It was reported in many press education sites (including http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/sep/14/half-special-needs-children-misdiagnosed) this week that a recent Ofsted report has identified serious problems with regards to the way in which children are classed as having SEN. The criticism was that schools' day-t0-day teaching is not of a sufficient quality which leads to some underachievers being classed as having SEN. Those identified as such create a drain on resources because they are given specialist help. If classroom teaching was better, fewer pupils would be identified as having SEN.
It is very dangerous for schools to label children as having SEN and providing extra help where this is unnecessary. It can have a negative effect on pupils' confidence and could contribute to further underachievement. The main problem lies in the fact that classes are just too big to be able to offer dedicated one-to-one support to pupils in the mainstream classroom. Teachers are left with an impossible task whereby they are meant to teach to a great many pupils, keep control of the class and identify individual weaknesses of pupils. Pupils thrive with one-to-one tuition because the dedicated support a tutor can provide is so different from the kind of education the pupil gets in the classroom. Of course, what a pupil learns in class is important but extra assistance from a tutor allows pupils to ensure they have properly understood what is happening in class and the tutor can work at the pupil's pace.
Perhaps cynically, there was a suggestion that labelling pupils as requiring SEN assistance led to a greater provision of funding to the school. I would very much hope this is not the case but if it is, it is necessary to find a new way of funding SEN so that all pupils are given help when they require it and to the level they require. Those who do not require SEN assistance but are underachievers should get the help they need to ensure they do not become victims of the system. Only by identifying a pupil's needs on an individual basis and identifying those needs correctly will we be able to give that pupil all the help her or she deserves.
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Waterloo Road for tutors?
I watched Waterloo Road the other night and it got me thinking. The television show set in a fictional comprehensive in Rochdale is immensely popular. One of the (now former) actresses, Denise Welch, won the Best Actress award at the TV Choice awards for her portrayal of the French teacher with her knowledge of the language as skimpy as her skirts. Waterloo Road is among a number of television series set in schools (Teachers, The In-Betweeners, Grange Hill...). What if there were to be a television series set in a tutoring agency? Who would the characters be? Here are my ideas for The Agency...
Gordon - the agency boss. A former headteacher who gave up the classroom to make some cash. He wants to compete with his friends who run engineering businesses with multi-million pounds turnover. A real character who believes his agency has the potential to take over the world.
Sally - a stressed teacher. She has a real heart and struggles keeping control of the classroom. She decided to start tutoring in a bid to remind herself of why she wanted to teach in the first place. She is a well-respected tutor but outside her tutoring sessions, cracks are starting to appear.
Michael - a bit of a loner. He had always wanted to be a teacher but did not have the confidence. He prefers the one-to-one setting of tutoring but still has the odd crisis of confidence, particularly with bright pupils who ask him lots of questions.
Katy - a postgraduate university student. She has severe financial problems and is frantically trying to cram in as many tutoring sessions as she can as well as living off a diet of caffeine in order to get her dissertation finished.
Izzy - the secretary of the agency. Bright and breezy, she tries to juggle the requests of parents with the availability of the tutors. She feels undervalued by Gordon but gets on well with all the tutors. She throws her energy into her job in a bid to hide her dark secret...
Graham - a retired maths teacher. He cannot accept his body is slowing down and he feels that if he keeps tutoring, he will keep his brain active. He loves his job but he does not know how much longer he will be able to tutor.
What do you think? Any ideas for story-lines? Would you watch The Agency? Should I get in touch with a production company or stick to the day job?! I'd love to hear your ideas.
Gordon - the agency boss. A former headteacher who gave up the classroom to make some cash. He wants to compete with his friends who run engineering businesses with multi-million pounds turnover. A real character who believes his agency has the potential to take over the world.
Sally - a stressed teacher. She has a real heart and struggles keeping control of the classroom. She decided to start tutoring in a bid to remind herself of why she wanted to teach in the first place. She is a well-respected tutor but outside her tutoring sessions, cracks are starting to appear.
Michael - a bit of a loner. He had always wanted to be a teacher but did not have the confidence. He prefers the one-to-one setting of tutoring but still has the odd crisis of confidence, particularly with bright pupils who ask him lots of questions.
Katy - a postgraduate university student. She has severe financial problems and is frantically trying to cram in as many tutoring sessions as she can as well as living off a diet of caffeine in order to get her dissertation finished.
Izzy - the secretary of the agency. Bright and breezy, she tries to juggle the requests of parents with the availability of the tutors. She feels undervalued by Gordon but gets on well with all the tutors. She throws her energy into her job in a bid to hide her dark secret...
Graham - a retired maths teacher. He cannot accept his body is slowing down and he feels that if he keeps tutoring, he will keep his brain active. He loves his job but he does not know how much longer he will be able to tutor.
What do you think? Any ideas for story-lines? Would you watch The Agency? Should I get in touch with a production company or stick to the day job?! I'd love to hear your ideas.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Back to School - for Pupils and Tutors
This week marks the start of September and the return to the classroom for thousands of pupils. For tutors, business is picking up again rapidly as parents secure their services early in the term. Now is the ideal time for tutors to reflect on how their business will be run in the next academic year.
Tutors should ensure that all their tax, national insurance and financial records are correct. Tutors who are self-employed or who are paid by an agency which DOES NOT deduct tax and national insurance contributions must register with HMRC within 3 months of commencing self-employment. All self-employed tutors must ensure that they complete a self-assessment tax return by 31 January each year.
There has been much debate in the private tuition industry about the legal status of tutors who work for an agency. Although some facts are indicative of self-employment (such as the choice of when and where to work and the fact tutors provide their own materials), others (such as the control which the agency has over the tutor by setting his or her rate and the fact that tutors must perform the work personally) are more indicative of employment. It is a tricky situation when there are factors indicative of both employment and self-employment and agencies should take legal advice as to whether their contracts are contracts for services (self-employed) of contracts of service (employed).
The present position is that most agencies hire tutors on a self-employed basis but do little to promote tutors' legal obligation to register as self-employed. Most agencies will not ask for any confirmation that the tutor has registered as self-employed. I have however been made aware of one agency which was told by HMRC that a pay-roll system had to be operated. In the future, we may see HMRC take a different view to agencies' assertion that tutors are self-employed.
Tuition agencies must be more responsible. It is no longer acceptable for tutors to be working and earning sums which are often significant without paying tax and NI like they would in any other job. There are no excuses. The system is simple and tutors do not need to engage an accountant as long as they keep detailed and accurate records. HMRC provides a great deal of guidance to the self-employed both on their website and through free workshops which are held across the UK on a regular basis.
So now is the time to ensure that as a tutor, you have your records prepared for the new school year. A little bit of time spent recording monies received through tuition and paying a tax bill by January is certainly worth it. HMRC has the power to issue severe penalties to those who do not register.
For a recent cautionary tale, please see this story -
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/clientmicrosite/Content/Detail.aspx?ClientId=257&NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=414345&SubjectId=36
Although the sums involved in this case were relatively large, the same rules would apply for smaller sums and HMRC are actively looking for those who do not declare their earnings to HMRC.
Tutors should ensure that all their tax, national insurance and financial records are correct. Tutors who are self-employed or who are paid by an agency which DOES NOT deduct tax and national insurance contributions must register with HMRC within 3 months of commencing self-employment. All self-employed tutors must ensure that they complete a self-assessment tax return by 31 January each year.
There has been much debate in the private tuition industry about the legal status of tutors who work for an agency. Although some facts are indicative of self-employment (such as the choice of when and where to work and the fact tutors provide their own materials), others (such as the control which the agency has over the tutor by setting his or her rate and the fact that tutors must perform the work personally) are more indicative of employment. It is a tricky situation when there are factors indicative of both employment and self-employment and agencies should take legal advice as to whether their contracts are contracts for services (self-employed) of contracts of service (employed).
