Service

How a former pupil and teacher reunited through volunteer tutoring

An unexpected reunion between a former pupil and a revered teacher made possible by a shared passion for education.

In the vibrant city of Bristol, Gemma Ray, a finance compliance officer and volunteer with Action Tutoring, arrived at the bar to join other volunteers for a socials quiz. After a busy academic term of supporting young people in local schools to improve their knowledge and confidence, our volunteers converged at the riverside hangout, in high spirits to connect, share experiences, and face off in teams for the games.

Just before the line-up of activities began, Gemma was greeted by a familiar yet unexpected face, jogging her memory from about 12 years ago. It was Andrew Fagan, her further mathematics teacher from North Bristol Post 16 centre, Cotham and Redland.

“I didn’t recognise him at first when he said hello, as it had been a very long time, but he still looked just as he did back then. I was surprised he recognised me after all this time and with so many students.”

Crossing paths with Andrew at the socials stirred sentiments of nostalgia and appreciation. Gemma recalled a crucial algorithmic error in grading that was rectified through Andrew’s guidance, which ensured her rightful admission to Bristol University.

“It was actually between Mr. Fagan and another teacher, Mr Williams, that I learned about the algorithm which calculated the A level grades for maths and further maths when you did both of these together at the time. It is only because of this knowledge that I was able to set the record straight and secure my place at the university in 2011.”

A deep love for maths

For Gemma, mathematics has always been more than calculations; it has been a lifelong passion – one she pursued ardently despite societal perceptions.

“I always loved maths from a young age, choosing to do it in my free time at home and in my ‘golden time’ at primary school. This was not seen as ‘cool’ so I have some experience of bullying and can relate to that. I did my maths GCSE one year early as recommended by my secondary school and I always wanted to do maths at university as there was no other logical option for me at the time. I graduated with first-class honours in 2014.”

However, Gemma admitted some level of struggle in maths during her sixth-form year, empathising with how underperforming pupils feel about mathematical concepts they find difficult to grasp.

“In my second year of 6th form, there were only two of us left doing further maths with the others having dropped out after or during the first year. The other student who carried on did not always attend the lessons so it was a bit like having a personal tutor for further maths, which was very beneficial as it was quite a bit more difficult than the ordinary maths A level, and I admit that I found it quite hard at times.”

Like many of the pupils that Action Tutoring supports who are identified by their schools as being at risk of not meeting expected standards in their finals, Gemma had a fleeting experience of that moment in maths.

“One time, I had 2 mock exams on the same day so I chose to revise for one and not the other. If it had been the real test, I would have failed the further maths that day. I remember Andrew being shocked and maybe a little bit worried for me, but all was well in the real exam at the end.”

The journey of volunteering

As the world grappled with pandemic lockdowns, Gemma’s employer, DAC Beachcroft, embraced flexibility and encouraged staff to engage in community projects including volunteering as tutors with Action Tutoring. Fuelled by her passion for mathematics and a desire to support young people struggling with the subject, Gemma signed up to volunteer with Action Tutoring in November 2022 to support young people struggling with maths in Bristol schools.

“I have enjoyed the programme so far. It is nice to know that you are making a difference to individuals who may need extra support. They are so engaged and ready to learn. You find that your mindset changes, you become more patient and you start to see the problems from their point of view.”

Conquering fears

Gemma said one of her fears before starting tutoring was the phobia of making mistakes in a session with pupils. However, tutoring has since helped her to confront that anxiety and not worry about making mistakes and correcting them.

“You also learn not to worry about making any mistakes because if you do make any silly mistakes, it will only cement in their minds that mistakes are okay and that they are only a normal part of life – and that adults make mistakes too.”

The power of volunteer tutoring

Through this volunteer initiative, Gemma discovered the transformative power of tutoring and mentoring young people and the need for additional education support, especially for disadvantaged students.

“Many disadvantaged students would benefit from more one-on-one tutoring, and as we all know this is not always possible with the teacher in the classroom themselves, because they are only one person and the workforce is stretched thin with very large class sizes in some schools now.”

Gemma also emphasised the accessibility of tutoring, urging others to contribute, and highlighting the impact even minimal commitments can have on a child’s educational journey. Inspiring others to embrace tutoring, Gemma reflected on the gratification derived from witnessing pupils eagerly engaging with content in the session templates and interactive learning methods.

