Group Tutoring Vs One To One: How It Compares For Cost & Effectiveness

Group tutoring and one to one tutoring are some of the best evidenced interventions to support students’ attainment, with students making between 3 and 5 months’ progress. According to the Education Endowment Fund, this is especially true for disadvantaged students.

As teachers and school leaders, we want our pupils to make rapid and sustained progress in their school journey. When considering implementing tutoring in schools, there are two fundamental intervention options to consider: group tutoring – interchangeably known as group tuition – or one to one tuition.

This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of group tutoring and one to one, looking at their effectiveness and impact on pupils, considering factors such as budget, time, flexibility and personalisation. It aims to support teachers and school leaders to choose the right approach for their school and students, while also encouraging independent learning.

What is group tutoring?

Group tutoring is when a professional tutor works with a certain number of pupils in a group setting to help close any learning gaps they share in common. Typically, it takes place in a tuition centre or classroom, very similar to a classroom we associate ourselves with.

The number of pupils in group tutoring sessions can vary, ranging from small group sessions of 2 or 3 pupils or groups of up to 4 or 5 pupils.

While some consider groups of over 6 as group tuition, this is somewhat debatable and more accurately reflects group teaching. When groups become too big for focused attention on pupils and personalised teaching, the effect of the tutoring decreases.

With group tutoring in schools, the tutor will focus on specific areas of the curriculum to deliver quality instruction focused on the pupils’ areas of development. Many schools focus on core curriculum areas, including English, maths and science. The small groups allow for group interaction and time for individual practice where pupils work at their own pace.

How effective is group tutoring in addressing learning gaps?

A recent study by the EEF found that small group tuition has an average impact of four months’ additional progress over the course of an academic year in primary schools. Group tuition is less effective for secondary pupils who averaged two months’ additional progress. 

Carefully selecting and grouping students makes group tuition most effective. For example, all working on the basic fundamentals of maths, so the tutor can target specific needs. This requires accurate diagnostic assessment prior to tuition commencing. If done well, this can be a powerful tool in closing the achievement gap for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and a strength in the Pupil Premium strategy. 

However, should group size increase, the impact on learner outcomes reduces as the tution will resemble a ‘normal’ classroom atmosphere and pupils will get less out of it.

Advantages of group tutoring

• More personalised than whole class teaching: While more difficult in a group setting than it is for one to one tutoring, personalised learning for pupils is possible within small group tuition.

  It requires a detailed initial assessment so tutors can provide personalised teaching. This enables targeted provision for those who need small group classes to stretch them, as well as those who require support to address gaps in their learning. 
  
  As identified by the EEF, low attaining pupils typically benefit more from small groups, particularly with consistent and frequent sessions. However, this can create timetabling complications – especially for those in secondary schools!

• Opportunities for peer collaboration: Small groups enable the tutor to deliver input using quality resources and equipment to engage the pupils in a purposeful environment. There is an opportunity for peer collaboration in tasks as well as personal, friendly competition – this is not possible in one to one tutoring. 
  
  At GCSE and A level standards, the collaborative mentality and exploration of subject matter with fellow learners can enhance confidence, self-esteem and understanding.

• Lower cost: For school leaders, cost implications favours small group sessions. In most cases, the cost of small group tutoring, whether in person or online, is often a cheaper alternative to one to one as schools can provide tuition for more pupils with fewer tutors.
  
  By taking tutoring online, and and recruiting and training a global team of tutors, we’re able to provide one to one tutoring for schools for the price other providers charge for a small group.

• Removes stigma: The EEF found that group tutoring reduces the potential stigma associated with needing extra help outside of the classroom as pupils are with their peers.

Disadvantages of small group tutoring

• Impact: Less impactful than one to one tutoring (5+ months progress) and less effective in secondary schools (+2 months’ progress) than primary schools (+4 months’ progress).

• Diagnostic assessment: Small group tutoring requires complex matching to ensure learners who need extra support are working on similar objectives and can work at a similar pace.

• Group size: The larger the group, the less impact it has. Evidence suggests groups should be no larger than 1 tutor to 3 students.

• Timetabling issues: Timetables can be a logistical nightmare. Even more so with small group tuition. It’s difficult to ensure the tutoring programme is accessible for all pupils and promotes student attendance while including vital elements of their studies. You do not want to provide tutoring for one subject and create difficulties in another!

• Tutor training: Tutors typically require more training to effectively deliver small group tutoring as it is more challenging than delivering one to one.

• Pupil confidence: Group tuition is not suitable for all learners. Some remain shy in small groups or may not react well to the enhanced attention of a small group and do not like to give answers in front of their peers. 
  
