It has been reported that GCSE results today have shown that poorer teens have fallen behind their wealthier classmates. The pandemic has wreaked havoc with the education of the nation’s children, shining a light on the disparities between socio economic class and access to education amongst UK schoolchildren.
Recent data comissioned in the wake of the pandemic has shown that tutoring and additional educational support have become more prevalent and sought after than ever before. Now, with resources like the National Tutoring Programme and MyTutor’s free and discounted tutoring sessions making extra tuition more accessible, the private tuition sector is seeing a democratisation. In fact, 48% of working class Brits agree that they used to think tutoring was unnecessary but since the pandemic they now think it’s really valuable which points to a societal shift in the lower classes of Britain, and an equalisation with upper/middle class children, levelling the playing field for future career trajectories of all current school pupils. Those who are now getting access to extra learning where they may not have been able to before, will see less learning loss and setback in their studies when they start the new school year.
Key Stats:
48% of working class Brits think tutoring was unnecessary but since the pandemic they now think it’s really valuable*
41% of working class parents will continue to invest in online tutoring for their children post-pandemic*
Previously, 24% of Britons agree their class affected their performance in school
Previously, 27% agree that their quality of education held them back professionally
Currently, influential people are five times more likely to have gone to a fee-paying school
65% of working class parents agree that their child benefits from one-to-one learning environments, alongside the classroom experience*
*Full socio-economic breakdown available upon request
Bertie Hubbard, CEO and Co-Founder of MyTutor, comments on the continuing disparity in education and opportunity:
“Though the findings from our research into social class in relation to education are nothing necessarily new, they clearly show the inequalities which continue to exist within in the education system. This only serves to strengthen the clear and pressing need for balanced access to education, despite social class or geographical location, and the news regarding the dispute between increased performance of private and state education just confirms this further.
MyTutor addresses these issues around access to education which rest in social-class and region by making learning accessible to all. As an educational tool which is both cost-effective and remote based, students of all backgrounds are able to access further resources and assistance in their subjects of need. Helping to bridge the gap in education, factors outside of learning itself should no longer determine the quality or opportunity of students.”
