day of celebration, recognising our pupils’ remarkable achievements, and a reminder of the work that’s still to be done. 

But for now, let’s take a moment to recognise all the hard work our pupils have put in to get to GCSE results day. And thank you to you, our community, for helping to make such a difference to every one of our pupils facing disadvantage. 

Live updates

9:08am: We’re getting the first quotes in from pupils across the regions where we provide tutoring sessions. This includes, Holy Family Catholic High School, Liverpool.

Luke is a Year 11 pupil at the school. He says:

“Action Tutoring helped me get a 6 in my Maths GCSE so I’m really happy.
Without Action Tutoring I don’t think I would have got this result. I’m really happy. Gillian (my tutor) was really nice and I’d like to say thanks to her. I’m going onto do A Levels and go on to do business at university.” – Luke, Year 11, Holy Family Catholic High School, Liverpool

Alfie, another Year 11 pupil at the school, says:

“Action Tutoring helped with little things I was stuck on, which I thought was really useful. It made a difference in my end result and I want to say thanks to my tutor for supporting me.”  – Alfie, Year 11, Holy Family Catholic High School, Liverpool

9:40am: We’re now getting results in from one of our Nottingham schools, Park Vale Academy.

One of the pupils we’ve spoken to is Alistair in Year 11. His results include a seven in English language, six in maths and five in English literature.

Alistair says:

“The tutors were very helpful, they’re nice people and they want you to achieve. If you want to achieve your desired grade, take up tutoring. So thank you very much.” – Alistair, Year 11, Park Vale Academy, Nottingham

Find out more about Alistair in the video below…

10:31am: We’re still getting more results through from pupils at Park Vale Academy.

Another of these pupils is Angelina in Year 11. She was tutored in maths by her tutor, Finn, who she says she’s really thankful for. Angelina, who would like to study educational psychology at university, says:

“I’m very happy with my grade 4 in maths. I’m really happy I achieved my target. I’m feeling very relieved with my results today. Tutoring helped me feel the least pressure I’ve ever felt. It’s also helped me feel unashamed of getting things wrong, which is very comforting. To those thinking of tutoring, just do it.” – Angelina, Year 11, Park Vale Academy, Nottingham

10:43am: Here’s a snapshot of just some of the pupils who’ve completed Action Tutoring sessions this academic year and who’ve received their results from Park Vale Academy. Congratulations to everyone!

10:54am: Back now to Holy Family Catholic High School, Liverpool. We caught up with Year 11 pupil, Megan, who says:

“I enjoyed tutoring. The sessions helped and made a difference in my grade. It boosted my confidence and allowed me to ask questions about things I didn’t understand.” – Megan, Year 11, Holy Family Catholic High School, Liverpool

11am: We’re really proud of what our pupils, tutors, partners and the wider Action Tutoring community have been able to achieve this year; all to enable our pupils to gain their results through tutoring. Take a look at some of the key statistics for those pupils who’ve sat their GCSEs this last academic year, below.

11:26am: Now to hear parents’ perspectives on GCSE results day. Parents of Year 11 Park Vale Academy pupil Holly, give their thoughts on how tutoring has helped their daughter achieve her grades this academic year. Watch the video below to find out more.

11:45am: Now to hear from pupils a little further north in the country – Sheffield.

Year 11 pupil Daniel, who attends Sheffield Park Academy, has received his desired grades today. Attending 12 Action Tutoring sessions, he’s achieved grade 4 in English Language, 5 in English Literature and 5 in maths.

Daniel, who would like to go on to study catering at college – and one day hopes to become a chef – says:

“I’m really happy with my results – it feels unreal, considering how long I’ve been studying for. This is great for my future. Tutoring helped with the English especially, as I got used to breaking down sources and I couldn’t do that before tutoring. Thank you to my tutor.” – Daniel, Year 11, Sheffield Park Academy

12:01pm: Back now to the Midlands and Nottingham, where we hear from Matty. Completing Action Tutoring sessions at Bramcote College, Matty has achieved his desired grades, including a 5 in maths and passing English Literature and Language. He says to any pupils who complete sessions with his tutor, Alan, that “whoever has Alan next, you’ll smash your exams.”

Watch the video from Matty below to find out more about how he got on.

