Online teaching and learning provider, Tute, has been chosen to help address the Covid-19 attainment gap and support disadvantaged pupils across England through the National Tutoring Programme (NTP).
Available from Monday, 2nd November, Tute will deliver high-quality tutoring to primary and secondary schools as part of the subsidised NTP framework.
Covid-19 has caused widespread disruption for students up and down the country, with an estimated 2.5 million children missing out on education due to school closures, according to research from The London School of Economics. This partnership reflects the Government’s and Tute’s commitment to ensuring no students are left behind because of the pandemic.
As an approved Tuition Partner, Tute will support disadvantaged students whose education was disproportionately affected during lockdown. Through live, interactive online lessons delivered by their qualified teachers, Tute will provide tuition in core subjects across Key Stages 1-4 in mainstream, alternative provision and special educational needs (SEND) settings.
For some learners who struggle in traditional classroom environments, studying online during the pandemic has been a positive experience. Research from The National Tutoring Programme found that nine in ten children felt more confident learning in a virtual setting over lockdown. As an online classroom, schools in any region can access Tute’s tutoring provision.
Tute’s online classroom means that schools in any region can access the lessons, ensuring that students can continue to receive outstanding tutoring remotely, in case of self-isolation or local lockdowns.
Vanessa Leach, Managing Director at Tute, said:
“As schools continue to grapple with the challenge and uncertainty of Covid-19, it’s essential that we support teachers with the fantastic work they’re already doing to help students catch up on any learning missed over lockdown.
“We’re extremely proud to be part of the National Tutoring Programme and delivering high-quality online tutoring to students at greatest risk of slipping behind in their education. It’s what we’ve always done so we are thrilled to be a Tuition Partner.
“Remote learning presented unique difficulties for children from disadvantaged backgrounds – young people need accessible resources and continuity with their education now if we want to close the widening attainment gap and provide all students with the skills necessary to thrive in life.”
Robbie Coleman, Director of the secretariat of the National Tutoring Programme, said:
“The National Tutoring Programme has one simple aim – to support teachers and schools to support their pupils who have missed out the most as a result of school closures. We’re pleased to welcome our new Tuition Partners who will make tutoring accessible to disadvantaged pupils who need it most.
“The National Tutoring Programme is a tool for teachers. We hope that by providing high-quality, cost effective tutoring to disadvantaged pupils the NTP will make a difference to those who need it most across the country.”
Schools will be able to search and request tutoring through the NTP website from 10am on Monday. To find out more about the NTP and sign up to Tute’s provision, please visit
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About Tute
Tute is a high-quality online teaching and learning service that provides outstanding education to children and young people, regardless of their circumstances. Tute partners with schools, local authorities and non-mainstream settings to improve outcomes by filling gaps in capacity and curriculum.
Tute’s team of qualified teachers deliver lessons live in our safeguarded online classroom, providing a rich and flexible curriculum to Key Stages 1-5 in over 30 subjects. These lessons are deployed as intervention, enrichment, catch-up or alternative provision to those who need it.
About The National Tutoring Programme
- The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) aims to support schools in providing a sustained response to the coronavirus pandemic and to provide a longer-term contribution to closing the attainment gap.
- The NTP has been designed and developed by a collaboration of five charities – the EEF, Sutton Trust, Impetus, Nesta and Teach First – working in partnership with the Department for Education.
- The programme for 5-16 year olds has two parts: NTP Tuition Partners, which aims to give schools access to subsidised high-quality tuition from approved providers; and NTP Academic Mentors, which recruits graduates and qualified teachers to work full-time in schools in the most disadvantaged areas.
- The EEF will be leading the delivery of NTP Tuition Partners and has been provided with £76 million from the Department for Education to fund activity in 2020-2021.
- Teach First will support the recruitment, training and placement of the first cohort of Academic Mentors and has been provided with £6.4 million to fund this work. The salaries of Academic Mentors will be funded by the Government.
- Both pillars are funded as part of Government’s £350m allocation to tutoring, through the £1bn coronavirus catch up package.
- Separate tutoring initiatives are in place to support early years and post-16 education.
