News

Private tutoring widens gaps between rich and poor pupils

Narrowing the Gap
The proportion of secondary pupils receiving private or home tuition has risen by a third over the last decade, sparking fears that poorer families are being put at a further disadvantage in the education system.

A quarter of pupils now receive extra tuition compared to 18 per cent in 2005, with more than half of these young people getting the extra lessons specifically to help with examinations.

According to the Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit, one-to-one tuition can boost a child’s learning by an additional five months across an academic year.
However, analysis by website Tutorfair suggests that the typical cost of a private tutor is now £23 an hour – rising to £29 in London.

The Sutton Trust, which carried out the research, is now calling for means-tested voucher system, possibly funded via the Pupil Premium, to help low-income families buy extra support.

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