12:15pm: We heard from Park Vale Academy pupil Holly’s parents earlier; now it’s Holly’s turn.

Year 11 pupil Holly, who achieved grade 4 in maths, says her tutoring has helped her take a path towards health and social care, which she’ll be studying at college.

Holly, who also has a keen passion for one day studying psychology and mental health, says:

“I passed everything. I’m happy. Tutoring helped my confidence, as I got to talk to different people in the group sessions who were also a similar ability. I definitely felt more comfortable thanks to tutoring. I’d say to anything thinking of doing it, definitely do it, if you have the chance. Thanks so much to my tutors and I appreciate what they’ve helped me achieve.” – Holly, Year 11, Park Vale Academy, Nottingham

12:30pm: We are taking a break for a little while, though we’ll look to return with further updates later today.

2pm: Welcome back to our blog. We’ll be sharing some more updates on GCSE results day below.

2:09pm: Heading to the south of England now, we’ve had some quotes today from one of our schools in London.

At St Saviour’s and St Olave’s School, Action Tutoring session pupil Ruby was really happy to pass and achieve a maths grade 6.

Year 11 pupil Ruby, who would one day like to become a PE teacher, says:

“I feel really good. I genuinely didn’t think I was going to pass. But tutoring has made a big difference. The sessions helped me break things down a lot more easily, whereas before tutoring, I didn’t understand the lessons. Thank you to our tutor too who was really nice. – Ruby, Year 11, St Saviours and St Olaves School, London

2:23pm: We’ve received some more pictures of our pupils at St Saviour’s and St Olave’s with their results today. Congratulations guys!

2:40pm: Heading west, we meet Year 11 pupil Charlie from Fairfield High School, Bristol.

Charlie says he didn’t expect to get his grade 5 in maths. He says thanks to his tutor Tony and the Action Tutoring sessions, this helped him achieve “more than a pass”.

Watch Charlie’s video below to find out more about him and his GCSE results.

4:02pm: Back at Park Vale Academy in Nottingham, we hear from Year 11 pupil, Riarna.

Riarna, who’d like to become an architect one day, has achieved a grade 6 in both her English Literature and English Language exams. She says she’s “really happy with my results” and after tutoring she “feels a lot better, happy and content”. She also acknowledges “the tutors are the best part of the sessions”.

Watch Riarna’s video to see why she recommends signing up to complete Action Tutoring sessions.

4:10pm: Back to Nottingham’s Bramcote College and to meet Year 11 pupil Stevie.

Stevie, who hopes to pursue a career in midwifery, achieved a grade 5 in maths today as part of GCSE results day.

Stevie says:

“I was initially in foundation and failing (maths) at the start of Year 10. I worked so hard and I got grade 5. Maths is a tricky subject, though all you need to do is work hard to achieve what you need. I’d just like to thank my tutor for the effort he put in. Whenever I said I was struggling, he helped.” – Stevie, Year 11 pupil, Bramcote College, Nottingham

5:26pm: There are no words to describe Nio’s tutoring experience better than Nio himself!

So over to the Year 11 pupil – who got a grade 6 in English Literature and a grade 5 in English Language – at Nottingham’s Park Vale Academy, to share below why you should sign up to be a volunteer tutor:

5:50pm: So that’s it from us today (Thursday 22nd August). We’re really grateful to everyone involved this academic year for their amazing efforts in helping our pupils to achieve the grades they deserve, and, feel the joy of tutoring.

*Check back on this page soon as while we are unable to make any guarantees at this stage, we may be sharing some further updates on Friday 23rd August regarding GCSE results day.*

Teaching Assistants Day: Recognising the vital role TAs play

Teaching assistants, often referred to as TAs in the education system, support teachers with their work and help pupils with reading, writing, and learning activities in schools. TAs make up over a quarter of the workforce in schools, with a population of 281,100 full-time teaching assistants across the UK, as at last academic year.

From preschools to universities, TAs contribute significantly to the outcomes of young people and the overall quality of education. Their duties vary according to the education level they work in but generally include helping pupils with topics they’re struggling with, assisting SEND pupils who need extra support to complete tasks, helping teachers to plan learning activities, conducting assessments as well as supporting teachers in managing class behaviour.

