Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted
Schools struggle to fund tutoring costs amidst reducing Departmental subsidy rates.
Conclusion
Written evidence we received from The Tutor Trust noted that some schools, particularly smaller primary schools, were struggling to fund the cost of tutoring in 2022/23, when the Department was providing a subsidy of 60%.47 We also heard from Action Tutoring that, with the drop in the subsidy to 25% in 2023/24, more schools would struggle and essential interventions such as tutoring might be relegated.48
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's conclusion about schools struggling to fund tutoring due to subsidy reductions, and has responded by increasing the 2023-24 subsidy rate from 25% to 50% to make the programme more deliverable for schools, alongside ongoing monitoring of tutoring volumes.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with Committee’s recommendation [PAC Rec 4]. Target implementation date: December 2024. The department agrees that it is important to monitor the volume of tutoring that schools are providing, which is why schools are asked to report on tutoring via the termly school census and a bespoke year-end statement. This monitors the number of pupils receiving tutoring, the number of hours delivered, and schools spend on tutoring overall. The department is developing interventions that may be deployed, as appropriate, in academic year 2023-24 or in subsequent years, should there be a significant reduction in the amount of tutoring schools provide. Furthermore, having listened to schools’ concerns over the 25% subsidy rate previously communicated, the department has set the subsidy rate for the academic year 2023-24 at 50% to make the programme more deliverable for schools. This means that schools now need to contribute less of their own money than originally planned. The department nevertheless recognises that funding can be challenging for schools. To meet their costs when providing tutoring, schools will be able to continue to use funding streams like the Pupil Premium, which will rise to almost £2.9 billion in 2023-24.