The media is catching up on the growth of the private tutorial industry with even TV stations covering its growth.
I was asked to give my tuppence on a Radio 5 morning programme (thankfully recorded the night before!). I was asked several questions about the reasons for its growth; below is the philosophical gist of what I answered - it's not verbatim as I didn't record my comments (that would have been wise!)
Are parents keeping up with what their neighbours are doing?
Sure, that's a part of human nature that we can't ignore and it's a culture we experience more in the towns than in the countryside, but we have to look at each client as they come to us individually: what is the underlying reason for having tuition? A child is one amongst many in class whereas in a one-to-one session, the focus is fully on them - and all of us benefit from one-to-one mentoring; I go to a gym to have lessons from Guy Baker twice a week and the input is phenomenal compared to me wandering around a gym by myself doing amateurish stuff or prancing around in a group.
Sure, that's a part of human nature that we can't ignore and it's a culture we experience more in the towns than in the countryside, but we have to look at each client as they come to us individually: what is the underlying reason for having tuition? A child is one amongst many in class whereas in a one-to-one session, the focus is fully on them - and all of us benefit from one-to-one mentoring; I go to a gym to have lessons from Guy Baker twice a week and the input is phenomenal compared to me wandering around a gym by myself doing amateurish stuff or prancing around in a group.
Are schools getting worse?
While there has been a dumbing down of examination standards, I do believe that schools are generally more flexible and humane places than they were a couple of generations back - authoritarianism has dwindled but it has been replaced by a greater emphasis on bureaucracy. League tables and OFSTED reports place undue pressures on teachers and heads and at the same time encourage parents to top up their child's education to ensure that they fit into an implied league table - indeed, the government is mooting the notion of placing all children into their own league tables which will certainly drive more business into the private tuition section, but which is incredibly backward in its thinking. What does it mean that Johnny is in the 43rd percentile or Sarah in the 22nd? And what would it mean if Gary was in the 80th? Gary may turn out to be a professional sportsman or entrepreneur and do more service to humanity than all his peer group. We are all good at different things (at different times) and we should respect individuals for what they offer to the world not to an exam system. Abolish league tables and OFSTED and take the pressure of teachers and parents - our children are suffering!
While there has been a dumbing down of examination standards, I do believe that schools are generally more flexible and humane places than they were a couple of generations back - authoritarianism has dwindled but it has been replaced by a greater emphasis on bureaucracy. League tables and OFSTED reports place undue pressures on teachers and heads and at the same time encourage parents to top up their child's education to ensure that they fit into an implied league table - indeed, the government is mooting the notion of placing all children into their own league tables which will certainly drive more business into the private tuition section, but which is incredibly backward in its thinking. What does it mean that Johnny is in the 43rd percentile or Sarah in the 22nd? And what would it mean if Gary was in the 80th? Gary may turn out to be a professional sportsman or entrepreneur and do more service to humanity than all his peer group. We are all good at different things (at different times) and we should respect individuals for what they offer to the world not to an exam system. Abolish league tables and OFSTED and take the pressure of teachers and parents - our children are suffering!
Is private tuition creating a gap between the haves- and haves-not?
I look at it very differently; money will always by services and it would be wrong to chastise anyone for spending money on education, but to improve a child's chances at school does not require monetary input. The question is more about action and inaction - some people do not assist or get involved in their children's education, others do: and often that action does not cost much. Switching off the tv, unplugging the games consoles, limiting computer use, and turning to reading to the child, being engaged in older children's homework, and ensuring that they eat well and play well is much more important - and more to the point all the above are free.
I look at it very differently; money will always by services and it would be wrong to chastise anyone for spending money on education, but to improve a child's chances at school does not require monetary input. The question is more about action and inaction - some people do not assist or get involved in their children's education, others do: and often that action does not cost much. Switching off the tv, unplugging the games consoles, limiting computer use, and turning to reading to the child, being engaged in older children's homework, and ensuring that they eat well and play well is much more important - and more to the point all the above are free.
Overall, I tried to divert the argument from a binary approach - that there are schools versus tutors - as being too simplistic and that each child is unique and can improve from any one-to-one contact. Another driving force for the industry is that the government is subsidising tuition in schools with the pupil premium; our company has not as yet exploited this subsidy - we're a bit sceptical of relying on any grants or subsidies from political sources and it also smacks a little of degrading teachers' roles in the classroom (hey, we don't think you're doing a good job, so we're going to invest in some outsiders to come in and prop up your kids!). Outside of school time, what kids and parents do with their time and their money is up to them (invest in sports coaching or academic coaching...) but I'd personally feel uncomfortable traipsing on teachers' domains in school!
Dr Alexander Moseley, September 2013
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