Frequently Asked Questions

When will one-to-one tuition be rolled out?

From September 2009, one-to-one tuition will be available to pupils in Key Stages 2-3 and, for National Challenge schools, Key Stage 4 cohorts. The DCSF have made a commitment that 300,000 pupils a year will receive one-to-one tuition in English by 2010-2011 and 300,000 pupils will receive one-to-one tuition in mathematics.
 
 

Which year group is one-to-one tuition for?

In primary schools, one-to-one tuition should be focussed on Year 4 and Year 5 (from September 2009). In secondary schools, one-to-one tuition should be focussed on Year 7 and Year 8 (from September 2009).

What will the one-to-one tuition sessions consist of?

The tuition will be ten hours of one-to-one delivered in a suggested minimum of one-hour blocks. It will be delivered by a qualified tutor and will be based on targets agreed by class teacher, tutor and pupil. One-to-one tuition is intended to be an additional intervention strategy, not a replacement for existing ones.

Can parents invoice the schools if they find a tutor privately?

No. Only pupils selected by the school as being eligible for one-to-one tuition can receive tuition through the school. One-to-one tuition isn't always the most suitable support for all children and only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be selected by schools.

Is parental engagement a pre-requisite to receiving tuition?

Parental engagement is desirable but not a prerequisite. It is preferable for parents to be engaged with their child’s learning and progress and potentially to attend one of the tuition sessions.  However, a pupil would not be precluded from receiving one-to-one tuition by a lack of engagement from their parents.

Can a school use its teachers as tutors?

Yes, a school can employ its own teachers as tutors. However, tuition would then need to take place outside of school hours.

Can a pupil receive tuition in both English and Mathematics?

We would recommend that pupils receive tuition in either English or mathematics, not both. Pilot studies found that the one-to-one tuition is most effective when the tuition focuses on one specific area.

I can’t find enough tutors can I offer tuition in small groups instead?

No. The funding for one-to-one tuition is for individual tuition sessions only. If the school is unable to find tutors themselves, we may be able to help. However, if tutors cannot be found, we will not be able to allocate funding for these pupils.

Will the LA be able to supply us with a tutor?

We are unable to recommend tutors to schools and will not be employing tutors centrally. However, we will be holding a list of all qualified teachers who are interested in offering tuition in your area. This list will be made available to schools.

I have been allocated tuition places on the programme, when will I receive my funding?

Funding will be released to schools once they have submitted a detailed form identifying the tutors that will be carrying out one-to-one tuition. Funding will be allocated from the beginning of September.

Will I have to complete an evaluation form?

Yes. We will require you to complete an evaluation form once the tuition is complete.

Can I use a Higher Level TA to offer tuition?

No, tuition can only be offered by a qualified teacher.

Top Tips from Schools

Schools evaluated the programme in our spring 2010 mid year review questionnaire. When asked what worked well, most schools indicated that using existing members of staff really benefited the way that the tuition was offered. As staff already knew the pupils involved and their learning styles, tuition could immediately be delivered to target the pupil’s needs. Having a positive relationship between pupil and tutor was also highlighted as a vital factor for the success of tuition. It was important to pair the pupil and tutor carefully to ensure a good working relationship

A number of schools indicated that it was better for the tuition to happen during school time, rather than out of school hours. Rural schools noted transport issues as a major factor in determining when tuition should be delivered.

It was also important to make sure that the tuition sessions were fun and engaging to make sure that the pupil wanted to attend. A number of schools involved the parents as much as they could in the tuition process, including inviting parents to a launch event. They found that this was very effective in engaging parental support.

“Opportunities to do lots of games and practical reinforcement including the use of ICT have also contributed to the popularity of the sessions.”

Pupils thrived under the individual attention and sessions were tailored to their individual needs. Tutors would often start out with a basic tuition plan and adapt this as the tuition sessions were delivered.

One school indicated that they provided refreshments to pupils prior to the tuition sessions. This added to pupil motivation and generated a sense that the tuition was ‘special’ rather than additional support.

Some of the key things that worked well were:

• Using teachers whom the children already knew
• Completing the tuition in school where there is access to resources
• Regular liaison between tutor and class teacher
• Building a positive relationship between pupil and tutor
• Engaging parental support from an early stage
• Ensuring that each tuition session is tailored to the pupil’s individual need
• Making sessions fun and engaging

What would you do differently?

One school recommended using all external tutors as it was felt to over-burden exiting teachers in delivering tuition after school. Some secondary schools struggled to find tutors, particularly schools that had been allocated a large number of places.

Schools also recommended more accurate use of data to identify pupils that will benefit from this type of intervention, and careful consideration to be given to the type of pupil chosen for the programme.

Some of the suggestions made included:

• Consider the pupils chosen for the programme carefully – one to one does not work for all pupils
• Provide a dedicated space for the tuition to take place
• Ask the children to evaluate what they felt worked well in the sessions

Top tips for other schools:

Schools were asked to give tips for other schools, these included:

• Use existing members of staff where possible
• Pair tutors and pupils carefully to ensure a good working relationship
• Ensure there is good communication between tutor and teacher
• Promote the sessions as positively as possible to increase parental support and understanding
• Offer snacks prior to after school sessions
• If a child really does not want to take part, tuition will not be effective
• Ensure sessions are interactive and fun
• Stay focused on one key area, rather than attempting to address all areas
• Set a timetable and clear aims and objectives
• Have clear structured meetings with the class teacher before tuition starts
• Ensure someone oversees the whole project within the school
• Use physical resources that are appropriate to a pupil’s ability not age
• Laugh!