Private tutoring at transition points in the English education system: its nature, extent and purpose

examinations. Most primary age children indicated that tutors were not needed as their
teachers and families provided sufficient educational support. Some families appear to be
making strategic use of tutors to help their children make successful transitions in the
education system.

Introduction

Private tutoring has a long established role in learning for many young people in England. In
the past, private tutors operated in a largely hidden market as little systematic information was
available on the nature and extent of tutoring or the pattern of take up among students from
different backgrounds. The aim of this research is to provide a systematic description of the
nature, extent and duration of private tutoring at three points of transition in the English
education system and to explore students’ and parents’ views of the reasons for its use.

Conceptual issues

Although in the past, tutoring was defined as ‘one-to-one instruction’ (Ellson, 1976) the
meaning of the term has expanded considerably to encompass the many different forms of
private supplementary tutoring that are to be found around the world (Bray, 2007; Bray &
Kwok, 2003). In addition to tutoring that is provided on a one-to-one basis, private tutors may
work with small groups of students, for example in education centres and franchises. Tutoring
also takes place in private institutions such as 'juku' in Japan and 'frontisteria' in Greece where
students are in large classes or even lecture theatres with video screens to cater for overflows.
In these countries, students often attend private classes after completing a day in school.

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