how common is it for a state school to suggest parents use tutors?

Saddened, I don't know enough about Cheltenham to help-I would have thought most parents would do some tutoring for entrance exams, but I really have no idea. You'd be better posting in primary and asking about specific schools and what people know about them.

Our state school primary keeps well away from the topic. When asked they merely suggest talking to other parents who might be using tutors.

They feel there is plenty of choice amongst non-academically selective schools. That said, the head teacher is very happy to write individual references when requested by some schools.

In general, I guess the politics of the head will determine how much help they give.

I'm intrigued. I have a dd in yr5 and have been thinking about grammars. We are looking at the one in Cheltenham this week. Is there something we need to know please?
I am worrying now

Thanks!

I'll pm you a bit later!

Haggis - are you able to share which school (publicly or privately).

We're just choosing our secondary state school for our year 6 DD now. We're Cotswolds, oxon / glos border. If that's nowhere near your part of the Cotswolds then I have no need to know of course .

I teach sixth form. None of my students have tutors, but it is quite a working class town.

I'm aware that a few girls in DDs class had a tutor for the 11+, and I know a few secondary kids who have had it in one subject (their weakest) but it is definitely not the norm that I know of!!

Secondary. It wouldn't surprise me if the feeder primaries were the same though!

Haggis - is that school in the Cotswolds where everyone is tutored a primary or a secondary?

Coolas Thanks - I am pregnant and in a lot of pain in hips and joints due to pre-existing hypermobile joints so barely sleeping. Obviously I am not stupid and know the basic rules of the English Language but haven't been checking all my posts on mumsnet. I will make sure to do so from now on.

It's worth asking tutors if they are members (particularly if they don't have QTS). I know some tutors include the info on their websites etc, but you are right, there is no search facility yet. I think it might be something to suggest to them

I am a member and I've requested that the tutors that I employ are also members too. I will be looking to move to corporate membership soon, but not yet.

MagratGarlik This is the case. However, the Tutors Association (TTA) was set up to try to counteract this. Therefore, a good starting point is choosing a tutor who is a member.

Thank you for this information. I had a look at their web site: thetutorsassociation.org.uk/

Unfortunately the web site is in no way geared towards assisting someone looking to use a tutor (only had a quick look so I could be wrong). There is no indication as to how many members it has. There is no search facility for finding a local tutor who is signed up to the code of conduct. Given that it was only launched 8th of October, 2013, I do wonder what the likelihood is of actually finding a local tutor who is a member.

The tuition industry is unmonitored (as far as I am aware, happy to stand corrected if this is not the case) and requires no formal qualifications or training. In affect anyone can set themselves up as a tutor.

This is the case. However, the Tutors Association (TTA) was set up to try to counteract this. Therefore, a good starting point is choosing a tutor who is a member. They check qualifications, references (from both clients and personal references) and DBS checks. This means that, whilst parents should always check for themselves the qualifications, experience and DBS of any tutor they plan to use, this has already been done externally too. All members of the TTA also sign a code of ethics that amongst other things, they won't recommend tutoring where they see there is no need and they won't carry out homework/assignments for students. Personally, I am always happy for parents to sit in on lessons if they desire and certainly stipulate that tuition only occurs in a communal area of the house where another adult is readily available.

I have to say, I have taught at both University level and secondary level and both require a completely different skill set to 1-2-1 tuition. Being a qualified teacher therefore doesn't necessarily make a decent tutor and some children will benefit from taking an approach which is different to that taught in schools.

Coolas Whenever I have had parents ask if I think tutoring is a good idea, I always say yes. This is not the same as a school suggesting to the parents that they should use a tutor as per the OPs original post.

I do not think any school should suggest that parents should be paying for tutors. The tuition industry is unmonitored (as far as I am aware, happy to stand corrected if this is not the case) and requires no formal qualifications or training. In affect anyone can set themselves up as a tutor.

This is not to suggest that parents should not use tutors. I am using a tutor to prepare my DC for the 11 plus. However, the tutor I am using is a qualified teacher with many years experience teaching at secondary level. This tutor came on recommendation from a friend who had tried 6 different tutors until they found one they felt comfortable with.

To give an example of just how bad some tutors are, one of them gave my friend's DC work sheets to go through and then went off to prepare their evening meal. The DC spent the better part of an hour working alone in a room. The tutor gave little to no assistance in working through the questions that the DC was unable to answer or answered wrong and simply gave the answers to the parent to go through at home. This mistake cost the parent £50 as it took two weeks (two sessions) for the DC to highlight that this was happening - This is money many simply can't afford to waste.

95% of my secondary school were tutored. I think schools should have to say how many of their students are. The teaching at school wasn't that great, especially in certain areas, but funnily enough there were loads of As because those with rich mummy's and daddy's (almost everyone) could afford to be tutored privately. Some of the things they learned out of class were not taught at school, same as exam technique etc.

Can you tell I'm bitter?

I would have thought that in general if the teachers are teaching properly there shouldn't be the need for tutoring - know there will be some exceptions
My DD needed tutoring for maths. This started after a change of teacher and guess what he was the best teacher

Well said, Coolas.

I see tutoring as being support of what the school is doing, not a replacement. At primary level, schools encourage (and indeed, mostly expect) parents to do extra work with their dc at home to support the learning within school. It is well recognized that dc who receive this extra support at home progress faster than those who do not.

Then, come secondary school, many parents either don't have the subject knowledge, curriculum knowledge or sometimes, the time, to support their dc themselves anymore. Even parents who do have these find that teenagers, being teenagers don't want to learn from mum or dad, but are happy to have someone from "outside" coming in. By having someone coming in, dc can still gain that extra support and confidence from having dedicated 1-2-1 time with someone who knows the subject, the curriculum and importantly for teenagers, is not mum or dad. It is not about "hot-housing" or "training to pass exams" or "tutoring beyond their natural ability" (whatever that means), it is about providing dc with additional support, which will enhance their understanding and (I hope) enjoyment of the subject and importantly, supporting, not competing with the teacher's job.

I agree, coolas, I hope my posts don't suggest otherwise. I just wish more of my students could access 1:1 tuition.

Well said, Coolas.

I'm an advisory teacher for Looked After Children, and one of the things we advise schools spend the Pupil Premium Plus money on is 1:1 tuition. It makes a significant difference to educational attainment.

The Sutton Trust/EEF toolkit is a useful resource when looking at the impact of tuition.

And the school I'm thinking of us in a very wealthy area, yes.

I'm not saying it is common at many state schools and, of course, well motivated and hard working students do well etc. I stand by my statement that it is fairly common at some state schools fir a lot of students to have tutors.

Well it's not common at my DC's school.

Because most of the parents couldn't afford it.

I would imagine even the possibility of hiring a tutor is restricted to a fairly small cross section of society, so if it's prevalent in certain schools, they would likely be schools in very middle class (possibly with high proportion going to selective schools) type area.