One in four secondary school students receives private tutoring.

According to research from the Sutton Trust, over a quarter of secondary school students in England and Wales have received private tuition. The study reveals that the highest rate of private tutoring is in London, where 41% of secondary pupils are getting additional lessons outside of school.

The Sutton Trust, a social-mobility charity, is advocating for financial assistance for disadvantaged families to access tutoring. "With costs starting at £25 per session, many parents simply can't afford it," said Sir Peter Lampl, the charity's founder.

The Sutton Trust's annual report highlights the growing trend of parents paying for private tuition. The report indicates that 27% of 11 to 16-year-olds have received private tutoring during their secondary school years. This is an increase from 18% in 2005 but a decrease from 30% a couple of years ago.

The use of private tutors tends to be more prevalent among affluent families, with 34% of better-off families utilizing tutors compared to 20% of less wealthy families. In England, the rate of paying for extra tuition is double that of Wales—28% versus 14%—with London having notably higher levels at 41%.

The primary reasons for hiring tutors include preparation for specific GCSE exams and general schoolwork support. The research also shows that nearly a quarter of secondary school teachers have worked as private tutors in the past two years, often at the request of parents.

The Sutton Trust believes that private tutoring can positively impact students but argues that measures like means-tested vouchers are necessary to make it accessible to lower-income families. Sir Peter Lampl suggested that such a scheme would help lower-income families provide their children with tuition in an environment where private tutoring is common.

Mary Bousted, joint leader of the National Education Union, suggested that instead of subsidizing private tutoring, it would be more effective to increase funding for under-resourced schools or enhance pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged students.

While Labour's annual conference has supported the idea of moving private schools into the state sector, a party spokesman noted that this would not influence the availability of private tutoring outside of school.


Reference: Quarter of secondary pupils 'get private tuition' - BBC News