At this year’s Conservative Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has partnered with Action Tutoring, Get Further and The Tutor Trust to hold a public panel event on ‘Tutoring for the future: what can a long-term tutoring policy offer to improve outcomes and close the disadvantage gap?’
In 2020, the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) was launched to support children and young people to catch up on lost learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Three years on, the NTP continues with the Government meeting 50% of programme costs for the 2023/24 academic year, a move that John Glen, Chief Secretary to the Treasury highlights as a “downpayment on long-term economic growth.”
While recent EPI research finds that the pandemic continues to adversely affect pupils’ learning, particularly the most disadvantaged, and tutoring remains critical within this context, more widely, evidence in favour of this intervention is strong. Education Endowment Foundation research finds that one-to-one tutoring is “very effective” in improving pupil outcomes and has additional benefits for children receiving free school meals; it has also proven popular with parents and students alike. Given the approaching cliff edge – the NTP is due to finish in 2024 – and tutoring’s evidenced educational and economic benefits, it is critical to consider the opportunities offered in the long-term and how impactful tutoring can be embedded in the education system for the future.
Bringing together policy makers, school and college leaders and other stakeholders, this timely panel will investigate the current place of tutoring within the system; the future opportunities the intervention offers to close the attainment gap and what would be needed to deliver on these opportunities. Recognising some of the delivery difficulties the NTP has faced, speakers will also consider how tutoring can be embedded equitably and sustainably across the education system, ensuring it reaches the pupils that need it most.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Sally Burtonshaw, Public First; Damian Haigh, Liverpool Maths School; Susannah Hardyman, Action Tutoring; Ed Marsh, Tutor Trust and Sarah Waite, Get Further to the panel. Jon Andrews, EPI’s Head of Analysis, will chair the session.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Conservative Party.**