“You can simply tutor online from the comfort of your own home with no travel time. You spend as little as 70 minutes out of your working day. You do not need to commit very long term. Know that every session you do will count and will make a small difference in a child’s educational journey. You do not need a lot of experience to be a tutor.”

Gemma’s story is a testament to the enduring bond between teachers and students, the transformative power of education, and the rewarding spirit of giving back. As she continues her tutoring journey, she stands as a beacon, inspiring others to bridge the academic attainment gap and shape brighter futures for disadvantaged young people, one session at a time.

Young impact makers attend Platinum Jubilee Award reception

Newcastle volunteer tutor, Eliza Blowes, and Action Tutoring’s fundraising coordinator, Molly Cottrill were part of a special group of volunteers and charity representatives who attended the prestigious reception for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Award recipients. Her Royal Highness Princess Anne was the special guest of honour.

Eliza and Molly were chosen to represent the education charity at the reception last week Tuesday, which offered places for two change agents under age 25 and two staff from the organisation to attend. Founder and CEO, Susannah Hardyman and deputy CEO, Jen Fox, also attended the event at the Fishmongers’ Hall in London.

Action Tutoring received The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award, in recognition of the significant impact of its volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young pupils across England. This esteemed award, equivalent to an MBE, now known as the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, represents the highest acknowledgment bestowed on local voluntary groups in the UK. The aim is to celebrate fantastic work by national charities and their volunteers to empower young people and provide them with skills and opportunities.

Positive transformation

Eliza, a master’s student at Northumbria University, Newcastle, was chosen for being actively involved in providing additional academic support to disadvantaged young individuals within her local Newcastle communities. Since August 2022, Eliza has tutored primary and Secondary English, in-person and online, in 51 sessions across eight different programmes in local schools.

Expressing her passion for language and its transformative potential in diverse and disadvantaged communities, Eliza, who is studying for a postgraduate in Applied Linguistics for TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), emphasised her interest in contributing to better outcomes for pupils in schools.

“Having personally witnessed the positive transformation we have brought about in pupils within my community, I am elated to see the organisation receiving this well-deserved recognition.”

Eliza

Relatively young charity

HRH Princess Anne spent time handing certificates and speaking to representatives of each awarded charity. HRH Princess Anne was particularly interested in the history and impact of Action Tutoring, as a relatively young charity, being awarded alongside established and centuries-old charities, including the British Red Cross and Scouts. With only 12 years since its founding, Action Tutoring said it was delighted to be among the recipients of the award which included renowned and household-name charities for this award.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and also the Department for Business and Trade plus Minister for Equalities, Stuart Andrew, gave a speech and met with charities to appreciate their work.

Increasing life chances

Susannah Hardyman expressed pride in the volunteers’ selfless commitment to supporting disadvantaged young people, highlighting their positive impact on academic progress and the wellbeing of pupils.

“The recognition serves as a reminder of the invaluable contributions made by our volunteers within their local communities across the country. Like Eliza, they are not only helping disadvantaged pupils in academic progress but also fostering their sense of confidence and increasing their life’s chances.”

Susannah

Action Tutoring is proud of its diverse pool of volunteers from different backgrounds and between the ages of 18 to 82,  including university students, full-time or part-time workers from different sectors of business, and retired professionals. Not only do volunteers help pupils achieve better grades, but they also serve as positive role models by creating a supportive environment for learning and mentoring pupils to thrive in school and later in life.

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Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the resources you need.

How volunteer tutoring has shaped my outlook on life

I initially heard of Action Tutoring through one of my lecturers. I am a third year BSc Sociology and Psychology student at the University of Greenwich. For my final year of university, I chose to complete a placement and wanted it to be in the education sector. From my experiences, I have often been on the receiving end of teaching and therefore wanted to expand on my knowledge of the teacher’s end and help inspire other students to learn.

Levelling the playing field in education

After hearing about Action Tutoring, I decided to conduct my research into the charity. Action Tutoring not only aims to help socio-economically deprived students but also creates a safe and equal atmosphere for pupils in primary and secondary to have the same level of access to education and therefore achievement as their non-disadvantaged peers. I believe social factors should never influence the access students have to a good education and opportunities should be equal.

For students who may face these difficulties, it is out of their control and often therefore presents knock-on effects when it comes to further education, for example gaining a degree. By becoming a part of Action Tutoring’s volunteer scheme, I aim to help all students have confidence in themselves and achieve academic success.

