Commenting on the findings from the National Foundation for
Educational Research’s evaluation of the National Tutoring
Programme, Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association
of School and College Leaders, said: “We welcome this evaluation.
As the National Tutoring Programme ended up being pretty much the
only way in which the government provided additional funding for
education recovery, it’s crucial that it is effective.
“The evaluation suggests that there were benefits to pupils
receiving support under the tuition partners strand of the
programme, but the evidence for the academic mentors strand
appears less certain.
“We agree that ongoing evaluation should take place to explore
which models of tutoring are most effective for which pupils and
in what circumstances. If tutoring is to become an ongoing part
of the education landscape, as the government hopes, it is vital
we understand as much as possible about how to use it
effectively.
“But the biggest barrier to an effective tutoring system is the
fact it is only partially being funded by the government. At a
time when schools and colleges already face a funding crisis,
more and more leaders are telling us they simply cannot afford to
continue to provide tutoring.
“This report provides even more evidence that a government which
was serious about helping children and young people to recover
from the pandemic would properly fund a long-term programme of
education recovery, with tutoring a key part of this. Instead,
they now appear to be planning to cut spending on education even
further. Children and young people deserve better.”