The present position is that most agencies hire tutors on a self-employed basis but do little to promote tutors' legal obligation to register as self-employed. Most agencies will not ask for any confirmation that the tutor has registered as self-employed. I have however been made aware of one agency which was told by HMRC that a pay-roll system had to be operated. In the future, we may see HMRC take a different view to agencies' assertion that tutors are self-employed.
Tuition agencies must be more responsible. It is no longer acceptable for tutors to be working and earning sums which are often significant without paying tax and NI like they would in any other job. There are no excuses. The system is simple and tutors do not need to engage an accountant as long as they keep detailed and accurate records. HMRC provides a great deal of guidance to the self-employed both on their website and through free workshops which are held across the UK on a regular basis.
So now is the time to ensure that as a tutor, you have your records prepared for the new school year. A little bit of time spent recording monies received through tuition and paying a tax bill by January is certainly worth it. HMRC has the power to issue severe penalties to those who do not register.
For a recent cautionary tale, please see this story -
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/clientmicrosite/Content/Detail.aspx?ClientId=257&NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=414345&SubjectId=36
Although the sums involved in this case were relatively large, the same rules would apply for smaller sums and HMRC are actively looking for those who do not declare their earnings to HMRC.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
GCSE results hailed a success but what future do languages have at GCSE?
For the 23rd year in a row, the pass rate at GCSE has increased. This is good news for the pupils who received their results yesterday and their teachers and tutors deserve the greatest praise for encouraging them. However, the big loser in the statistics which accompanied the results is modern languages.
I studied French and German as well as Latin right up to Higher (Scottish A-level equivalent) level. I felt inspired by all my languages teachers. I recognised how important it was to speak a foreign language and I was very fortunate because I had the opportunity to learn French from the age of 7 at a lunchtime club. I suppose that I have always been surrounded by foreign language. My parents both speak French and my mum's degree is in French and German. We spent all our summer holidays when I was young in France and so learning languages became very natural. In fact, I am currently learning Spanish and I absolutely love it.
So what has caused the decline in languages? I believe there are two key factors - the fact that since 2004, taking a language at GCSE is no longer compulsory and that the teaching of modern languages in schools is failing pupils. A blog about this subject will always run the risk of sounding generalised and so I apologise in advance.
There is certainly an issue about the fact that modern languages are not mandatory at GCSE. This position should be reversed. Nowadays, many pupils sit GCSE's a year or two years early with some pupils gaining up to 14 or 15 GCSE's. It is conceivable that none of these could be in a modern language. We cannot expect a child at the age of 13 or 14 to exclude the possibility of studying a modern language. These are cliches but having a modern language increases employability considerably, particularly in a recession and improves key skills such as retaining information, command of the English language and communicating with others. It is important that teachers encourage pupils to have as balanced and as wide a range of subjects at GCSE as possible. Pupils should not be discounting modern languages before they have completed their GCSE's.
The second issue relates to an image problem which modern languages have, coupled with serious concerns about the teaching of modern languages. The image problem is that modern languages are not cool. Pupils in the MTV generation, where they are unlikely to encounter anything in the media or press which is not in English, cannot see the long-term advantages of learning a language. We need to get the message out to young people that if you want to travel around the world on your gap year or get a job working for an international institution, you will struggle without the ability to speak a modern language. We all know that once you can command one language reasonably well, learning others become far easier.
In terms of teaching languages, the technological advances which have been made over the past few years. When I first started learning a language, there was no Youtube, no online newspapers and magazines, no computer games and we simply worked out of textbooks. The sad fact is that thousands of pupils are still simply learning from textbooks. Why? Teachers need to be encouraged to engage with their pupils with these new forms of media. I used to have a penpal in the Ivory Coast. We would write and it would take weeks and weeks to receive a reply. Now, I could find a penpal and we could e-mail every day if we wanted. Imagine what an improvement that would make! I try and use technology as much as possible in my tutoring sessions and for the past couple of month, I have been fortunate enough to use an iPad. It really does make a difference and you can see how enthusiastic the pupils are about it. In a classroom, interactive whiteboards or even projectors can revolutionise pupils' attitudes to modern languages.
However, as great as this technology is, teachers must be aware that it is no substitute for good teaching. Pupils need an excellent grounding in grammar so that they can understand a video clip of a French TV show on Youtube or read an e-book. Unfortunately, there are some schools that persist in sticking a Powerpoint presentation on and allowing the pupils to copy the information about grammar. That is not teaching. The pupils become confused and will become turned off modern languages very quickly. As technology advances, there needs to be very good training for teachers so that they know how to use technology in an effective way in the classroom. That way, modern languages become exciting, different and pupils will actually want to study modern languages further. Languages will cease to be seen as difficult if they are engaging and if pupils can see the benefits to their future careers by learning a language.
So for modern languages uptake to improve and to get French back into the top 10 of subjects, we need to look at all aspects of the teaching of this subject. In the past 10 years, the number of pupils studying French has dropped by around 48%. This is already having serious repercussions at university level and in the workplace. It is much more difficult to learn a language at 30 or 40 than it is at 13 or 14 when a pupil's brain resembles a sponge! This is my personal plea to the government - please reinstate compulsory language learning at GCSE level. Choice is not always a good thing and in this instance, it is not in pupils' best interests.
I studied French and German as well as Latin right up to Higher (Scottish A-level equivalent) level. I felt inspired by all my languages teachers. I recognised how important it was to speak a foreign language and I was very fortunate because I had the opportunity to learn French from the age of 7 at a lunchtime club. I suppose that I have always been surrounded by foreign language. My parents both speak French and my mum's degree is in French and German. We spent all our summer holidays when I was young in France and so learning languages became very natural. In fact, I am currently learning Spanish and I absolutely love it.
So what has caused the decline in languages? I believe there are two key factors - the fact that since 2004, taking a language at GCSE is no longer compulsory and that the teaching of modern languages in schools is failing pupils. A blog about this subject will always run the risk of sounding generalised and so I apologise in advance.
There is certainly an issue about the fact that modern languages are not mandatory at GCSE. This position should be reversed. Nowadays, many pupils sit GCSE's a year or two years early with some pupils gaining up to 14 or 15 GCSE's. It is conceivable that none of these could be in a modern language. We cannot expect a child at the age of 13 or 14 to exclude the possibility of studying a modern language. These are cliches but having a modern language increases employability considerably, particularly in a recession and improves key skills such as retaining information, command of the English language and communicating with others. It is important that teachers encourage pupils to have as balanced and as wide a range of subjects at GCSE as possible. Pupils should not be discounting modern languages before they have completed their GCSE's.
The second issue relates to an image problem which modern languages have, coupled with serious concerns about the teaching of modern languages. The image problem is that modern languages are not cool. Pupils in the MTV generation, where they are unlikely to encounter anything in the media or press which is not in English, cannot see the long-term advantages of learning a language. We need to get the message out to young people that if you want to travel around the world on your gap year or get a job working for an international institution, you will struggle without the ability to speak a modern language. We all know that once you can command one language reasonably well, learning others become far easier.
In terms of teaching languages, the technological advances which have been made over the past few years. When I first started learning a language, there was no Youtube, no online newspapers and magazines, no computer games and we simply worked out of textbooks. The sad fact is that thousands of pupils are still simply learning from textbooks. Why? Teachers need to be encouraged to engage with their pupils with these new forms of media. I used to have a penpal in the Ivory Coast. We would write and it would take weeks and weeks to receive a reply. Now, I could find a penpal and we could e-mail every day if we wanted. Imagine what an improvement that would make! I try and use technology as much as possible in my tutoring sessions and for the past couple of month, I have been fortunate enough to use an iPad. It really does make a difference and you can see how enthusiastic the pupils are about it. In a classroom, interactive whiteboards or even projectors can revolutionise pupils' attitudes to modern languages.