Why volunteering matters

Tutoring is giving me an insight into the teaching side of academics, but the main factor that motivates me to volunteer knowing the impact I can have on the students. Being able to provide them with a safe and supportive space that allows them to feel fully confident to push themselves and aim higher is such a big motivator for me. 

This is especially true, as I know a lot of people who would have loved to have this amazing opportunity presented to them. I can give the pupils hope and get them to believe in themselves. Volunteering should be something all individuals should participate in at least once in their lives, as the happiness you feel knowing you have made an impact will forever stick and guide your morals. Volunteering brings people together, contributes to communities, and creates connections It is beneficial for both those who volunteer and those on the receiving end of it.

The power of games and peer instruction

I am a strong believer that education should be made fun, otherwise students will not pay attention., I always ensure that icebreaker games within the lesson – points for completing the work, hangman games, maths bingo – all of these engage the students and make them eager to learn. Personally, I believe that this is vital as otherwise, students aren’t able to engage as much with the information being taught and therefore cannot improve on the skills they are struggling with. 

Another way to have a successful session is to see if the students who understand the information can teach me or teach the students who are struggling with what they have learned. This has a positive correlation with retention when students are struggling, as often as a tutor I may not explain in a way that is easy for certain students to understand. As peers, they are more likely to know each other better than I do and may help explain it in the way they understand from my teaching. Through this, I can then test the students again to see if they are still struggling.

A memorable tutoring moment

Some of my English students had previously done a text that was quite difficult to understand, so I decided to use a difficult word from the session in a game of hangman. They initially struggled to figure out the word, however, when they finally realised what it was, the look on their faces was pure excitement! I was hoping they had remembered why I had chosen the word, which they did and were able to tell me the name of the text without looking back. They could even explain how that word was relevant and summarise the text. I was extremely proud of how far they had come and how much they were able to recall. It gave me a sign that I was doing a good job at tutoring, which further gave me confidence in teaching future sessions.

Seamless tutoring experience

The main thing I love about Action Tutoring resources is their accessibility. All training sessions, extra resources, and programme workbooks are stored via one app called Loop. It is a really effective tool when it comes to accessing training events, as it presents all upcoming training sessions with their timings on the main home screen.

There are opportunities to do smaller Bright Ideas training sessions in your own time, which makes it easier to manage, especially if the online sessions do not suit your availability. Lastly, you can directly download the relevant workbooks for your tutoring subject and year group – it includes answers and solutions to all the questions, making it even simpler when it comes to planning lessons effectively. 

As someone who tutors a minimum of 6 sessions a week, I expected difficulty in contacting Action Tutoring’s programme coordinators, however, each session, apart from 1, had a different coordinator. This not only makes it easier to contact them, but it also makes communication smoother, as there is no risk of getting mixed up with the sessions or the students that are being discussed.

Highs and lows

The hardest thing about tutoring is controlling pupil behavioural issues. Personally, I have only had these issues with virtual learning because online it can be harder for me to control and redirect to positive behaviour when they’re not in the room with me. If these moments occur, I attempt to engage them back into the lesson or provide them with a mind break if I believe this to be the reason they were acting up.

Although sometimes tutoring can be hard, it also has a lot of benefits. Volunteering has positively impacted my overall life, often contributing to other aspects. I can carry myself with confidence, which presents more within my degree and therefore has a positive impact on my learning. Before volunteering, I was more reserved however this has since improved and now I can achieve my goals with more ease. My experience with Action Tutoring has been motivating and thrilling – it has developed my confidence in my teaching skills and allowed me to see the side of the education system that students rarely have access to.

Written by: Laura Shepherd

Action Tutoring’s Board shortlisted for Charity Governance Awards 2023

The transformational leadership by Action Tutoring’s Board of Trustees amid the Covid-19 pandemic’s challenges to education has been recognised by the Charity Governance Awards this year.

The education charity has been shortlisted alongside two other charities in the ‘Transforming with Digital’ category, one of the five awards announced this week.

The ‘Transforming with Digital’ category aims to recognise boards that have enabled digital transformation to help their charities grow, deliver increased impact and quality support for beneficiaries.

The nomination applauds Action Tutoring’s adaptability and innovation in pivoting swiftly to online delivery of tutoring when a national lockdown was announced and schools were indefinitely closed in March 2020.

Expanding reach and impact

By the autumn term of 2020/2021, the charity rolled out online tutoring across all eight regions of operation, expanding markedly its reach and impact to more disadvantaged young people. Online delivery constituted up to 86% of tutoring delivery by the charity in that academic year.

