National Tutoring Alliance Charter

This alliance formed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. We have been meeting virtually to share best practice on how we can continue to support the communities we serve during this time, in the post-COVID recovery and in the longer term.

Mission aligned, value based

• Our organisations were set up to address the issue of educational inequality; we work solely with disadvantaged students or those in need to improve outcomes and close the attainment gap. Our organisations are not for profit, meaning we only charge what covers our costs, and no more.

High safeguarding standards

• We meet the highest standards in safeguarding – requiring all tutors to have enhanced DBS checks and complete thorough training in safeguarding. Sessions are recorded and/or monitored. All face-to-face tuition sessions take place on school or college premises, supervised at the student’s home, at the tutor’s workplace or in a public space (for example, a local library). Online tuition sessions are hosted on platforms that adhere to robust safety standards, many sessions are either recorded or attended by a member of the non-profit’s team.

Quality teaching and training of tutors

• We all ensure that our programmes are delivered by high-quality tutors, and draw on the expertise of qualified teachers – either directly as qualified teachers or through the design and delivery of comprehensive tutor training and tuition resources. We screen tutors to ensure they have the subject knowledge, skills, motivation and commitment to effectively support the groups of children and young people that our organisations target.

Track record of delivery and working with schools

• We have a collective strong track record of delivery – working for a minimum of two years across several settings and regions, with demonstrable positive impact.  

• We have a track record of working in deep partnership with schools and colleges, particularly those that serve deprived areas. We use feedback from our partner schools and colleges to continually improve our programmes to ensure they work for our target group of children and young people, across different contexts.

Commitment to monitoring and evaluation

• We all monitor and evaluate the progress of children and young people on our programmes, including through regular session reports and feedback surveys. We regularly communicate this progress with our partner schools and colleges, ensuring that the content of sessions aligns with the needs of the children and young people we support.

• We are committed to understanding the impact of our programmes – and continually building on this impact, as our organisations scale, in line with the NESTA Standards of Evidence. By working in deep partnership with schools, colleges and grant-funders, we all regularly report on and are all held to a very high standard on our impact.

Commitment to collaboration and transparency

• We are committed to collaboration and sharing best practice. The National Tutoring Alliance was formed through a shared commitment to work together to ensure that as many children and young people as possible, who would benefit from quality tuition, are able to access it.