National Tutoring Programme

(asked on 6th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what date the National Tutoring Programme is planned to be fully operational.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 11th November 2020

The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is an ambitious scheme that will provide additional, targeted support to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds who need the most help to catch up.

The programme for 5-16 year olds comprises of two pillars to support schools. Tuition Partners offer high quality, subsidised tuition to disadvantaged pupils in schools across the regions, whilst schools in the most disadvantaged areas are being supported to employ in-house Academic Mentors to provide tuition to their pupils.

The programme went live on 2 November 2020 with provision to schools increasing over the winter and into the spring term. 32 approved Tuition Partners are ready to offer tuition to schools. The full list of approved Tuition Partners is available here: https://schoolsweek.co.uk/revealed-the-32-providers-selected-to-deliver-the-national-tutoring-programme/.

It is expected that they will support around 250,000 pupils over the academic year. The Department also placed its first 188 mentors with schools to work with pupils that need additional support. We expect to place around 1,000 Academic Mentors, with the remaining mentors starting in schools over the 2021 spring term. Further information about the NTP is available here: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/faqs.

As part of the Department’s £1 billion catch-up support to schools, it will spend up to £350 million on the NTP. To date, the NTP comprises of three elements. Further details about the 5-16 programme are available through the following link: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/news/national-tutoring-programme-launches-in-schools.

Details about small group tutoring via the 16-19 Tuition Fund can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-16-to-19-tuition-fund.

Finally, details regarding the oral language support programme for Reception-aged children can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/early-years-support-package-to-help-close-covid-language-gap.

Further information on programmes within the NTP will be set out following the Spending Review.

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