However, as great as this technology is, teachers must be aware that it is no substitute for good teaching. Pupils need an excellent grounding in grammar so that they can understand a video clip of a French TV show on Youtube or read an e-book. Unfortunately, there are some schools that persist in sticking a Powerpoint presentation on and allowing the pupils to copy the information about grammar. That is not teaching. The pupils become confused and will become turned off modern languages very quickly. As technology advances, there needs to be very good training for teachers so that they know how to use technology in an effective way in the classroom. That way, modern languages become exciting, different and pupils will actually want to study modern languages further. Languages will cease to be seen as difficult if they are engaging and if pupils can see the benefits to their future careers by learning a language.
So for modern languages uptake to improve and to get French back into the top 10 of subjects, we need to look at all aspects of the teaching of this subject. In the past 10 years, the number of pupils studying French has dropped by around 48%. This is already having serious repercussions at university level and in the workplace. It is much more difficult to learn a language at 30 or 40 than it is at 13 or 14 when a pupil's brain resembles a sponge! This is my personal plea to the government - please reinstate compulsory language learning at GCSE level. Choice is not always a good thing and in this instance, it is not in pupils' best interests.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
The end of one year...the start of the next...
The publication of the A-Levels results this week heralds the beginning of another year for tutors across the UK. With one set of pupils heading out into the big wide world of university, employment, training and hopefully not becoming NEET's, another set of pupils is ready to step into their shoes. I am in no doubt that the introduction of the A* grade will make entrance criteria for the top universities increasingly more competitive and that will push the demand for tutors up. Many parents may feel that to make the jump from an A to an A*, what is on offer at school is not enough and that pupils will benefit from home tuition. This may be true but there is a consequence of this that we should not fail to recognise - the effect tuition has on exam results.
There is a general lack of research about tuition and the effect it has on a pupil's overall result will depend on the pupil, the pupil's education he or she is receiving at school and the tutor. Much is made in the press of the fact that tuition inflates exam results to the benefit of some schools and the expense of others but there is a real lack of research on this subject to back up those claims. It has already been reported this week that a significant proportion of A* grades were awarded to private school pupils and this is a statistic that is measurable. Whether it is right or wrong that the A* system benefits the private system is a different debate but at least we have statistics on it.
The lack of research into private tuition means that many assumptions are made. One of the most prevalent of these is that private tuition is the reserve of the rich. This is not true. I have seen family after family scrimp and save, scrap the family holiday and other luxuries because having a tutor is seen as more important. Education remains of great value in our society, especially in a recession and so we should not be so quick as to say that it only benefits one small group.
Hopefully, more research will help us assess the long-term effect of the A* grade and the advantages tuition bring to pupils. Parents simply want the best for their children and the brightest children are entitled to have doors open to them whatever their family background. Many parents are in the fortunate position of being able to provide tuition for their children and there is no doubt that their children benefit from it. The government must be constantly ensuring that the children of those parents who cannot afford to pay for tuition themselves still have the same opportunities. If they do not, Britain could be losing some of its brightest talent.
In this new academic year, I hope further research is carried out into tuition and university entrance requirements. The media reporting of this week will almost certainly have created more demand for tutors too as we are told gaining a place at university is becoming more and more difficult and finding a job is almost an impossibility. Let us not discourage 18 year-olds in the UK today. This is the start of a new period in their lives. There are doors out there to be opened, it is just the case of finding the right door for you. Good luck!
There is a general lack of research about tuition and the effect it has on a pupil's overall result will depend on the pupil, the pupil's education he or she is receiving at school and the tutor. Much is made in the press of the fact that tuition inflates exam results to the benefit of some schools and the expense of others but there is a real lack of research on this subject to back up those claims. It has already been reported this week that a significant proportion of A* grades were awarded to private school pupils and this is a statistic that is measurable. Whether it is right or wrong that the A* system benefits the private system is a different debate but at least we have statistics on it.
The lack of research into private tuition means that many assumptions are made. One of the most prevalent of these is that private tuition is the reserve of the rich. This is not true. I have seen family after family scrimp and save, scrap the family holiday and other luxuries because having a tutor is seen as more important. Education remains of great value in our society, especially in a recession and so we should not be so quick as to say that it only benefits one small group.
Hopefully, more research will help us assess the long-term effect of the A* grade and the advantages tuition bring to pupils. Parents simply want the best for their children and the brightest children are entitled to have doors open to them whatever their family background. Many parents are in the fortunate position of being able to provide tuition for their children and there is no doubt that their children benefit from it. The government must be constantly ensuring that the children of those parents who cannot afford to pay for tuition themselves still have the same opportunities. If they do not, Britain could be losing some of its brightest talent.
In this new academic year, I hope further research is carried out into tuition and university entrance requirements. The media reporting of this week will almost certainly have created more demand for tutors too as we are told gaining a place at university is becoming more and more difficult and finding a job is almost an impossibility. Let us not discourage 18 year-olds in the UK today. This is the start of a new period in their lives. There are doors out there to be opened, it is just the case of finding the right door for you. Good luck!
Thursday, 19 August 2010
A* - Raising the Bar?
Today is one of the most important dates in the education calendar - A-Levels Results Day. Much has been made of the increased pass rate, lack of university places and more controversially, the new A* grade. I will assess the impact of each of these but firstly, some key facts about this year's exam results.
- Pass rate = 97.6%
- Pass rate at Higher level in Scotland = 76%
- A* grades = 8%
- A* grades (boys) = 7.3%
- A* grades (girls) = 8.3%
- A* grades of private school pupils = 18%
- A grades = 27%
- Number of pupils eligible for Clearing = 180 000
- Number of courses available through Clearing= 18 500
- Number of university applications = 660 000
This means that it would be difficult to fail an A-Level and pupils in private schools do disproportionately well. Anything we didn't know? This year, the introduction of A*s has caused much furore but will it make any difference to pupils' prospects? There is much talk at the moment of pupils who achieve A*s not getting university places. I think we can say that there is a valid concern that if pupils in private schools are at a significantly greater chance of achieving an A* grade, those universities who stipulate A* grades are going to end up with more pupils from private schools. The private school - state school debate is for another day (soon) but the figures do merit greater investigation.
The difference between the pass rate at A-Level and Higher need to be accounted for in university entrance requirements. We cannot equate the two systems in exactly the same manner but the significant difference in the pass rates need to be seen as indicative of more than different exams - they are indicative of different attitudes to education and different systems of assessment.
The shrinking in the gender gap, at least at the top level of results, is very good news. Part of this may be due to the fact that there has been an increase of pupils taking maths or science subjects, traditionally seen as more popular among boys. It has been suggested that this is due to a more competitive "market" for university places and so universities prefer to see pupils taking more "academic" subjects. Yet there seems to be a conflict in the media reporting - A-Levels are getting easier but pupils are taking "harder" subjects. Does this really add up?
The Clearing figures do cause some alarm because of the drop from one year ago. The problem is intensified because pupils who did not get a university place last year have applied and got unconditional offers this year, thus squeezing the supply despite a growing demand. Both universities and pupils are left in limbo as universities try and balance their figures of students and pupils are at the mercy of UCAS. Clearing is a great system for those who don't quite make it as it does offer an alternative. However, pupils need to think carefully before opting for a course. Will it be as good as your first choice? Have you considered the other options such as apprenticeships, going abroad to study or taking a gap year? Things will be easier when applying next year for those who already have their grades and can meet the universities' requirements. Deciding where to study for three or four years is a big decision in the life of any 18 year-old and taking anything which Clearing throws up could be the wrong thing for you.
