Almost two-thirds of schools have not taken part in the Covid catch-up scheme so far this year, following a drop in government subsidy.
Just 35.6 per cent of schools had participated in the NTP this academic year up to 5 October, down from 43.7 per cent in the same period last year, according to data published by the Department for Education (DfE) this morning.
The number of starts made by pupils on a catch-up course in September this year dropped by 13 per cent, to 345,606, compared with last year, according to the DfE data.
Each start is counted separately even if multiple courses are begun by the same student.
Meanwhile, new data on participation in the NTP last year shows that just over 7 in 10 (70.8 per cent) of schools participated in 2022-23 academic year, down from 87.4 per cent in 2021-22.
Programme ‘no longer affordable’
The subsidy schools get from the government for tutoring dropped to 50 per cent this academic year, from 75 per cent in 2022-23.
This left many schools saying they might not be able to continue to afford the programme or offer as many courses as a result.
London has consistently seen higher NTP uptake figures than other regions since the programme got under way in 2021.
More than 4 in 10 (44.6 per cent) schools in the capital took part in the first month of the current academic year, compared with less than a third (31.1 per cent) of schools in the North East.
The NTP is due to come to an end this year, and many school leaders have warned that they will be unable to continue offering catch-up support to pupils without more funding.
Small progress boosts
The most recent review of its impact for 2021-22 found that the programme had delivered very small progress boosts, but only when led by schools rather than academic mentors or external tuition partners.
Today’s data shows that more courses were started by pupils in primary schools than secondary, with 199,923 courses embarked on by younger students compared with 125,368 by their older peers.
Nick Brook, chair of the DfE’s Strategic Tutoring Advisory Group and CEO of the social mobility charity Speakers for Schools, called on the government to continue tutoring funding.
‘With the attainment gap standing at a 10-year high, it makes the absence of any announcement on funding beyond 2024 all the harder to swallow,” he said.
“Now is not the time to pull the plug, with tutoring finally proving its worth.”
Recovery requires ‘sustained effort’
Schools minister Damian Hinds said dealing with the effects of the pandemic and supporting the nation’s education recovery was “a national endeavour” that requires a “sustained effort”.
“With almost five million courses started to date, the National Tutoring Programme has played a significant role in delivering extra hours for pupils most in need of additional support.
“I’d like to thank school leaders, teachers and tutors for their hard work in delivering this tuition to make sure no child is left behind.”
