4th December 2019 9:00
By Blue Tutors
A mum in Birmingham has removed her 14 year old son from school and remortgaged her house to pay for his private tuition. Reported on the Mirror’s website, Carolyne Meadows said that her son, Samuel is in year 10, but struggling with year 8 work, and doesn’t feel that the school can help after appealing to them on a number of occasions.
Samuel has been struggling at school for a while, but Ms Meadows decided on the radical change after her son called her when he had locked himself inside a classroom at school after other students had stolen his bag and blazer and were threatening to attack him. The school has assured Ms Meadows that they treat bullying very seriously, and even offered to move Samuel to another school within their group, but Carolyne decided that this would not help.
The tuition takes place in a local church hall near to Samuel’s home, and costs his family £140 a week for 6-8 hours. Samuel is said to have left his first tutoring session elated and said he learnt far more than at school. Ms Meadows added that she has been advised that 4 hours with a private tutor is more effective than 10 hours of classroom teaching.
Samuel’s tutor, Claire, said that he is a capable student who should perform well in his GCSEs, and this is the first time that Samuel has been told something like this so it is a massive confidence boost.
The family have arranged for Samuel to help with their own catering business and help at a local bike shop to prepare him for working life, and he attends the gym, plays rugby and goes swimming where he has alternative social groups. Ms Meadows identifies that alongside his tuition, Samuel must continue to socialise and get vocational experience as well as preparing for his GCSEs.