A final point, with all these different debates raging around the A-Levels results, we must not forget to congratulate every single pupil on their results. Whatever your results, well done!
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Social Mobility and Private Tuition
The gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider and wider. Particularly in education, we see cuts to the state sector with fewer teachers, decrepit buildings and a lack of resources. On the other hand, demand for private education continues to rise with entrance exams becoming more and more competitive. Couple this with a recession meaning a lack of jobs and a lack of university places and you have a recipe for disaster. For those pupils who are "average" i.e. they are not bright enough to be classed as gifted yet not flagged up as requiring additional support for learning needs. These children are most at risk of suffering from the lack of social mobility in this country.
Thirty years ago, it was not unusual for pupils to be the first in their family to go to university. Now, it is. Of course, this is partly due to the increase in students in the past thirty years but it also shows that there are children who are not given encouragement to aim for university despite the fact they are able to go there.
Careers education in this country is a bit like a Postcode Lottery. Some schools have an excellent programme of events, demonstrating the options available to young people. Unfortunately, these tend to be limited to private schools or state schools which have a high number of pupils going into Higher Education already. For those pupils in schools where the majority of pupils leave after they have completed their GCSE's, there seems to be a general lack of information and advice about going to university. In my experience, many pupils who are very able and would make ideal students are turned off from university because they believe they are not clever enough or it is not for "people like me". We are failing these pupils.
So how do we get the message out to those pupils who are clearly able to study at university but who lack the role models and confidence to fill in a UCAS form? I believe tutoring is an option. I would like to see the government invest in a programme targeted specifically at pupils who need a helping hand. The one-to-one dedication a tutor can provide really can make a difference. That's not to say that hard-working teachers do not make a significant contribution already but with an increased workload and more and more pressure being placed on teachers, can we really expect them to spend their lunchtimes and late afternoons giving one-to-one sessions? Tutors have the advantage of only dealing in one-to-one and small group environments. Many tutors who are not teachers are undergraduates or have recently graduated so have recent experience of university to share.
Investing in the most able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds now will pay dividends in the future. So here is my challenge to the Coalition government - tuition is not just for the elite in our society, let's make tuition open to all who would benefit from it. Tuition is a powerful tool in our fight against stagnant social mobility.
For more information about this subject, Mary Riddell's article in the Telegraph on Monday raises some interesting points. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/7948973/The-new-A-level-results-will-prove-that-Britain-is-pulling-itself-apart.html
Thirty years ago, it was not unusual for pupils to be the first in their family to go to university. Now, it is. Of course, this is partly due to the increase in students in the past thirty years but it also shows that there are children who are not given encouragement to aim for university despite the fact they are able to go there.
Careers education in this country is a bit like a Postcode Lottery. Some schools have an excellent programme of events, demonstrating the options available to young people. Unfortunately, these tend to be limited to private schools or state schools which have a high number of pupils going into Higher Education already. For those pupils in schools where the majority of pupils leave after they have completed their GCSE's, there seems to be a general lack of information and advice about going to university. In my experience, many pupils who are very able and would make ideal students are turned off from university because they believe they are not clever enough or it is not for "people like me". We are failing these pupils.
So how do we get the message out to those pupils who are clearly able to study at university but who lack the role models and confidence to fill in a UCAS form? I believe tutoring is an option. I would like to see the government invest in a programme targeted specifically at pupils who need a helping hand. The one-to-one dedication a tutor can provide really can make a difference. That's not to say that hard-working teachers do not make a significant contribution already but with an increased workload and more and more pressure being placed on teachers, can we really expect them to spend their lunchtimes and late afternoons giving one-to-one sessions? Tutors have the advantage of only dealing in one-to-one and small group environments. Many tutors who are not teachers are undergraduates or have recently graduated so have recent experience of university to share.
Investing in the most able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds now will pay dividends in the future. So here is my challenge to the Coalition government - tuition is not just for the elite in our society, let's make tuition open to all who would benefit from it. Tuition is a powerful tool in our fight against stagnant social mobility.
For more information about this subject, Mary Riddell's article in the Telegraph on Monday raises some interesting points. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/7948973/The-new-A-level-results-will-prove-that-Britain-is-pulling-itself-apart.html
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Sunday Times Article
An article was published in the Sunday Times on 15th August about tutoring in the school holidays entitled "Call this a holiday?" The journalists, Karen Robinson and Jacques Testard addressed the topic from the standpoint of the super-rich who take a tutor away on holiday on a yacht to work a few hours a day. There are anecdotes from a number of tutors about the lifestyles of the rich and famous but this is far from most tutors' experiences.
The average family may have a week or two abroad on holiday and won't take a tutor with them. The children may have anything from five to nine weeks off school for the summer holidays. That is a long time for children not to be learning and it is very easy for pupils to forget what they have learned if they are not putting it into practice. Having a tutor allows the pupil to prepare for the year ahead. This is beneficial for younger pupils as it is for older ones. It is fair to say that the more time a tutor works with a pupil, the more progress the pupil will make. We cannot expect tutors to perform miracles overnight when preparing pupils for an exam, be it the 11+ or an A-level. Tutors need time to work with pupils to cover the whole syllabus in depth. An hour or two of tutoring a week during the school holidays keeps the momentum going and pupils often enjoy the academic challenges the tutor gives them.
I thoroughly agree that the quote from the headmistress of a prep school who says that children need to use the holidays to relax. However, children with long summer holidays can benefit from spending a small amount of time revising and refreshing knowledge for the new term. Whether parents hire a tutor or use holiday exercise books, giving a pupil the confidence that he or she can go back to school ready to learn new material with the knowledge that he or she is entirely comfortable with what has been learned the previous school year is invaluable.
It is disheartening that the article ends on such a sour note with the warning to the "tutor-hiring classes" that "you can't buy brains." For a start, the media persists in insisting that those pupils with a tutor must come from extremely privileged backgrounds, in this case families who take a tutor on holiday. The reality is that there are many parents who are scrimping and saving to pay for a tutor because the education system is failing their child and competition to get a university place or to get a job is becoming more and more fierce. Why does the media "blame" parents for hiring a tutor? Let's look behind the label and we will soon see that hiring a tutor is about far more than showing off at the school gate.
I've never come across a tutor who has suggested that brains can be bought. Tutors are there to help pupils with difficulties that pupils might not be able to express in class. The one-to-one situation allows for an individualised and tailored approach to learning which the ultimate aim of instilling confidence in pupils. Pupils who are more confident about answering examination questions because they know that they understand the syllabus will give better answers in exams. Why is the Sunday Times so sceptical about giving young people confidence?!
On a far more positive note, an article in today's Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/aug/17/graduate-tutors-former-offenders about an initiative of Bright Young Things Tuition shows that tutoring is not just for the elite. How refreshing to see an agency engage with those who have not had the academic opportunities they would have liked. Perhaps you can't buy brains but if the tutors involved in this scheme can inspire prisoners to continue in education once they leave prison or begin a career, surely tutoring can have an extremely positive effect on all in society.
The average family may have a week or two abroad on holiday and won't take a tutor with them. The children may have anything from five to nine weeks off school for the summer holidays. That is a long time for children not to be learning and it is very easy for pupils to forget what they have learned if they are not putting it into practice. Having a tutor allows the pupil to prepare for the year ahead. This is beneficial for younger pupils as it is for older ones. It is fair to say that the more time a tutor works with a pupil, the more progress the pupil will make. We cannot expect tutors to perform miracles overnight when preparing pupils for an exam, be it the 11+ or an A-level. Tutors need time to work with pupils to cover the whole syllabus in depth. An hour or two of tutoring a week during the school holidays keeps the momentum going and pupils often enjoy the academic challenges the tutor gives them.