Since then, online tutoring has become a key component of the charity’s service delivery model, and it continuously invests in further digital transformation in other areas including volunteer recruitment, staff and volunteer training, and pupil assessments to provide high-quality tutoring support to disadvantaged pupils in schools almost anywhere across England.

Best interest of young people

This nomination is a testament to the commitment of the Board, staff, and tireless volunteers of Action Tutoring who devote their time and resources to ensuring every child, irrespective of their socio-economic background, gets a better education to improve their life chances. We will continue to work in the best interest and for the best outcomes of disadvantaged young people.

Peter Baines, Chair of Action Tutoring’s Board of Trustees

Nomination benefits

Action Tutoring received £1,000 as an unrestricted grant for making it onto the shortlist, and is in the running for a prize of a £5,000 unrestricted grant to be announced at a live ceremony at Drapers’ Hall, London on the 8th June.

Shortlisted charities have also secured a paid one-year membership of the Association of Chairs for their board, and a complimentary place on a Cause4 Trustee Leadership Programme for a new member of their board.

The Charity Governance Awards is organised by The Clothworkers’ Company – a City of London livery company that supports trusteeship initiatives – in partnership with the not-for-profit consultancy NPC (New Philanthropy Capital), third sector recruitment specialists Prospectus, and the trustee-matching charity Reach Volunteering.

Retiree volunteer joins King Charles’ first garden party

As a recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award in December, Action Tutoring was invited to select two tutor volunteers to join several distinguished guests for King Charles’ first garden party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, ahead of the Coronation this weekend.

Retiree Frank Plater, our volunteer tutor with the most sessions delivered in the last academic year, together with Peter Baines, the Chair of the Board of Trustees and long-time tutor volunteer, were nominated by founder and CEO, Susannah Hardyman to represent the education charity at the garden party.

I was really quite staggered for being nominated to attend the garden party. Supporting children keeps me young, and keeps my brain ticking over.

Frank said, with a beaming smile as he stood outside the gates to the Palace.

Ever the committed tutor, Frank delivered a Year 10 maths session at St Bede’s Catholic College, Bristol in the morning before catching the train to London for the King’s garden party.

Making a difference

Frank Plater drives over forty minutes from Chepstow, Wales to three schools in Bristol each week to give additional academic support to pupils in maths. He tutors at the Badocks Wood E-ACT Academy, St. Bede’s Catholic College, and Greenfield E-ACT Primary Academy.

The retired aircraft industry professional has embarked on this journey over the last five years since he began volunteering with Action Tutoring.

I first heard about Action Tutoring when surfing the internet. I really wanted any tutoring to be voluntary, but too many sites were focused on the financial reward. I wanted to give something back and try to make a difference. Voluntary maths tutoring seemed to be something I could do.

Frank recounted

Since 2018, Frank has delivered over 430 maths support sessions for pupils in Bristol.

Having worked specifically in aerodynamics and flight physics for 30 years, Frank said he gets the most satisfaction from feeling useful.

I’m currently taking action to pass on my knowledge and experience and this has made me think about helping even younger people develop themselves.

Giving heart

Beyond volunteering, Frank has donated to several fundraising campaigns run by Action Tutoring to expand academic support to more disadvantaged pupils in hard-to-reach areas across the country. 

Through his contributions to our Big Give Christmas Challenge, Champions for Children campaign, and 10th-anniversary impact celebrations among others, Frank is making a lasting difference in the lives of young people from low-income families.

Play to learn

The pupils Frank supports every week in face-to-face tutoring sessions have described him as a great and humble tutor who brings in lots of games to play during tutoring sessions. 

His approach to tutoring has garnered a lot of love from pupils in schools in Bristol.

Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award

The King’s Garden Party invitation comes on the heels of Action Tutoring receiving The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award. It recognised the service and impact of its inspiring volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young people across England in empowering young people and providing them with skills and opportunities.

Commenting on how he felt being selected to attend the garden party, Frank said: “It was a bolt out of the blue and I chuckled a bit.”

The Big Help Out for Volunteering

Volunteering has taken centre stage as the coronation of King Charles is set for this weekend. The value of volunteering is a key component of the celebrations in tribute to the King’s lifetime of public service.

In the spirit of volunteering and to mark the historic event nationwide, the Big Help Out is being rolled out to raise awareness of diverse volunteering opportunities for people to make a difference in their communities throughout the UK. The Big Help Out is on the bank holiday Monday of the Coronation – May 8th.

