MP visits Shoreham Academy to see volunteer tutoring in action

The award-winning national education charity Action Tutoring has been running courses at the academy since 2017, with each course providing help for 20 pupils.

Fleur Peel, director of marketing and communications for Action Tutoring, said students were proud to be part of it and the visit was an opportunity to showcase the tutoring and its benefits.

The charity currently runs maths tutoring for year seven, year ten and year 11 students. Weekly sessions are offered on a 15-week course, with the aim of supporting students ahead of GCSEs.

Steve Tabor, director of Pupil Premium at Shoreham Academy, said: “We started with face-to-face tutoring and when Covid hit, we continued with virtual sessions. It stayed that way because it was working quite well.

“This year, we have gone back to face-to-face tutoring for the first time since Covid. We have found that is so much more powerful, because the students build a relationship with their tutor.”

Just under 20 per cent of the students at Shoreham Academy are eligible for Pupil Premium and the Action Tutoring sessions are aimed at helping them with their studies.

Fleur said funding for the courses comes from the Pupil Premium, as well as government grants and the charity's own fundraising.

She said the benefit for students was individual attention. Tutors are different to teachers, they are more of a role model, she explained.

Steve said most students welcome the help but some need a bit of persuasion. All those who attend are rewarded with vouchers for the canteen.

Steve said: “Some students tend to find it difficult to trust. If you can get them to meet the tutor and go once, then they tend to engage.”

Fleur said the charity develops its own curriculum and the volunteer tutors are trained to deliver it. Last year, 6,000 pupils across England were given tutoring in maths and English.

Tom joined pupils for part of the session on Wednesday, November 11, and even tried one of the maths problems with them. He was able to see how the tutoring build skills and confidence.

He said: “It was fantastic to visit Shoreham Academy and speak with pupils and the brilliant volunteers who give up their time each week through Action Tutoring. High-quality tutoring can be a real game-changer for boosting academic confidence and keeping doors open to apprenticeships, college, and future careers.

"Shoreham Academy and Action Tutoring’s decade-long partnership is a model of what can be achieved when communities step forward to support our schools.”