I thoroughly agree that the quote from the headmistress of a prep school who says that children need to use the holidays to relax. However, children with long summer holidays can benefit from spending a small amount of time revising and refreshing knowledge for the new term. Whether parents hire a tutor or use holiday exercise books, giving a pupil the confidence that he or she can go back to school ready to learn new material with the knowledge that he or she is entirely comfortable with what has been learned the previous school year is invaluable.
It is disheartening that the article ends on such a sour note with the warning to the "tutor-hiring classes" that "you can't buy brains." For a start, the media persists in insisting that those pupils with a tutor must come from extremely privileged backgrounds, in this case families who take a tutor on holiday. The reality is that there are many parents who are scrimping and saving to pay for a tutor because the education system is failing their child and competition to get a university place or to get a job is becoming more and more fierce. Why does the media "blame" parents for hiring a tutor? Let's look behind the label and we will soon see that hiring a tutor is about far more than showing off at the school gate.
I've never come across a tutor who has suggested that brains can be bought. Tutors are there to help pupils with difficulties that pupils might not be able to express in class. The one-to-one situation allows for an individualised and tailored approach to learning which the ultimate aim of instilling confidence in pupils. Pupils who are more confident about answering examination questions because they know that they understand the syllabus will give better answers in exams. Why is the Sunday Times so sceptical about giving young people confidence?!
On a far more positive note, an article in today's Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/aug/17/graduate-tutors-former-offenders about an initiative of Bright Young Things Tuition shows that tutoring is not just for the elite. How refreshing to see an agency engage with those who have not had the academic opportunities they would have liked. Perhaps you can't buy brains but if the tutors involved in this scheme can inspire prisoners to continue in education once they leave prison or begin a career, surely tutoring can have an extremely positive effect on all in society.
Monday, 16 August 2010
Tutors' Alliance new Membership services
I am delighted that our new membership services are now live on tutorsalliance.co.uk. This is going to be a very busy week for education - A-level results come out and Scottish schools go back. I will be writing a blog entry every day this week to deal with issues from tutoring during the summer holidays to the new A-Level A* grade. For the moment, I hope you enjoy discovering the new services we have available.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Exam Results...the results
So the big day came and went and I am very pleased to report that all my pupils got on extremely well. All the SG pupils obtained Credit-level marks and the Higher pupils got A's and B's (so far - still waiting to hear from one pupils who is on holiday at the moment). It is clear to see that all the pupils put in a great deal of work and have been rewarded for their efforts. The warmest congratulations are due to them all and I wish them all the best for their future.
Much has been made of the difficulties currently experienced by those who are trying to secure a university place through Clearing. I believe that every young person should be given a chance and the problem with the current system is that applications for university places are based on performance before the critical examination period. Some pupils take a bit longer to understand a subject and I and other tutors have had pupils who have failed a prelim exam and then received an A in the final examinations. Perhaps we ought to adopt the approach favoured in France where generally everyone who applies is admitted to university with the fittest surviving the first year exams and progressing through the rest of the course. This gives all students the opportunity to try university life and the different working patterns it requires. It brings its own problems in terms of housing and resources but the main advantage is that selection is made once pupils/students are more mature than in the UK and that can only give a better indication of their academic ability.
What do you think? How was the recession impacted our views on university education? Tutors' Alliance would love to hear your views!
Much has been made of the difficulties currently experienced by those who are trying to secure a university place through Clearing. I believe that every young person should be given a chance and the problem with the current system is that applications for university places are based on performance before the critical examination period. Some pupils take a bit longer to understand a subject and I and other tutors have had pupils who have failed a prelim exam and then received an A in the final examinations. Perhaps we ought to adopt the approach favoured in France where generally everyone who applies is admitted to university with the fittest surviving the first year exams and progressing through the rest of the course. This gives all students the opportunity to try university life and the different working patterns it requires. It brings its own problems in terms of housing and resources but the main advantage is that selection is made once pupils/students are more mature than in the UK and that can only give a better indication of their academic ability.
What do you think? How was the recession impacted our views on university education? Tutors' Alliance would love to hear your views!
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Exam Results Time!
It is that time of year again, Results Day! In Scotland, results will be received by pupils by post tomorrow (Thursday 5th August). However, some pupils received their results by e-mail or text today (Wednesday 4th August. It is a sign of the times just how things have changed. Perhaps in the future, all resultss will be received by e-mail. However, new technologies bring their own difficulties. For example, the University of Aberdeen and the University of St Andrews made a blunder earlier this week when they posted the results of some pupils on their own portals. Both universities have apologised for their mistake. More stringent systems will need to be in place to ensure such things do not happen again and the integrity of the SQA remains intact.
Of course, results day is not just a big day for the pupils themselves, the nerves get to parents, teachers and tutors. Being a tutor on results day is without doubt, the most stressful day of the year. You have worked so hard with each and every pupil and you can see all the hard work which they put in too and you want to ensure that they get what they deserve out of it. The pressure which young people face today is immense and it has been intensified by the recession. Fewer available university places means more competition and standards become increasingly higher. It is our job as tutors, teachers and parents to try and alleviate that stress as much as we can. We all know that exam results are not the be all and end all but we need to get that message across to pupils in a way which does not seem to them to be patronising.
So whatever your exam results are, be proud of yourself on results day. You have done your best and that's an achievement in itself. Good luck!
Further advice and support is available on Tutors' Alliance's dedicated Exam Results page - http://www.tutorsalliance.co.uk/Exam-Results.php
How did you get on? How did your pupils get on? Let Tutors' Alliance know by e-mailing info@tutorsalliance.co.uk.
Of course, results day is not just a big day for the pupils themselves, the nerves get to parents, teachers and tutors. Being a tutor on results day is without doubt, the most stressful day of the year. You have worked so hard with each and every pupil and you can see all the hard work which they put in too and you want to ensure that they get what they deserve out of it. The pressure which young people face today is immense and it has been intensified by the recession. Fewer available university places means more competition and standards become increasingly higher. It is our job as tutors, teachers and parents to try and alleviate that stress as much as we can. We all know that exam results are not the be all and end all but we need to get that message across to pupils in a way which does not seem to them to be patronising.
So whatever your exam results are, be proud of yourself on results day. You have done your best and that's an achievement in itself. Good luck!
Further advice and support is available on Tutors' Alliance's dedicated Exam Results page - http://www.tutorsalliance.co.uk/Exam-Results.php
How did you get on? How did your pupils get on? Let Tutors' Alliance know by e-mailing info@tutorsalliance.co.uk.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Keeping Children Safe?
The Government announced today that the Keeping Children Safe scheme, a result of the Sarah's Law campaign, will be extended following a successful pilot. Having read the documentation (http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=2208), I am of the opinion that the scheme as it operates at present, would theoretically allow a parent to ask the police for information about a tutor as a tutor may have unsupervised contact with a child.
Tutors' Alliance advocates that no child should be left alone unsupervised with a child in the first place. Unfortunately, in some households with a tutor, tutors "double up" as occasional or regular babysitters. This is particularly true where the tutor is already known to the family before he or she is engaged.
We have seen a number of recent scandals involving child protection - one of the most shocking being the case of Ugochukwu Okorie (see previous blog posts and Tutors' Alliance website for more details). It is hoped that a scheme like this would allow parents to ask for a disclosure of relevant information in circumstances similar to those in the Okorie case.
