20th September 2013 9:00
By Blue Tutors
A new survey from the Sutton Trust has shown that private tuition for state school students is on the rise amongst wealthier families. The results show that 31% of wealthier students received private tuition compared with 15% from poorer families, with a considerable disparity based on geographic location. 40% of 11-16 year olds in London received private tuition last year, compared with just 9% in Wales. This year, almost a quarter of students in England and Wales received private tuition, a significant rise on the 2005 figure of 18%. The Sutton Trust has raised concerns that the rise in private tuition is putting students from poorer backgrounds at an even greater disadvantage, creating a widening gap in opportunities between children from poorer and wealthier backgrounds.
The private tuition industry has been referred to as a “middle class arms race”, where parents are now fighting to hire the best tutors and are willing to pay high fees for them. This is particularly true of London, where tuition costs an average of £10 more an hour than in other parts of the country, and there are thousands of highly qualified tutors looking for work. In an industry this competitive, where many parents can afford to hire private tutors for their children, the equality gap between wealthy students and their less well-off counterparts will continue to grow. In response to this issue, a number of tutors and charities have begun to offer tuition for free, or at reduced rates.
This is an excellent practice, which needs to be developed in a comprehensive way in order to help tackle the gap in opportunity that currently exists between students. There are currently several charities which approach tuition agencies to hire tutors on a voluntary basis to work with disadvantaged secondary school students, but much more needs to be done. Offering tuition on a voluntary basis is an excellent way for tutors to gain more experience and develop their skills, as well as providing opportunities to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Private tutors can also consider offering a range of fees to suit the budgets of their students, charging more for wealthier clients and offering a discounted rate for those who may struggle to afford the tuition. Tuition agencies can also develop the practice of offing voluntary tuition, and encourage their tutors to become involved. This way their tutors develop their skills, whilst poorer students are being provided with opportunities they might otherwise not have.