A recent report by the Sutton Trust reveals that the gap in tuition access between rich and poor families in England has nearly vanished, thanks to the government’s pandemic recovery program. The National Tutoring Programme (NTP), a government initiative aimed at offering extra assistance to underprivileged students through their schools, has been instrumental in achieving this. The study notes that 32% of children in low-income families received additional tuition through their schools, compared to 22% belonging to wealthier families. However, funding cuts could threaten to widen the gap again, says the report.
The Sutton Trust, an organization that advocates for increased social mobility through better education, has further discovered that private tuition continues to gain popularity. Last year, 39% of children from wealthy families received private tuition, compared to 37% from low-income households. Nevertheless, the NTP has enabled a broader group of students to access tutoring, potentially leveling the playing field.
The data also shows that regions with the least amount of private tutoring, like the Northeast, East Midlands, and Yorkshire, enjoy the highest rates of in-school tutoring. The tutoring program came into effect in November 2020 to assist English students in recovering lost learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw school closures lasting several months throughout 2019 and 2020.
Presently, the government covers 60% of tutoring fees, while schools cover the remaining 40%. However, in the coming months, the government subsidy is set to drop to 25%. The report calls for the subsidy to remain at its existing level so that the NTP can continue.
Sutton Trust chairman Sir Peter Lampl urges for the national tutoring program to be seen as a long-term endeavor instead of merely a temporary solution, noting that "it should be part of an ongoing national effort to tackle the attainment gap." Meanwhile, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, warns that schools would find it difficult to maintain the program if subsidies are discontinued due to budget constraints. He also urges the government to invest in the program adequately for it to have long-lasting effects.