  In circumstances such as this, one to one tuition would be a better consideration. Focused attention with a well matched tutor pupils knows and trust helps them feel safe and confident in discussing correct strategies, answers and misconceptions.

The one to one intervention supports individuals. I also like that pupils who might not be confident to speak up in class feel it is a safe space to say they are unsure of the learning that might be taking place.

Headteacher and Third Space Learning customer, London

How to make group tutoring a success

Group tuition can be successful if you put the initial leg work. However it requires planning and you must carefully consider:

• Size;

• Space;

• Subject matter;

• Chosen students. 

This means ensuring targeted teaching specifically for those who need it. If teachers identify the correct students through diagnostic assessment, the number of students in a group is reduced. This keeps it an effective small group intervention.

Do not invite all strugglig learners as their subject knowledge, misconceptions and knowledge gaps in maths will vary greatly from one another. 

Carefully consider the content that the tuition will be covering and ensure the provider has the correct resources (that align with classroom teaching), the correct working space and the correct strategy to make the most out of every session.

What is one to one tutoring?

One to one tutoring is when one qualified teacher, teaching assistant or professional tutor provides intensive, personalised learning to one pupil.

As educators, we would love to regularly provide one to one attention for each learner, but in a class of 30, it’s physically impossible to give each pupil this kind of individual attention.

No matter how much of a good teacher you are, you can never get to 30 children and do 30 different pieces of work and that is what is needed. Because it is one to one and to their level, it is the best type of intervention you can have.

Angela Kershaw, Maths Leader and Third Space Learning customer, St. Augustine’s Academy

One to one tutoring providers should:

• Hold valid background checks for all tutors;

• Support learners with tutoring sessions to bridge knowledge gaps;

• Address misconceptions;

• Consolidate learning and/or stretch learning even further. 

One to one tutoring research

One to one tuition provides personalised learning, focusing sessions to build on individual strengths and development areas, whether in person or via online tuition. 

The EEF found one to one tuition is an effective intervention. If sessions are short, sharp and regular, the impact can be vast.

Learners can make over 5 months’ progress across a year with, on average. 6 months’ progress in the primary school setting and 4 months’ progress in secondary.

Online one to one tuition has similar effects to in-person one to one sessions.

One to one tutoring allows for fully personalised learning adapted to students’ needs. The interactive nature of the Third Space Learning platform engages students in their online one to one tuition. High quality headsets promote tutor and pupil interaction.

Advantages of one to one tutoring

• Impact: With one to one tutoring, learners can make, on average, over 5 months’ progress on one year, comapred to an average of 4 months through group tutoring.

• Personalised: Individual, persoanlised and focused attention for the pupils is a huge advantage of one to one tutoring. As teachers and SLT, we want to ensure all our children achieve this in class but the reality is that it is not always possible. 
  
  One to one tuition provides the opportunity for pupils to work through a bespoke curriculum based on their individual learning gaps and misconceptions. It also works at the pace of the learner and gives ample opportunity for learning, application and personalised feedback, with few distractions.

• Rapport: It is easier for tutors to develop a rapport with pupils and create a positive learning environment. This in turn increases pupils’ enjoyment of the sessions.

• Pupil confidence: Once a positive learning environment is established, pupils can benefit from the individualised support of their tutor in a low stakes environment. Pupils can make mistakes and learn from them, without worrying about other classmates.

The children have loved the personalised learning and having a one to one lesson with their tutor. It has been lovely to hear them explain their thinking.

Karan Johnson, Teacher and Third Space Learning customer, Moss Hall Junior School, Barnet

Disadvantages of one to one tutoring

• Cost: On the face of it, one to one tutoring costs more than group tuition, whether online or in person. However, one to one tuition can actually be more cost effective. There are also ways of reducing the cost of one to one tutoring, such as opting for online tutoring using the best online tutoring websites.
  
  While the decision for schools may depend on their initial budget at the start of a new school year, the cost of one to one tutoring can be moderate and more effective in the long term, provided that schools are using experienced and effective providers and that impact is monitored regularly and accurately.

Third Space Learning is just as effective as bringing in a one-to-one tutor but it’s so much cheaper, so you can afford to have more children doing it. Plus, the children love it and they’re so enthusiastic about it! What’s not to like? It’s cheaper, the children do just as well and they really like it!

Clare Sealy, Headteacher, St. Matthias Primary School, London

• Scale: One to one tutoring can be difficult to scale for multiple students without hundreds of tutors, making it challenging to deliver in person. Online tutoring can help to combat this as it eliminated the geographical barrier of the tutor and learner.