National TA Day

Teacher recruitment agency, Teaching Personnel, introduced National Teaching Assistants’ Day in 2012 to celebrate and highlight the vital work teaching assistants do in our classrooms daily. Since then, the UK has marked National Teaching Assistants’ Day on 29 September with schools across the country celebrating their own TAs and nominating their favourites for the Teaching Assistant of the Year award.

The TA Experience

Action Tutoring’s marketing manager, Kellie Coyle recounts her experience as a TA in a primary school in Luton, north of London after completing university in Birmingham.

“I became a TA to help me decide whether or not I wanted to go into the teaching profession and commit to teacher training. I decided I didn’t, but loved the experience nonetheless.”

Kellie’s best part about being a TA was working in small intervention groups outside of the classroom.

“It was great to observe my groups enjoying the subject a bit more as a result of being able to go at their own pace and to see their confidence increase.”

However, the support needed in the primary school was more than Kellie had imagined.

“My least favourite part was seeing that many pupils in the classroom needed this kind of support, and not being able to give them all that extra attention.”

The Challenges

Despite their impact, teaching assistants in the UK face a unique set of challenges. There is a crisis for teaching assistant recruitment and retention as a survey found that three-quarters had thought about leaving in the past year.

With the cost of living crisis, many TAs are struggling financially and being compelled to change jobs or take second jobs to supplement their income. This finding is captured in a new report by National Foundation for Educational Research. Teachers and school leaders in the report highlighted how the crisis is leading TAs to quit in favour of better-paid jobs in other sectors such as hospitality and retail as they offer either increased pay or more working hours. Since the pandemic, while most roles offer hybrid, remote, and other flexible working conditions, TAs don’t have the option of working from home.

Additionally, limited opportunities for professional development often leave them feeling undervalued and overlooked. Furthermore, the emotional toll of working with young people facing a myriad of challenges, from poverty to mental health issues, can be overwhelming. Many teaching assistants form deep bonds with their students and carry the weight of their struggles long after the school day ends.

Effective deployment of TAs

An Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) guidance report released in 2021, Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants, found that the typical methods of deploying TA did not yield positive results in terms of pupil attainment.

The report recommended more investment in the professional development of TAs to deliver more structured interventions to complement high-quality teaching and tutoring support in schools.

While it’s abundantly clear that TAs make meaningful contributions to their schools, it’s imperative to recognise that the key to enhancing pupil outcomes hinges on how they are deployed and upskilled to deliver interventions.

A nation’s gratitude

TA Day is a chance to shine a well-deserved spotlight on them and for schools, parents, and pupils to show their gratitude for the dedication and hard work of TAs.

As you reflect on the education journey of your own child or your own learning experience, remember the teaching assistants who played pivotal roles in shaping your path. Take a moment to appreciate their support, guidance, and the positive impact they’ve made on countless lives.

“My message to TAs as we celebrate this day is thank you for being that positive, friendly, crucial pillar of support for so many pupils – they will always remember you.”

Kellie

‘Thank You’ notes that melted our hearts last term

One of the reasons why working with children is fulfilling is that you get to see them grow, learn and develop every single time. The endless energy, creativity and playfulness they exude always brings joy and excitement.

However, working with children isn’t all rosy. Sometimes we have to manage their energy, brutal honesty, and humour. But these challenges are outweighed by the rewards of watching pupils grow in subject knowledge and confidence.

At the end of each term or school programme, a heart-warming moment for many of our volunteers and staff is when pupils share inspiring and engaging thank-you notes of appreciation.

Here are ten of the remarkable notes of gratitude from pupils who were supported by our volunteers and programme team last term:

1. What a blast!

2. Experience the magic 24/7

3. Who wouldn’t like a PS5 as a reward?

4. Missing Kitty

A tell-all with express permission

6. Cheers to behavioural change!

7. They who laughs last, laughs best?

8. Choosing to learn over biscuits

9. The heart emoji keeps filling up

10. Football rivalry knows no boundaries!

Another amazing year together ahead

These words of appreciation and witnessing a pupil progress from strength to strength are why we do what we do. To all of our volunteer tutors, we want to say thank you for your selflessness and dedication. You make a real difference in the lives of children, and we are so grateful for your service.

With the 2023-24 new academic year starting in earnest, we look forward to another great year of supporting pupils together and some fun thank you notes.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor, find out more in the link below.

