Private tutoring is now a multi-billion-pound industry in the UK, but does the evidence actually support the cost? This guide looks at what research from the Education Endowment Foundation and Sutton Trust actually shows. If you’ve decided tutoring is right for your child, see our guide to choosing the right tutor.
Quick Answer: Is Private Tutoring Worth It?
Evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation shows that high-quality tutoring, whether one-to-one or small-group, can add an average of three to five months of additional academic progress within a single year. The impact is not guaranteed for every student, and how the tutoring is implemented matters as much as the fact of having a tutor at all.
What the Evidence Actually Shows
The EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit consistently rates small-group tuition as an effective, evidence-backed intervention, with trials showing pupils making around three months more progress than those without extra tutoring after a structured programme of sessions. Crucially, this evidence is strongest for structured, well-implemented tutoring, not simply the presence of a tutor.
What Makes Tutoring Effective
- Consistency over one-off sessions: research trials generally test structured programmes of multiple sessions, not occasional or one-off tutoring.
- Small groups or one-to-one: smaller group sizes are associated with stronger effects than larger group settings.
- Clear focus: tutoring aimed at specific, identified gaps tends to outperform general, unfocused support.
- Trained tutors: evidence specifically supports trained tutors, including university students and graduates working to a structured model, not simply subject knowledge alone.
The Access and Cost Question
The Sutton Trust has repeatedly highlighted inequality in access to private tutoring, since the ability to pay for it is likely to widen the attainment gap between wealthier and poorer students. This is part of why organisations like the EEF have specifically tested lower-cost, structured tutoring models, such as the Tutor Trust’s approach, to bring similar benefits to pupils who couldn’t otherwise afford private tuition.
Is It Worth It for Your Child Specifically?
Tutoring tends to add the most value when targeted at a specific, identified gap, rather than used generally “to be safe,” and when sessions are consistent rather than occasional. Before committing to ongoing private tutoring, it’s worth asking what specific gap it’s meant to address and how progress will be tracked, so you can judge whether it’s actually working.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much academic progress does tutoring typically add?
EEF research suggests high-quality small-group or one-to-one tutoring can add an average of three to five months of additional progress within an academic year, though results vary by student and how the tutoring is implemented.
Is one-to-one tutoring better than small-group tutoring?
Both are supported by evidence, and small-group tutoring, particularly in groups of two or three, can be nearly as effective as one-to-one while being more cost-effective, according to EEF findings.
Are free or low-cost tutoring schemes as effective as paid private tutoring?
Evidence from EEF-evaluated schemes, such as those run by the Tutor Trust, shows structured lower-cost tutoring models can achieve measurable progress comparable to what’s reported for private tuition, when delivered consistently and well.
