The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is the new government funded programme to support children left behind academically by disruption of the coronavirus pandemic.

We caught up with Professor Becky Francis, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation - which is delivering one part of the programme, NTP Tuition Partners - to find out what it actually is and how you can get involved.

1. In its most basic form, what exactly is the NTP and Tuition Partners?

The NTP will make high-quality tutoring available to schools to help disadvantaged pupils whose education has been most affected by school closures. 

There are two main pillars. The EEF is delivering NTP Tuition Partners, which gives schools access to subsidised, high-quality tutors for disadvantaged pupils, in many cases for the first time. Primary and secondary schools will be able to use the service to search for tutors, both national and local providers, to support their teachers at a highly discounted price - the NTP will pay 75 per cent of the cost.

A second pillar, Academic Mentors, will see trained graduates employed by schools in the most disadvantaged areas to provide intensive support to their pupils. Teach First is leading the recruitment, training and delivery of this part of the NTP.

2. So which groups of children is this for - disadvantaged children as specified by Pupil Premium or FSM designation, or those schools believe are most in need of the extra help?

Support through the NTP is principally designed for pupil-premium-eligible pupils, but we know schools are in the best position to determine which of their pupils will benefit the most - this professional judgment is essential.

We expect that the great majority of recipients will be pupil premium, as the programme is focused on support to those children doubly disadvantaged by the pandemic.

3. Is this across all age groups?

NTP Tuition Partners and NTP Academic Mentors are for pupils aged 5-16. Linked government initiatives about tutoring are being targeted at Early Years and post-16.

4. How will the tutoring be delivered - remotely or physically?

Both. We will be funding a range of Tuition Partners, including those delivering online and face-to-face models through small-group and one-to-one tuition. This flexibility is obviously going to be essential throughout this academic year.

5. How sure are we that tutoring is the right answer?

There is a large body of evidence showing us the impact that tutoring can have on pupils who are falling behind. Evidence from the EEF has shown that regular tutoring can be effective, delivering up to five months’ additional progress on average.

 Crucially, tutoring works best when it complements what teachers are doing in the classroom. This means every approved Tuition Partner will be experienced in working directly with schools, with demonstrated expertise to deliver tutoring that builds on classroom teaching.

6. Who exactly are these Tuition Partners and how can quality be ensured?

Potential Tuition Partners are currently undergoing a rigorous review process, led by the EEF. Funding is being awarded based on their ability to deliver high quality, curriculum-relevant tutoring to disadvantaged students. Every approved Tuition Partner will be experienced in working directly with schools, with demonstrated expertise to deliver tutoring that complements high-quality classroom teaching.

By funding providers who meet defined quality and safeguarding criteria based on the best evidence of effective tutoring, Tuition Partners will increase the availability of high-quality tutoring in areas of the country where provision is currently patchy.

 This focus on building supply is crucial. Currently, the tutoring market is a ‘wild west’ and in many regions of England, there is currently not enough - if any - quality tutoring available to schools.

7. How will it work practically - how will the tutoring fit in with the work the school is doing and how autonomous will the sessions be?

The NTP has been designed to work flexibly around schools. The exact model of delivery will vary for each approved Tuition Provider and schools can decide which will work best for them - we think this flexibility is really important. Tuition Partners will offer tutoring both online and face-to-face, as well as in small groups and one-to-one.

The evidence tells us that what matters most is that tutoring complements what’s happening in the classroom. So in the Tuition Partners application process, one of the criteria we were looking for was the quality of communications between the tutoring provider, their organisations and schools, and the processes they have in place to make communication with tutors as easy as possible for teachers.

We expect tutoring, if being delivered in person by a selected provider, to take place at school, either before school, after school or within the school day. It will very much be up to schools to decide when will work best for their pupils. Our guidance for schools on utilising tutoring offers some advice on this.

8. Will schools have to apply for Tuition Partners and what are the limitations?

Currently, schools can register their interest with NTP Tuition Partners through the website.

From 2 November, schools will be able to book Tuition Partners through the NTP website. Schools will have the flexibility to choose which provider will best fit the needs of their pupils, and at which pupils to target support. 

We expect demand from schools to be high - and there will, of course, be limits to the amount of tutoring available through Tuition Partners - so we would encourage schools to take a look at what’s on offer on the NTP website from November.

We will be monitoring uptake closely, and if we need to place any caps on the amount of tutoring schools can access, we will communicate this clearly and transparently, with time for schools to factor it into their decision-making.

9. What are the key deadlines and details schools need to know?

We’ll announce the approved Tuition Partners at the end of this month. From the 2 November, schools will be able to search for provision that best fits their needs on the NTP website and book support for their pupils.