Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the selection criteria will be for pupils receiving tutoring under the National Tutoring Programme.

The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) will provide additional, targeted support to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds who need the most help to catch-up. It is important that decisions about what support pupils receive are made locally by those who understand their needs.

For the 5-16 programme, the NTP Academic Mentors and Tuition Partners pillars are designed to support disadvantaged pupils as defined by Pupil Premium eligibility. Schools are encouraged to direct NTP support towards Pupil Premium pupils who have been hardest hit by disruption to their education. However, head teachers can exercise their professional judgement to include other disadvantaged and vulnerable children who they feel are most in need of support. In order to maximise the impact of tutoring and to support schools, the Education Endowment Foundation has provided a guide on how to get the best out of tutoring: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/resources/best-tutoring-practice-for-schools. This includes advice on selecting and grouping pupils for tutoring.

The NTP is also supporting an oral language programme for reception-aged children. The Department invited all state-funded schools with a reception class to register their interest in delivering the programme. Schools will be prioritised based on the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, in recognition of the disproportionate impact that time out of early education, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, has had on disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Delivery of this element will begin in January 2021.

Additionally, the 16 to 19 Tuition Fund will be used to deliver small group tuition where education has been disrupted. The Department has asked colleges to prioritise their disadvantaged students but recognise that there are different indicators of disadvantage. We have given colleges flexibility to target the students who are most in need of this support, but asked colleges to note the stipulations regarding eligibility set out in the published guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-16-to-19-tuition-fund.