National Tutoring Programme FAQs
Do schools need to apply for the National Tutoring Programme funding?
There is no requirement for schools to apply for this funding. The grant will be paid through ESFA as part of the DfE’s scheduled payments to schools.
When will schools receive payment?
Local authorities and academies will automatically receive their funding in three stages across the year; September, December and April.
Is this funding exclusively for pupils eligible for pupil premium?
No, although the funding has previously been calculated based on Pupil Premium eligible pupils, this is just a way of allocating funding per school. Teachers are free to use their own discretion to decide which pupils need additional tuition.
Do schools have to spend their tuition funding?
Yes, any money unspent or not spent on tutoring or on academic mentors (another route of the NTP) will be recovered at the end of the academic year.
What funding is available to cover costs not covered by this funding?
Schools can use existing school budgets such as Pupil Premium to cover the remaining costs.
Can schools use their NTP funding on tuition from Third Space Learning?
Yes! We recommend that to provide quality additional support to the greatest number of pupils you use Third Space Learning. Our online tuition enables you to make the best use of your tuition funding but of course other DfE approved Tuition Partners are also available. Talk to several and see what works best for your school environment.
Can schools use more than one provider at the same time?
Yes, pupils are able to receive tuition from more than one NTP tuition partner at a time. This is particularly useful if you would like pupils to receive support in more than one subject. Similarly, there is no limit on the number of providers that a school can work with at once.
Will all approved providers charge the same price?
No, it’s up to the tutoring provider how much they charge. The DfE has assumed an average cost of £18 per hour (blended across one-to-one and small group tuition). The average per-pupil-per-hour cost of tutoring from DfE-approved providers ranges from £51 for one to one to £12 for 1 to 6. Because Third Space Learning delivers online maths tuition via a global tutor community, we’ve been able to provide one to one tuition for the price many other providers charge for small group sessions. We're proud to be the most affordable one to one tutoring provider, £10 cheaper per pupil per hour than the next cheapest provider.
How will Third Space Learning support data collection?
In our termly reports, you will be able to see the number of sessions that each pupil has received, as well as the topics covered. This should make it quick and easy to collect the necessary information for the mandatory data submissions and to report to school leaders.
How long has the NTP been running?
The National Tutoring Programme was a catch-up fund set up to support pupils affected by school closures during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown in 2020. Robust research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Sutton Trust demonstrated that one to one and small group tutoring was the intervention to have the greatest impact on improving outcomes for young people.
How has the NTP changed over time?
In previous years, tutoring from DfE-approved Tuition Partners was subsidised directly from the DfE, with the school only invoiced for the portion not subsidised. As of the start of the 2022-23 academic year, all NTP funding goes directly to schools. Tutoring is still available from DfE accredited Tuition Partners like Third Space Learning, but schools are invoiced the standard price and able to use their NTP funding to cover up the cost, rather than receive a subsidised invoice. If schools wish to use their NTP funding on external providers, they must still choose accredited partners such as Third Space Learning.