Autumn Budget delivers a plaster solution to school finances, but where does it leave attainment prospects?

As the UK falls deeper into the pit of a slow recession and with schools facing a funding crisis, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s announcement of an extra £2.3bn for schools annually over the next two years seems like a step in the right direction. In the short term, this will help bridge the large funding gap among primary and secondary budgets– yet the announcement failed to mention any support for post-GCSE provision, or for teacher’s salaries. With teachers at the core of student experience and learning, their pay left behind, and on the brink of a strike, students may need to look elsewhere to supplement their learning. The lack of funding to teacher’s salaries will mean fewer learning resources and one-to-one learning opportunities, and much larger class sizes, leaving students to bear the brunt of the recession on their education. New national research from MyTutor – the UK’s leading online tutoring platform – unveils that tutoring is bridging the educational gap students are facing, with shared commonalities from those that teach them. From communication styles to interests and age the enlightening research breaks down the impact of tutor-tutee pairing on academic success.

As education continues to be eroded by financial pressures, mentoring has been replaced by scaled back curriculums and far less time and attention spent on each student. MyTutor’s landmark study has found that 47% of students said they enjoy learning from a Tutor they share commonalities with – students and tutors find that this bond directly influences the trajectory of their academic achievements within school, the study unveiling that 49% of students said they have better learning outcomes when taught from people who share a similar life experience to them. The findings also illustrate that the age is also a very important factor in learning outcomes, as 35% of students said it would benefit them to have a tutor who recently went through the same exam experience as them, especially after the disruption and learning loss of the last two years. With parents looking for ways to safeguard their children from the toll of the financial crisis, many may be looking to tutoring services that offer this peer mentoring style, and are prioritising platforms that offer choice and variety in tutors for their children, as the right tutor can make all the difference.

These positive mentor relationships not only help students develop higher test scores and promote the desire to learn, but they also benefit their social-emotional skills, crucial skills needed in the workforce. These mentoring relationships give students the confidence to explore and master difficult concepts and tasks in school and into their adult life.

Key Stats:
47% of students said they enjoy learning from a Tutor they can relate to (age, interests, personal experiences, communication styles, etc.)
35% of students said it would benefit them to have a tutor who recently went through the same exam experience as them
62% of parents are facing cutbacks due to the cost-of-living crisis, but their child’s education will not be one of them
49% of students said they have better learning outcomes when taught from people who share a similar life experience to them

Even more, with the grading system still not settled at the pre-pandemic levels, students are already seeing lower attainment than they have in the last two years, encouraging many parents to look for one to-one learning solutions for their children outside of their school. MyTutor’s research has found that 62% of parents are facing cutbacks due to the cost-of-living crisis, but their child’s education will not be one of them. MyTutor offers affordable tuition through their online platform that operates on a ‘near peer’ model – meaning tutors have both a first-hand experience of the exact curriculum students are learning, as well as the disruption and learning loss that occurred over the two and a half years. This ‘near peer’ model of tutoring offers more than just academic support to school children, it also provides pastoral care as tutors can often relate and give relevant advice.

Nicola Anderson, Chief Customer Officer at MyTutor comments:
“At MyTutor we have worked with thousands of undergraduate tutors from UK universities who have helped young people to achieve better exam results, develop their understanding of key subjects and build their confidence, both inside and outside of the classroom.

“As university students, MyTutor tutors have recent exam experience, so they can relate to what teens are going through at school, whilst using their subject expertise to explain tricky topics to students in a way that they understand. By connecting young people with inspiring and approachable near-peer role models, we want to give young people the tools and confidence to unlock their full potential and encourage a lifelong love of learning.”