Striving for the best

The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on all of our lives, risking not least our health, but also our lifestyles, work and mental wellbeing. Now more than ever we need bright ideas that will rebuild our communities and support those most affected by Covid-19.

By the end of primary school, pupils from low-income backgrounds are on average 9.4 months behind their peers in English and Maths. By the time they are due to sit their GCSEs, this doubles to an average of 18.4 months behind.

Joel Davis came up with the idea for Tutors United when he started tutoring his dyslexic 10-year-old cousin, for whom private tuition was not an option. His cousin jumped from a level 3 to a level 4 in Maths and English in just a year and showed Joel the power of tutoring.

Tutors United pairs primary school pupils with up-and-coming university students to deliver confidence-boosting 1-2-1 tutoring to students who need it most. They are committed to bringing the benefits of tutoring to every child, ensuring their socio-economic background doesn’t hinder how they can achieve in life. They have now hired and trained over 200 tutors and taught more than 800 pupils.

Families from low-income backgrounds have been disproportionately affected by the lockdown measures put in place in response to Covid-19. Low-income families are less likely to own the essential resources to support their children’s learning and 73% of the Tutors United families reported concerns that their children would fall behind as a result of the school closures.

“That’s why we’ve done everything we can to offer consistent support during this time. This has included moving all of our tutorials online and offering further online learning platforms at a discounted rate.”

The digital move has been a great success, and so far Tutors United have carried out over 400 online tutoring sessions.

Have you recently launched a social enterprise in east London, or do you have a great idea for one? Find out more about the programme.