This new scheme is to be welcomed to protect children who, as a result of the unsupervised contact they have with a person with previous relevant convictions, are most vulnerable to abuse. However, prevention is better than cure and parents are advised to ensure that tutors are not left in a position where they have unsupervised contact with children in the first place. Likewise, tutors should refuse to be responsible for a child on an unsupervised basis. This protects both the child and tutor.
Tutors' Alliance advocates that no child should be left alone unsupervised with a child in the first place. Unfortunately, in some households with a tutor, tutors "double up" as occasional or regular babysitters. This is particularly true where the tutor is already known to the family before he or she is engaged.
We have seen a number of recent scandals involving child protection - one of the most shocking being the case of Ugochukwu Okorie (see previous blog posts and Tutors' Alliance website for more details). It is hoped that a scheme like this would allow parents to ask for a disclosure of relevant information in circumstances similar to those in the Okorie case.
This new scheme is to be welcomed to protect children who, as a result of the unsupervised contact they have with a person with previous relevant convictions, are most vulnerable to abuse. However, prevention is better than cure and parents are advised to ensure that tutors are not left in a position where they have unsupervised contact with children in the first place. Likewise, tutors should refuse to be responsible for a child on an unsupervised basis. This protects both the child and tutor.
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Tutors’ Alliance’s Round-up of the Academic Year
This year has been a very busy one for tutors throughout the UK. As the UK emerges from the recession, we have seen more competition for university places and cuts to schools’ funding which has resulted in a greater demand for tutors. The current situation is still very much one where demand outstrips supply.
Official statistics produced last November for the Sutton Trust suggested that around 22% of pupils had had a tutor at some stage during their educational experience. This number rises at key educational stages (primarily 11 for secondary school entry and 16 – 18 for examinations).However, as with all statistics, we have to account for the fact that many pupils do not admit to having a tutor and so the actual number could be significantly higher. In terms of numbers of tutors, there is a real lack of research in this area although the big agencies state they have upwards of 10 000 tutors registered with them. This does not mean that the tutors are actively working, just that they have an interest in working for the agency. More research is required to ensure we have an accurate picture of tutoring in the UK although this will inevitably be very difficult where there is a lack of regulation in the UK.
This leads me on to what has been a real hot topic in the private tuition sector, child protection. There have been a number of cases about tutors abusing the trust their pupils accord in them. This is sadly now a regular occurrence and this year has been no different. Two cases in particular illustrate child protection issues for children and have been cases which Tutors’ Alliance has used to demonstrate to parents and pupils the child protection issues within the tutoring sector.
The first is the case of Stewart MacKenize who was accused of lewd and libidinous practices but the case was found not proven on the 2nd June in Aberdeen Sherriff Court. He did admit to touching a young girl on the leg. There is no need for tutors to engage in physical contact of such a nature with pupils, even if, as MacKenzie stated, the purpose was to “encourage” his pupil. Touching a pupil in such a way is likely to result in accusations being made against a tutor.
The second is the case of Ugochukwu Okorie who abused two girls aged 10 and 6 and had in his possession 1200 photos of young girls, as well as admitting to having sex with a 14 year-old girl. He was sentenced on 2nd July to seven years imprisonment. Tutors’ Alliance believes this case is one of the worse instances of abuse of trust and is quite frankly, appalling. Cases like this give the private tuition industry a bad name and highlights to a greater extent than any member of tuition community can individually that there is an urgent need for regulation of the industry.
However, although these cases are extremely serious and show the dark side of the private tuition industry, we must not forget that private tutors up and down the UK do an excellent job. So many pupils benefit from the knowledge and commitment of their tutors and achieve their goals, whether they be academic or personal by increasing their self-confidence. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Tutors’ Alliance tutors who give 110% every session and who do such a good job that parents call me to tell me just who good they are! This is the private tuition sector as it should be operating and I am proud to be a part of it.
So the 2009 – 2010 academic session, Tutors’ Alliance first full year has brought with it its challenges but also achievements. As Tutors’ Alliance continues to grow, we aim to be the voice of the private tuition industry. This involves representing you – whether you be a tutor, pupil, agency of anyone else with an interest in the private tuition sector. Please let us know your thoughts and ideas – we can assure you that we will listen to them.
Official statistics produced last November for the Sutton Trust suggested that around 22% of pupils had had a tutor at some stage during their educational experience. This number rises at key educational stages (primarily 11 for secondary school entry and 16 – 18 for examinations).However, as with all statistics, we have to account for the fact that many pupils do not admit to having a tutor and so the actual number could be significantly higher. In terms of numbers of tutors, there is a real lack of research in this area although the big agencies state they have upwards of 10 000 tutors registered with them. This does not mean that the tutors are actively working, just that they have an interest in working for the agency. More research is required to ensure we have an accurate picture of tutoring in the UK although this will inevitably be very difficult where there is a lack of regulation in the UK.
This leads me on to what has been a real hot topic in the private tuition sector, child protection. There have been a number of cases about tutors abusing the trust their pupils accord in them. This is sadly now a regular occurrence and this year has been no different. Two cases in particular illustrate child protection issues for children and have been cases which Tutors’ Alliance has used to demonstrate to parents and pupils the child protection issues within the tutoring sector.
The first is the case of Stewart MacKenize who was accused of lewd and libidinous practices but the case was found not proven on the 2nd June in Aberdeen Sherriff Court. He did admit to touching a young girl on the leg. There is no need for tutors to engage in physical contact of such a nature with pupils, even if, as MacKenzie stated, the purpose was to “encourage” his pupil. Touching a pupil in such a way is likely to result in accusations being made against a tutor.
The second is the case of Ugochukwu Okorie who abused two girls aged 10 and 6 and had in his possession 1200 photos of young girls, as well as admitting to having sex with a 14 year-old girl. He was sentenced on 2nd July to seven years imprisonment. Tutors’ Alliance believes this case is one of the worse instances of abuse of trust and is quite frankly, appalling. Cases like this give the private tuition industry a bad name and highlights to a greater extent than any member of tuition community can individually that there is an urgent need for regulation of the industry.
However, although these cases are extremely serious and show the dark side of the private tuition industry, we must not forget that private tutors up and down the UK do an excellent job. So many pupils benefit from the knowledge and commitment of their tutors and achieve their goals, whether they be academic or personal by increasing their self-confidence. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Tutors’ Alliance tutors who give 110% every session and who do such a good job that parents call me to tell me just who good they are! This is the private tuition sector as it should be operating and I am proud to be a part of it.
So the 2009 – 2010 academic session, Tutors’ Alliance first full year has brought with it its challenges but also achievements. As Tutors’ Alliance continues to grow, we aim to be the voice of the private tuition industry. This involves representing you – whether you be a tutor, pupil, agency of anyone else with an interest in the private tuition sector. Please let us know your thoughts and ideas – we can assure you that we will listen to them.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
English tutor article published regarding English examinations
I read an interesting article written by an English tutor and published in the Telegraph this week.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/7817602/English-Examinations-Have-they-got-easier.html
The article discusses the changes in the English syllabus and raises a number of issues about what our children are being taught. What I find the most worrying is the distinction in texts between the privately-educated and comprehensive pupils. As a tutor, I believe it is vital that pupils are exposed to as wide a range of texts as possible. One risk of categorisation is that pupils' knowledge is confined to narrow bands and as a result, pupils do not obtain a breadth of understanding of literature.