• Pupil needs: One to one tuition is not for everyone. Some pupils feel pressured in a one to one environment and may prefer the environment provided by small group tuition.

  However, this highlights the need to find the correct provider with high quality, trained tutors to maximise progress.

Since 2013, Third Space Learning has helped school budgets stretch further through scalable, cost-effective one to one maths tutoring.

As the most affordable DfE-approved one to one tutoring provider, we are proud to be 56% cheaper than the average cost of one to one tutoring.

Schools can use Pupil Premium funding to help cover the cost of Third Space Learning.

How to make one to one tutoring a success

Once you have selected the best provider and tutor for your school’s needs, ensure tutors take time to build rapport with pupils and establish a supportive learning environment. With the right match, you’ll see:

• An increase in pupil confidence and self-esteem;

• More knowledge acquired;

• Reduced misconceptions;

• The achievement gap close.

Initial and ongoing assessment alongside regular feedback from the tutor will ensure an accurate learning journey, focussed on plugging learning gaps.

At Third Space Learning, all pupils take a diagnostic assessment to identify the areas they will focus on in their tutoring.
Post-session questions assess understanding after every session to ensure their personalised learning pathway is always up-to-date and accurate.

Ofsted’s report on tutoring

Ofsted’s research suggests that effective tutoring is a valuable tool for supporting students to catch up. However, this is provided that it is:

• Personalised to meet the needs of the individual;
• Delivered by quality, skilled and knowledgeable tutors;
• The content aligns with students’ lessons in the classroom.

In short, Ofsted concluded that:

• School-led tuition is the preferred choice among schools as leaders have more control over the hiring of tutors, delivery of the sessions and the content covered. However, this results in extra workload for the school.

• Tutoring during the school day was more effective, particularly in secondary schools, and so efforts should be made for it to take place during school hours.

• Where tutoring is delivered by high quality tutors, Ofsted saw that in over half the schools, it was delivered well and impactful.

• Tuition was of higher quality when qualified teachers were involved. Weaker sessions were delivered by tutors who lacked sufficient training, resulting in poorly planned sessions with content poorly matched to student level.

• Students were overwhelmingly positive about tutoring.

• Many schools had not yet developed effective ways to assess student progress.

• If planned accurately and in line with the school curriculum, tuition can be a powerful intervention.

What does this mean for your school?

• Consider the resources available to you, including staff availability

• Try to schedule interventions during the school day

• Ensure all tutors have received training 

• Consider how you will monitor and assess student progress

• Ensure tutoring content and curriculum align with your school

Here at Third Space Learning, we’ve worked with thousands of primary and secondary schools over the last 10 years and have designed a programme with schools in mind that overcomes many of the challenges associated with using external tutoring.

We reduce the workload for teachers by handling the hiring and training of our subject expert tutors. 

Our academic team of experienced former UK teachers carefully design and review each curriculum resource. This ensures that the content and teaching approach align with what pupils learn in the classroom.

All pupils take a diagnostic assessment before they begin tutoring. This informs their individualised learning journey, addresses misconceptions and plugs gaps in learning. Pupils also complete post-session questions to track their progress and ensure future sessions are align with their individual needs. We provide on-demand reports for teachers so you can make sure the tutoring is making an impact on your pupils’ outcomes.

Blending both group tutoring and one to one tutoring

Group tutoring may be the right choice for some of your pupils. But, for most, one to one tutoring makes a larger impact on learning outcomes and is more cost effective. Time and money are both priorities within school so it is important to make decisions that will have maximum impact. 

With maths in mind, pupils should have space to delve into mathematical concepts. Tutors should teach lessons in a way that aligns with their classroom. They should address misconceptions in real-time. These are best achieved through one to one tuition.

Online one to one tutoring offers a more affordable route to the benefits of one to one tutoring. And, it may be the right choice for your school.

Group tutoring FAQs

What are the benefits of group tutoring?

The benefits of group tutoring: pupils are exposed to small group collaboration and socialising through work, thus building communication, discussion and listening skills around the tasks at hand. It can be more cost effective for schools in the short term and as identified by the EEF close the disadvantage gap.

What are the different types of tutoring?

There are two different types of tutoring: one to one tuition or group tuition. They can both be delivered either in person or online.

What are the alternatives to group tuition?

The alternative to group tuition is one to one tuition, either online or in person. This typically provides the pupil with the most impact and gives a more personalised, focused tuition experience.

What are the disadvantages of group tutoring?

Generally, the larger the group, the less impactful group tutoring becomes. This is because it is more challenging to deliver highly-personalised instruction and give detailed feedback to larger groups of students. There are also issues around timetabling, tutoring training and student confidence.