With the Big Help Out campaign aimed at encouraging a national day of volunteering, find out more about how you can support our Big Help Out initiative and some important information on the event.

What is the Big Help Out?

A concept developed by the coalition of Royal Voluntary Service and Together, the Big Help Out is an initiative to showcase the value and impact of volunteering for people and communities who take part. 

The campaign is urging people to sign up – online and via a new app – to participate in various volunteer opportunities across the country on the Coronation  Bank Holiday. The aim is to get more people who traditionally don’t volunteer to consider it.

Why is it important?

Charities are facing a challenge with recruiting volunteers as the number of people signing up to give back their time and efforts has been on a steady decline in the last year. 

The Big Help Out campaign seeks to engage diverse groups of people to volunteer and celebrate the impact of volunteers on community and nation-building.

How can you get involved with Action Tutoring’s initiative?

For the Big Help Out on May 8th, we are asking you to write a letter of support to secondary pupils about to sit their GCSEs.

Remember the anxiety and nerves you may have had before your final exams? The feeling is typical for most students because the outcome matters for their future prospects.

A pass grade is a difference between being handed the key to the door of opportunity or having the door slammed in your face. Pupils who do not achieve a pass grade in their maths and English are less likely to be able to access further study or employment.

The GCSE pupils we support have been working hard all year, receiving extra tuition in English or maths. They deserve every encouragement ahead of their exams. 

Lend us a hand by writing a note of support in our Good Luck Book to the GCSE candidates this year. One word, one sentence, one paragraph, and one letter can be the defining motivation that compels them to go all out and pass their exams.

What’s your message to the GCSE candidates? We will feature a cross-section of the notes on our social media platforms and compile them for the candidates.

How you can get involved beyond the Big Help Out?

With summer term underway, more pupils from low-income backgrounds are in need of additional academic support to help them pass their grades in English and maths. 

You can help by volunteering with us for at least an hour each week, either online or face-to-face, to give disadvantaged pupils the academic support they need.

Previous teaching experience is not required and training and resources are provided for all volunteers.

Because of You campaign celebrates the impact of volunteer tutors on pupils

Lyron’s dream of becoming a successful singer and actor in the future fuels his passion for singing in the church choir and exploring theatre. The primary six pupil at Comber Grove School in London previously struggled with understanding mathematical concepts. After receiving tutoring support from Action Tutoring and constant motivation from his mother to keep practising maths, Lyron is experiencing a positive turnaround.

I feel more confident in maths now, which means I can ace my SATs. My tutor is very good at helping me to improve in the subject

Lyron

Tutors have helped improve the academic outcomes and confidence of many young people. The impact tutors have on pupils goes beyond grades, with many mentoring and sharing advice with young people to build their resilience and confidence and to encourage them to think about their future career paths. Every child deserves the best possible start in life and a learning environment that enables them to fulfil their potential. Tutors support the work of teachers to give children a stronger educational foundation to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow.

Through the Because of You campaign, Action Tutoring celebrates the marked difference volunteer tutors make to pupils through their selfless and dedicated commitment. Volunteers are the bedrock of Action Tutoring’s work and play a valuable role in driving the education charity’s purpose and impact. With the bigger goal of helping to narrow the stark academic attainment gap, Action Tutoring optimises the power of its passionate volunteers to support disadvantaged young people across the country.

The Because of You campaign comes hot on the heels of Action Tutoring receiving The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award last month, which recognised the service and impact of its inspiring volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young people across England. The award celebrates the fantastic work of Action Tutoring’s volunteers to empower young people and provide them with skills and opportunities.

Action Tutoring delivers tutoring through the support of its diverse pool of volunteers who come from a variety of different backgrounds, including university students, full-time or part-time employees from different sectors of business, and retired professionals. Not only do volunteers help pupils achieve better grades, but they also serve as positive role models by creating a supportive environment for learning and mentoring pupils to thrive in school and beyond. Last year alone, our volunteer tutors delivered a staggering 30,855 tutoring sessions, in-person and online, to support 6,159 primary and secondary pupils facing disadvantage.

Over the last decade, Action Tutoring has been delivering academic support to disadvantaged young people through the dedication of our volunteer tutors and in partnership with schools. With the support of over 11,500 dedicated volunteer tutors, the charity has supported over 26,000 primary and secondary school pupils since 2012.

