The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is a scheme intended to provide additional, targeted support for children and young people in schools who have been most affected by disruption to their education, as a result of the pandemic.
The programme launched in November 2020 and was initially funded to provide subsidised tutoring for up to 250,000 pupils using specialised educational practitioners known as Tuition Partners and Academic Mentors.
Based on the feedback gathered from schools, the NTP was extended for a further year and all of the funding – £349 million – has gone directly back to schools. Now, the Department of Education has simplified the system to allow schools the freedom to decide how best to provide tuition to their students. Whilst Tuition Partners and Academic Mentors have continued to support children and young people within schools, schools are now able to use existing members of staff and tutors with whom they are familiar via the School-led Tutoring programme.
In June 2021 the Department for Education announced that, over the next 3 years, they were investing a further £1 billion into the education recovery programme. Alongside this, they would be providing extra funding for the NELI (Nuffield early language intervention) programme and the 16 to 19 tutoring provision. Together with an expansion to the existing NTP which offers 15 hours tutoring packages and support for up to 6 million pupils between the ages of 5 and 16.
Who can benefit?
The NTP is open to all state-funded schools and academy trusts, designed to extend the opportunity to catch up to pupils whose education has been impacted most by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the education setting, mainstream or SEND, it allows all schools the flexibility to choose an NTP route which best fits their students. Tuition can also be delivered in specialist settings as well as supporting pupils with additional needs including SEND, in mainstream settings.
Tutoring is one of the most effective ways to recover student progress that may have been lost during the pandemic. Many schools are already utilising the NTP, providing tuition with qualified teachers, and improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and children with special educational needs.
One-to-one tuition can boost pupil progress by as much as 5 months and many schools have already seen a positive impact on students, including pupils with upcoming exams, as tuition can aid exam preparation and improve student attainment via revision sessions and additional support from Academic Mentors.
Offering the best support
Some students, including those with SEND, will require extra help adapting to the tutoring sessions. The NTP recognises the individual needs of each pupil and offers a high level of flexibility and choice. NTP tutors can offer support in a range of subjects and provide targeted support for pupils in small groups or on a one-to-one basis, tailoring their expertise to support identified needs.
Similarly, this means tutors can prepare for the needs of each pupil on a personal level, ensuring they are clear on the emotional and mental support students might need alongside the educational needs of the pupils, to enable the students to get the most out of this support.
The NTP aim to provide students with the same tutor on a weekly basis, which is important for students with SEND, as it can take time to build positive relationships and trust. Building a relationship between pupil and tutor is important and helps ensure the sessions are productive.
If your school has identified pupils who require immediate one-to-one or small group Tutoring support from QTS Teachers, justteachers can provide fully referenced and registered candidates available for Tutor work immediately. Contact your local branch today here.
