‘Unfit’ Covid tutor scheme used by just 60pc of schools

THE Covid tutoring scheme to help pupils catch up has not been used by two in five schools, it has emerged, prompting the Education Secretary to write to teachers.

The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) has been criticised as “dysfunctional”, with schools reporting problems with an online portal by Randstad, a Dutch human resources firm that was awarded £25.4million to run it last May.

Many teachers are still not using the scheme, intended to be a part of the Government’s catch-up plans to tackle the continued fallout of school closures during lockdowns, which caused lost learning and fears of surging illiteracy.

Some 40 per cent of schools are yet to offer any tutoring sessions through the NTP in this academic year, the Department for Education (DFE) has said.

Now Nadhim Zahawi is to write to schools to urge them to use the scheme, while the DFE said it will publish the data of each school’s involvement in the autumn and this will be shared with Ofsted, the schools inspectorate.

In a letter to schools, published today, Mr Zahawi writes: “I appeal now, in particular to those schools that have not yet started to offer tutoring, to make sure that you do so as soon as possible this [term].

“Starting this week, my department will contact those schools yet to offer tutoring support to discuss their plans and offer further support [so] they can offer tutoring to their pupils this term.”

Geoff Barton, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Aside from the bizarre decision to send a letter to schools on a bank holiday Monday, this announcement smacks of political grandstanding designed to distract from the mess the Government has made of the NTP.”

Paul Whiteman, of school leaders’ union NAHT, added: “Ongoing delays, conflicting guidance, and a shortage of high-quality tutors in some areas has meant many schools have not been able to use the national tutoring programme.

“Rather than trying to pressurise schools into using it, the Government should focus on building a tutoring programme and an infrastructure that is actually fit for purpose.”

Overall, more than a million tuition courses have been started, but most of these were through the schools-led tuition route, where schools were awarded funding to spend on tuition directly.

A total of £349million has been allocated for the NTP for 2022/23.

In March, Randstad lost the contract for next year and schools will instead receive direct funds for tutoring instead to “simplify” the programme.

The DFE and Randstad were contacted for comment.