Action Tutoring has been working to help narrow the academic attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers at both primary and secondary levels – which is at its widest for ten years.

In the current challenging environment of the rising cost of living, volunteers continue to support pupils with their knowledge and skills to get a better start in life. Lyon is grateful to his tutor and all others for dedicating their time and efforts to create a better future for disadvantaged young people.

Thank you very much for helping me all through these months. You’ve been helping me to try and improve my maths. I hope because of you, I will ace my SATS and do very well. Thank you.

Lyron

Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the tutoring resources you need.

Action Tutoring honoured with Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award

Action Tutoring has been honoured with The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award, recognising the service and impact of our inspiring volunteer tutors on disadvantaged young people across England. This one-off service award was created to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and 20 years of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS). The aim is to celebrate fantastic work by national charities and their volunteers to empower young people and provide them with skills and opportunities.

Over the last decade,  Action Tutoring has been delivering academic support to disadvantaged young people through the dedication of our volunteer tutors and in partnership with schools. Since 2012, we’ve supported over 26,000 primary and secondary school pupils, with the support of over 11,500 dedicated volunteer tutors.

We are thrilled to have our work recognised by this award, particularly for the incredible service of our volunteers and the impact they have on the young people we support. We simply could not do what we do without them.

Susannah Hardyman, founder and CEO of Action Tutoring

The Jubilee Award recognises 20 national charities whose work empowers young people aged 16-25, with volunteers playing a pivotal role in delivering this. The award submissions were judged over the summer by an expert panel chaired by Sir Martyn Lewis CBE (Chair of QAVS). It included members from each UK nation as well as two youth representatives. His Majesty The King personally approved the 20 awardees, following the panel’s selection.

These awards highlight the indispensable role that the voluntary sector plays in targeting help, advice, and guidance where it is needed most. These awards should also be seen as a tribute to the millions of volunteers and donors who, in difficult times, provide the resources of time and money which contribute so powerfully to the social fabric of our country.

Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, the QAVS Chair

Volunteers are at the core of Action Tutoring’s work and remain an invaluable resource in driving our purpose and impact. We are tackling the stark academic attainment gap by optimising the power of our passionate volunteer tutors to specifically support disadvantaged young people across the country.

Action Tutoring is proud of its diverse pool of volunteers from different backgrounds and between the ages of 18 to 82,  including university students, full-time or part-time workers from different sectors of business, and retired professionals. The varied range of volunteer tutors, motivated by their selfless devotion to our mission, bring unique perspectives and experiences to improve the subject knowledge, confidence, and tolerance of the disadvantaged young people they support.

I never expected the sense of pride and accomplishment I would be feeling, not just for myself, but for the pupils experiencing academic progress. This volunteering opportunity has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the education of young people, which has been so rewarding that I can’t even begin to express my gratitude.

Eve, a university student and Action Tutoring volunteer in Liverpool, said in a recent blog, sharing her tutoring experience.

In spite of the challenging backdrop of Covid-19, Year 6 children eligible for the Pupil Premium supported by Action Tutoring were more likely to achieve the expected standards in their SATs than other disadvantaged pupils across the country — by eight percentage points in both maths and reading — despite being considered at risk of not reaching these standards. This year’s GCSE results showed that 61% of disadvantaged pupils passed their English and 72% of disadvantaged pupils passed maths, after attending at least 10 tutoring sessions with Action Tutoring – notwithstanding being considered at risk of not achieving a passing grade and two challenging years of pandemic disruption.

From Action Tutoring to StreetGames, these 20 charities deliver outstanding work to help give young people the skills they need to grow and succeed.  Ensuring young people get the best possible start in life is a priority for me and the Government, and there is no more fitting way to celebrate these brilliant charities than a unique edition of the highest award for voluntary service.

Culture Secretary, Michelle Donelan

Action Tutoring has been working to help narrow the academic attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers at both primary and secondary levels – which is at its widest for ten years. Tutoring is an intervention with proven impact to help narrow the gap and give disadvantaged young people a stronger head-start in life.

“This award and recognition will help us to reach new audiences and encourage more people to come forward and volunteer their time to help change the future prospects of thousands of young people across the country.”

Susannah Hardyman

Become a volunteer tutor with Action Tutoring and help disadvantaged children improve their academic strength and build a better future. With just one hour a week, you can volunteer to tutor pupils in English or maths at primary or secondary level, online or in-person. No previous teaching experience is required and we will provide you with all the resources you need.