Not less able, just less access

Farzana, a Year 11 pupil from Liverpool used to dread her maths lessons, until an Action Tutoring volunteer changed that. “I used to worry when I would see a question and if I didn’t understand it straight away, I would just turn the page and not attempt it” she said but after dedicated support sessions she mentioned she now “enjoyed maths and didn’t know that was possible.”

Action Tutoring is a national education charity, tutoring nearly 3,000 young people a year to improve their academic attainment. “I could see how beneficial tutoring could be to improving pupils’ grades, confidence and motivation - and I could see it was a booming industry,” says Susannah Hardyman, founder and CEO of Action Tutoring.

"Average UK cost of a private tutor is GBP 26 per hour"

Tutoring works to improve grades. Fact. The Education Endowment Foundation calculates that one-to-one tuition can add up to five months’ progress to a young person’s schooling. Which explains why the industry is booming: the UK private tutoring sector is worth an approximated GBP 2 billion per year. But at an average cost of GBP 26 per hour, it is out of the reach of many from less affluent backgrounds.

Knowing the difference that tutoring can make, Susannah has worked tirelessly to grow Action Tutoring and make tutoring available to more young people who wouldn't otherwise benefit from it. By harnessing the power of volunteer tutors, Action Tutoring works with partner schools to provide tuition to every pupil who needs it, not just those who can afford it. “Our primary pupils actually outperform the national average for all pupils - despite coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and being at risk of underachieving,” Susannah explains.

Through our UK Community Affairs program, UBS has supported Action Tutoring since it first began to increase its impact across London. Most recently, UBS funding has enabled Action Tutoring to support students at four Hackney primary schools associated with The Bridge Academy. And tutor volunteering opportunities are being developed for UBS employees.

"The volunteers from Action Tutoring have worked with some of our most disadvantaged pupils. The children have made good progress in English and have benefitted from working with the tutors to develop their confidence, resilience and enthusiasm. We are hugely grateful to Action Tutoring and UBS for the positive contribution this investment makes in the lives of De Beauvoir’s children." Rebecca Mackenzie, Headteacher, De Beauvoir Primary School, Hackney.

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