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Tutoring in the English education system is often seen as a supplementary, catch-up method, provided by private tuition agencies, to boost academic attainment for students at all stages of their academic journey. However, evidence from the shows that tutoring can be a particularly cost-effective and valuable tool for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. As a not-for-profit education charity, at the we have seen this firsthand – tutoring can be impactful not only for attainment but also for instilling a love of learning, new-found confidence and increased engagement. Do we, then, need a new metric for measuring the effectiveness of tutoring? In this blog post, we argue for a reframing of tutoring which is care-centric and as an important space for fostering confidence, connection and care.

Rethinking what success looks like in tutoring programmes
Between 2020 and 2024, the UK government-funded National Tutoring Programme provided tutoring for pupils (particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds) to catch up on lost learning from the Covid-19 pandemic. An commissioned by the Department for Education in 2023 found the programme had been well received by schools.
The review highlighted the positive impact on attainment, with small-group tuition yielding ‘around 4 months additional progress over the course of an academic year’ (Ofsted, 2023). However, an evaluation of tutoring that limits its focus to measurable outcomes risks overlooking important skills that enhance personal growth, confidence and attitudes to learning. At the Tutor Trust, alongside the positive impact on attainment, tutoring provides young people with a wide range of social, emotional and practical benefits.

‘An evaluation of tutoring that limits its focus to measurable outcomes risks overlooking important skills that enhance personal growth, confidence and attitudes to learning.’

The review also emphasised an unfavourable hierarchy between school-led (SL) teacher tutors and tuition partner (TP) tutors. Tutors without Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), or from external providers, were often described less favourably: ‘high-quality, known teachers’ contrasted with ‘non-qualified tutors’ who are ‘unknown and risky’ (Ofsted, 2023). In our experience, this dichotomy is less evident. High-quality external tutors offer pupils alternative and specialised support, improve confidence and provide positive role models. This can be especially valuable for pupils who may be disengaged with school, persistently absent, or have special educational needs and disabilities, for whom a one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate.

The recent on state-funded tutoring highlighted how external tutors support pupils who may need extra help or lack a strong connection with their teachers. Their stakeholder group also noted the value of TP tutors as ‘aspirational role models’, especially when they ‘came from the same background as the pupils’ (Ofsted, 2023).

The value of a care-centric approach to tutoring
We believe that current metrics for assessing tutoring success are limited, as they fail to take into consideration the humanistic or relational elements of our work with disadvantaged pupils. We therefore advocate adopting a social justice lens to help reframe the value of tutoring. Lynch et al. (2020) argue that social inequalities are often approached without engaging the affective dimension of care, love and solidarity. This is particularly true in tackling educational inequity; the care-centric and relational elements of tutoring can be lost amid pressures to prioritise attainment and measurable outcomes.

Tutoring can help us establish a care-centric approach to social justice in education. Our internal tutee evaluations suggest that, for them, successful tutoring includes high-quality relationships based on trust, empathy and encouragement. Lynch et al. (2020) contend that care is regenerative and reciprocal; by being cared for and nurtured, we learn to care for ourselves and others.

Overall, well-equipped external tutors are uniquely placed to create environments where pupils feel comfortable to admit confusion, ask questions and engage with positive role models who demonstrably care for them. This, in turn, develops academic and social skills alongside confidence and a positive attitude to education. Ultimately, by embracing tutoring as an act of care, we can move beyond narrow measures of attainment and recognise it as a powerful instrument for social justice – one that nurtures both minds and hearts.

References

Lynch, K., Kalaitzake, M., & Crean, M. (2020). Care and affective relations: Social justice and sociology. The Sociological Review, 69(1), 1–19.

Office for Standards in Education [Ofsted]. (2023). Independent review of tutoring in schools: phase 1 findings. ÌýÌý