Sutton Trust comment on the Prime Minister's commitment to tutoring in his conference speech

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s reference to tutoring in his speech today, Sir Peter Lampl, chair and founder of the Sutton Trust, said:

‘The Prime Minister’s commitment to tutoring is really welcome. There is strong evidence that high-quality tutoring is a cost-effective way to support pupils, whether they are falling behind or need a bit of extra stretch. I’m pleased that the Prime Minister also acknowledged that It is not just an approach that can support catch-up after this year’s school closures, but can and must be provided in the long term to address the stubborn gap in outcomes between poorer pupils and their peers.

“Small group tuition should be considered too, which can be just as effective as one-to-one and allows far greater reach. The crucial factor is ensuring the tutoring is high-quality and acts as a complement to classroom teaching.

“Any additional support through tutoring should be directed at pupils from lower-income homes, as is happening through the National Tutoring Programme this year. It’s for the government through the Spending Review to decide on the funding for all programmes including the NTP.

“Our research has shown that many middle-class families already buy in tutoring for their children, so it is absolutely right that we are able to offer similar support to lower-income pupils too.”