Our evidence submission: Tackling persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils

Since the onset of Covid-19, a significant challenge for schools and other education support organisations has been persistent pupil absence. When students frequently miss school or display a pattern of irregular attendance, it can have far-reaching consequences on their academic progress, personal development, and future prospects.

In March, Action Tutoring submitted written evidence to Parliament’s Education Committee inquiry into persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils. The parliamentary inquiry was aimed at examining the issue of severe absences, the factors causing it and to assess the likely effectiveness of the Department of Education’s (DfE) proposed reforms on attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

As an education charity and accredited tuition provider, our submission focused on pupil engagement in tutoring sessions – pre and post-pandemic, reasons for low school attendance, the impact of tutoring programmes for disadvantaged pupils, and ways to increase attendance and engagement in schools.

Tutoring attendance and engagement

The attendance figures for Action Tutoring programmes are slightly lower than before the outbreak, mirroring national patterns. Our data showed that the Pupil Premium cohort – children receiving Free School Meals who formed 72% of our beneficiaries – had lower attendance figures.

For primary schools in the autumn of 2022, attendance at Action Tutoring sessions was 82% for Pupil Premium pupils and 86% for non-Pupil Premium pupils. 

In secondary schools for the same term, attendance was 66% for Pupil Premium pupils and 72% for non-Pupil Premium pupils. 

Tutoring sessions for both primary and secondary take place outside the regular school hours.

The severity of persistent absence

Persistent pupil absence goes beyond occasional absences due to an illness or family emergency. It involves students who are consistently absent without valid reasons and hence miss a substantial number of school days, often exceeding the accepted threshold.

According to the Department for Education (DfE), a pupil is identified as a persistent absentee if they miss 10% or more of their possible sessions. Nationally, over 1.7 million pupils (24.2% of all pupils) missed 10% or more of their school sessions in Autumn 2022-23, up from 23.5% the previous year. This compares to 922,566 absentee pupils before the pandemic.

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) School Absence Tracker has shown that the number of children who are severely absent remains at crisis levels and the situation worsens among pupils eligible for Free School Meals(FSM). In the 2021/22 academic year, the severe absence rate for pupils eligible for FSM was more than triple the rate for children not eligible for FSM.

Causes of persistent pupil absence

In our evidence submission, we mentioned that some of the causes of persistent absence may include:

• poor mental health
• illness including long-term illness or fear of infecting vulnerable family members with an illness
• chaotic home lives or factors such as additional caring responsibilities
• post-Covid fear of finding learning difficult, being demoralised, or feeling left behind 
• lacking the confidence to engage in the classroom

What needs to change

Tackling persistent pupil absence requires a multi-faceted approach involving collaboration between schools, families, and communities. As a tutoring organisation that provides additional academic help to pupils, below are some strategies we believe can help improve attendance and engagement with the young people we support.

• Sharing drinks and snacks during tutoring sessions to reduce hunger
• Letters and text reminders to parents and parent information sessions about the tutoring and its benefits
• Incentives for pupils such as vouchers or free tickets to the end-of-year prom if they attend the majority of their tutoring sessions
• Pizza parties at the end of the programme
• Award ceremony or presentation of certificates in assembly at the end of the programme
• Reminders earlier in the school about their tutoring session and/or picking them up from their last lesson into tutoring sessions
• Integrate attendance into the positive behaviour management system such as gaining points for their ‘house’ through attendance

New DfE’s solutions to tackle persistent absence

Last week, the DfE published a notice on new plans to drive up attendance rates and attainment in schools.

• Expand the Attendance Hubs programme with nine new lead hub schools to support up to 600 primary, secondary, and alternative provision schools
• Expand the presence of Attendance Mentors in areas of the country with the highest levels of pupil absence from September

The proposed solutions are to build on the existing attendance strategy which includes guidance for schools, attendance data dashboard and the work of the Attendance Action Alliance.

Collaborative approach

Persistent pupil absence poses a significant challenge to schools and the well-being of students. If the issue is not addressed, the nation risks creating a lost generation which may give rise to a surge of problems in the future.

By implementing a collaborative approach that addresses the underlying causes, provides support, and fosters a positive school environment, we can begin to tackle this issue effectively to help every child to reach their full potential.