I believe that all pupils need to read Shakespeare and Dickens at some point during their school career but also that modern literature is not abandoned either. Examinations need to allow schools and individual teachers choice in what the pupils study but all teachers must be aware of the risk of teaching "categories" in a way which is detrimental to pupils because their opinion of literature is based on a narrow band.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/7817602/English-Examinations-Have-they-got-easier.html
The article discusses the changes in the English syllabus and raises a number of issues about what our children are being taught. What I find the most worrying is the distinction in texts between the privately-educated and comprehensive pupils. As a tutor, I believe it is vital that pupils are exposed to as wide a range of texts as possible. One risk of categorisation is that pupils' knowledge is confined to narrow bands and as a result, pupils do not obtain a breadth of understanding of literature.
I believe that all pupils need to read Shakespeare and Dickens at some point during their school career but also that modern literature is not abandoned either. Examinations need to allow schools and individual teachers choice in what the pupils study but all teachers must be aware of the risk of teaching "categories" in a way which is detrimental to pupils because their opinion of literature is based on a narrow band.
Monday, 7 June 2010
The End of Exams...
Congratulations to all Scottish pupils who have just done their exams. The final exams are this week. Well done to you all! For those pupils in England who are still busy studying - stick on in there! The end is nearly in sight, especialy with all this good weather we have had - let's hope it stays for the summer.
Another safety story...
I was dismayed to read of the case of Ugochukwu Okorie in last week's telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7798344/Parents-warned-to-check-private-tutors-credentials-after-teachers-child-sex-convictions.html
This story serves as a further justification for regulation of the private tuition industry. It is unacceptable that tutors such as Okorie are able to gain access to children. The advice of DC John Knox, quoted in the report should be heeded by all parents. However, we must remember that the Disclosure scheme is not a guarantee of suitability and parents must be vigilant at all times to protect their children.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7798344/Parents-warned-to-check-private-tutors-credentials-after-teachers-child-sex-convictions.html
This story serves as a further justification for regulation of the private tuition industry. It is unacceptable that tutors such as Okorie are able to gain access to children. The advice of DC John Knox, quoted in the report should be heeded by all parents. However, we must remember that the Disclosure scheme is not a guarantee of suitability and parents must be vigilant at all times to protect their children.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Aberdeen tutor cleared of charges
I've been following the story of Stewart MacKenzie with interest. Not only does the story affect me on the account of the fact it relates to tutoring, MacKenzie lives in Aberdeen, my hometown. Details of the case can be found here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/scotland/north_east_orkney_and_shetland/10208299.stm
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1763736
The story raises a number of issues within the tutoring industry. The first is that any allegations made against tutors are worrying - whether they are proved to be correct or false. We all have a duty to protect ourselves and our pupils. I do not comprehend how touching a pupil on the leg could be deemed necessary in any circumstances, let alone in order to give encouragement. Physical contact is not required for tutoring maths and touching pupils in such a way will inevitably leave tutors open to allegations from pupils.
The second concern is that stories like this impact us all as a tutor and damage the reputation of the industry. Of course, it is right that complaints to the police should be made where there are any allegations of criminal practice and these must be fully investigated by the police. When stories like these hit the media, they ought to serve as a wake-up call to the media. Who am I allowing into my home to tutor my child? Do I feel comfortable leaving my child with this tutor? What do I know about his/her background? It is questions like these which should be in the minds of all parents looking for a tutor.
I am in no doubt that there are a great number of people tutoring who should not be in a position to do so. Again, we must ask ourselves why do we fail to implement a compulsary vetting or registration scheme for tutors? Tutors' Alliance continues to believe that only the implementation of such a system will be the first step in making the tuition industry safer for pupils and for tutors.
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1763736
The story raises a number of issues within the tutoring industry. The first is that any allegations made against tutors are worrying - whether they are proved to be correct or false. We all have a duty to protect ourselves and our pupils. I do not comprehend how touching a pupil on the leg could be deemed necessary in any circumstances, let alone in order to give encouragement. Physical contact is not required for tutoring maths and touching pupils in such a way will inevitably leave tutors open to allegations from pupils.
The second concern is that stories like this impact us all as a tutor and damage the reputation of the industry. Of course, it is right that complaints to the police should be made where there are any allegations of criminal practice and these must be fully investigated by the police. When stories like these hit the media, they ought to serve as a wake-up call to the media. Who am I allowing into my home to tutor my child? Do I feel comfortable leaving my child with this tutor? What do I know about his/her background? It is questions like these which should be in the minds of all parents looking for a tutor.
I am in no doubt that there are a great number of people tutoring who should not be in a position to do so. Again, we must ask ourselves why do we fail to implement a compulsary vetting or registration scheme for tutors? Tutors' Alliance continues to believe that only the implementation of such a system will be the first step in making the tuition industry safer for pupils and for tutors.
Friday, 16 April 2010
The Tutor Pages Survey
The Tutor Pages carried out a survey in March into tutors' attitudes to the new ISA voluntary registration scheme. Tutors' Alliance was concerned about the bias displayed in the survey questions and so wrote the following e-mail to Henry Fagg, the director of The Tutor Pages:
I have expressed my opinion about the need for mandatory checks and proper regulation of the tuition industry on the blog and on the website in the past. I stick by these views. The results of the survey have been published in the Guardian, the Independent and the Telegraph. The Independent article is here:
Tutors' Alliance published a response to this in the comments section on the Independent site.
I am pround that Tutors' Alliance members are all take their tutoring so seriously and all have Enhanced Disclosure Scotland/CRB checks as a mandatory requirement. They are required to renew these on an annual basis. The ISA scheme is not a "tax on teaching" but a step in the right direction in protection children. The way the results of the survey have been reported in the press have 3 effects:
1. They don't portray the full story - neither of the three reports makes any mention of the fact the tutoring industry is subject to no regulation whatsoever and anyone can set up as a tutor.
2. They are a blatant "plug" for thetutorpages.com. Although I believe Henry Fagg has some good ideas and appears to be more on the ball than some of his competitors, we must remember that thetutorpages.com allows anyone to advertise with no checks required. This explains why the survey was so biased - the ISA scheme is a threat to their revenue as less people will want to "sign up" as tutors if they feel obliged to register under the scheme. In this respect, it is worth remembering that with the majority of tutors earning £15 - £30 per hour, a £64 fee for the whole year is not excessive.
3. The blatant "plug" for the Conservative party with reference to their manifesto seems like simple electioneering to me.
We must all be wary of the results of this "commercial" survey. The Guardian reported that there are 750 000 home tutors in the UK and the Telegraph reported that there are 180 000 - am I missing something? Either way, Henry Fagg's survey of 525 cannot be seen to be representative of tutors' views. Based on the Telegraph's more conservative estimate, only 0.29% of tutors nationwide took part in this survey - can this really be seen as affirming that "private tutors plan to boycott Government vetting scheme"?
Dear Henry
I have just taken part in the survey below and I have to say that I was disappointed that the questions I was asked were weighted so heavily against the ISA Scheme. I think this will lead to the results of your survey being biased as people are asked to agree or disagree with persuasive rather than neutral wording. I am of the opinion that the ISA Scheme does not go far enough in protecting children or their parents by making the system still voluntary to a certain extent. I think it is imperative that all tutors have an Enhanced CRB/ Disclosure Scotland check which ought to be their responsibility to obtain. Although we will never stamp out the risk of paedophilia infiltrating the tuition industry, there is a lot we can do to minimise the risks as far as possible.
I hope this feedback is of assistance to you.
Kind regards
Valerie Kemp
I have expressed my opinion about the need for mandatory checks and proper regulation of the tuition industry on the blog and on the website in the past. I stick by these views. The results of the survey have been published in the Guardian, the Independent and the Telegraph. The Independent article is here:
Tutors' Alliance published a response to this in the comments section on the Independent site.
