I think it's just a sad but reality fact, that when school places are in big demand and the way you are judged and those places allocated by performance in a test, people will always seek to confer advantage on their own child......that comes innthenform of going to a Prep school in the first place and then in terms of using a tutor.
We live in a system where there is no absolute certainty of a place, even for a clever child. There are lots of clever children and fewer places than there is demand for. In areas with less demand for places,no imagine tutoring is less rife, but once people feel their kids might miss out, they will move heaven and earth to make sure that doesn't happen. It can start with an hour of tutoring per week, but once some parents hear that others are having more, they do it too. I think it all arises from fear. And it's hard to be courageous rather than fearful, in the face of lots of competition and if you have a sense that this is a once only chance and it really matters.
Regarding independent schools, I think the problem lies in people believing too strongly that only one or two schools can deliver what their child needs. People with kids in Prep schools can mostly afford to pay and will be able to pay for Secondary too - so,nt hey aren't going to be left with the sink comprehensive and are in a very enviable position compared to most of the population who have far less choice. There are enough places at independent schools for Prep school children. Whilst the are some ropey ones which sent worth paying for, most will be offering a good education. Most will be able to provide for a range of abilities and to give our kids a good education. So tbh, I think that Prep school parent angst is more daft than that from people hoping to get a state school grammar place - for many of hose who can't afford to pay, it really is a question of getting a good school or a much Les good one.but for Prep school parents, there are usually lots of good options and that's really worth remembering.
I think the Prep schools know this and work hard to get the message across, but parents are a bit deaf to it. Prep schools who have seen kids of all abilities over many many years do have a good sense of who is suitable for where. They know that their ex pupils go onto achieve success at school and later life from all kinds of secondary schools. They advise against tutoring and know it's not great to be someone at the bottom who struggles because they only got in through intensive tutoring. However, Prep school parents don't want to hear the message and sometimes I think they enjoy the angst just a little bit.....it's the competition and the cut throat nature of it all - many of them by nature are pretty competitive and in some ways like to live vicariously through their kids. They can gain great pleasure from saying X got a place at Y and even better if a scholarship can be mentioned. Some feel a sense of shame if their child goes to Z school because it is seen as lower innthenpecking order....but forget Z might be a great school too.
Anyway, I don't see any reduction in tutoring coming anytime soon. Isn't it just a consequence of a competitive system.....people will always seek to confer advantage on their child if they can.