Service

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.