I run an organisation which provides vetting and qualification checking services for tutors. Unlike Mr Fagg, I believe it is imperative that checks are carried out on tutors and although I am not as naive to think that my system is fool-proof, I certainly provide the maximum amount of peace of mind to tutors and parents as I can. We are of the opinion that this scheme does not go far enough - it should be mandatory for all tutors to have checks carried out by the ISA. Working with young people entails a number of responsibilities and it is simply not enough to rely on tutors' word that they are suitable for tutoring your child. Parents need guarantees and checks of this nature are the only way to do this. We regulate schools, nurseries, voluntary groups - why not tutoring? The only consolation in all this is that the majority of parents I have spoken to are aware that their "personal recommendations and own judgment" does not extend to some kind of psychic knowledge about which people may pose a risk to their children. How long is it before we see a Vanessa George or Ian Huntley in the tuition industry?
Valerie Kemp
I am pround that Tutors' Alliance members are all take their tutoring so seriously and all have Enhanced Disclosure Scotland/CRB checks as a mandatory requirement. They are required to renew these on an annual basis. The ISA scheme is not a "tax on teaching" but a step in the right direction in protection children. The way the results of the survey have been reported in the press have 3 effects:
1. They don't portray the full story - neither of the three reports makes any mention of the fact the tutoring industry is subject to no regulation whatsoever and anyone can set up as a tutor.
2. They are a blatant "plug" for thetutorpages.com. Although I believe Henry Fagg has some good ideas and appears to be more on the ball than some of his competitors, we must remember that thetutorpages.com allows anyone to advertise with no checks required. This explains why the survey was so biased - the ISA scheme is a threat to their revenue as less people will want to "sign up" as tutors if they feel obliged to register under the scheme. In this respect, it is worth remembering that with the majority of tutors earning £15 - £30 per hour, a £64 fee for the whole year is not excessive.
3. The blatant "plug" for the Conservative party with reference to their manifesto seems like simple electioneering to me.
We must all be wary of the results of this "commercial" survey. The Guardian reported that there are 750 000 home tutors in the UK and the Telegraph reported that there are 180 000 - am I missing something? Either way, Henry Fagg's survey of 525 cannot be seen to be representative of tutors' views. Based on the Telegraph's more conservative estimate, only 0.29% of tutors nationwide took part in this survey - can this really be seen as affirming that "private tutors plan to boycott Government vetting scheme"?
Sunday, 11 April 2010
A Cautionary Tale...
A story came to my attention this weekend which makes clear to all tutors the obvious legal implications of making your qualifications up. A music tutor was fined £200 after she stated she had two degree she simply had not obtained. Her lie was discovered after one of her former pupils appeared on X Factor and switched tutors. His new tutor told him of the deceit.
Read the story here
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/8092006.Music_tutor_is_fined_for_faking_her_qualifications/
All tutors are advised to have their qualifications vetted by Tutors' Alliance.
Read the story here
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/8092006.Music_tutor_is_fined_for_faking_her_qualifications/
All tutors are advised to have their qualifications vetted by Tutors' Alliance.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
A Society of Cheats?
A report in the Sunday Times this week told of a company which is now guaranteeing that its work will be of a first-class standard. If you don't get a first class grade, you get your money back.
What does this teach students? This sort of company of promoting cheating - pure and simple. Good grades are only ever achieved through hard work and sheer determination. Companies providing services which endorse cheating ought to be banned. Let pupils learn for themselves and make their minds active and open to new ideas. Cheating simply devalues every other student's degree, undermining their hard work.
What will the future government do about it?
See the article here:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article7086818.ece
What does this teach students? This sort of company of promoting cheating - pure and simple. Good grades are only ever achieved through hard work and sheer determination. Companies providing services which endorse cheating ought to be banned. Let pupils learn for themselves and make their minds active and open to new ideas. Cheating simply devalues every other student's degree, undermining their hard work.
What will the future government do about it?
See the article here:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article7086818.ece
Thursday, 1 April 2010
What are you hiding from, agencies?
Today I decided to engage in some reseach and looked at 14 of the most popular nationwide tuition agencies' websites. Only two had any express mention of who was running the show. Why do tutors and pupils part with sensitive personal data to companies with no "face". I am proud of Tutors' Alliance and I want to put my name to it. I don't want our users to have to search through page after page to find out the slightest detail about who I am. What are the agencies hiding from?
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
End of Loophole allowing Tutors to smack children in England
I was very pleased to read today that a loophole in English law has finally been closed. The government had not reversed a law which allowed education providors outside schools to smack children. Although I doubt anyone would think that it was permissible for private tutors to smack children in their care, this story does raise issues about governments' attitudes to the private tuition industry and the lack of regulation in it.
I very much hope that we see the day of compulsory Disclosure Scotland/CRB checks/ISA registration for tutors very soon. Tutors' Alliance is committed to bringing this to the top of the tuition industry's agenda.
I very much hope that we see the day of compulsory Disclosure Scotland/CRB checks/ISA registration for tutors very soon. Tutors' Alliance is committed to bringing this to the top of the tuition industry's agenda.
Friday, 26 March 2010
Gift-Giving in Education
The BBC is reporting today that teacher are receiving more and more presents to thank them for their work.
I do agree that teachers (and tutors!) are appreciated but that gifts are not necessary at all. Of course it is lovely to be thanked for the work you have put in over the year but in my own experience, receiving a letter or a card means a lot. I keep all of them at home in my "treasures" box. It is really pleasing to see that pupils do appreciate what teachers do for them and a little thank you goes a long way.
On that note, I would also like to wish all pupils in Scotland a very good Easter holiday! For those revising over the holidays - stick in there!
I do agree that teachers (and tutors!) are appreciated but that gifts are not necessary at all. Of course it is lovely to be thanked for the work you have put in over the year but in my own experience, receiving a letter or a card means a lot. I keep all of them at home in my "treasures" box. It is really pleasing to see that pupils do appreciate what teachers do for them and a little thank you goes a long way.
On that note, I would also like to wish all pupils in Scotland a very good Easter holiday! For those revising over the holidays - stick in there!
Monday, 22 March 2010
When will this chaos end?
I was looking on the net today for recent stories about tutors who have been involved in alleged criminal activity. It is shocking just what is going on, often behind closed doors. Just a few short weeks ago, this story appeared
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7377242/Ballet-teacher-accused-of-having-sex-with-teenage-male-pupil.html
All tutors have a moral responsibility to have Enhanced Disclosure Scotland or CRB checks. This moral obligation MUST be made legal as soon as possible to protect our country's young people as far as possible. The system is not a fail-safe one, but it is certainly a very good start. Please, tutors - get a check. Parents and pupils - make sure your tutor has one and act responsibly to protect your child.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7377242/Ballet-teacher-accused-of-having-sex-with-teenage-male-pupil.html
All tutors have a moral responsibility to have Enhanced Disclosure Scotland or CRB checks. This moral obligation MUST be made legal as soon as possible to protect our country's young people as far as possible. The system is not a fail-safe one, but it is certainly a very good start. Please, tutors - get a check. Parents and pupils - make sure your tutor has one and act responsibly to protect your child.
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Lack of University Places Piling the Pressure on Young People
I was reading an article in the Times this week with the shocking statistic that 50 000 young people will not get a place at university. This is a very sad reflection both on the funding cuts which have been made to universities and the problems with the entry systems. Young people ought to be supported in their dreams and many will be left now in a very difficult position. For those who do have offers, the pressure is very much on to meet them. With exams coming up, for many it will be a time of stress which can only be exacerbated by the recent news. All tutors should make themselves aware of the situation with their pupils who are in their final years of school and applying to university to ensure they are aware of the grades which are required. Although tutors cannot guarantee the grades, they can ensure pupils are feeling more confident.
Read about the story here.
Read about the story here.
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