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

11 and 13 parents (83%) than year 6 parents (55%) (χ² =23.69, df=2, p<0.01). Similarly ‘To
help achieve the highest examination grades’ was given by 75% of year 11 parents and 72%
of year 13 parents, compared to 39% of year 6 parents (χ²= 29.6, df=2, p<0.001). (Table 8).

These results indicate that parents and students perceive private tutoring as a means of
improving performance in examinations. In addition, students see tutoring as a way of
speeding up their learning, whereas parents emphasise increased confidence and better
understanding of the subject.

Preventive factors in the employment of tutors

To include the perspective of students who did not have tutors, a list of reasons why tutors
might not be needed was compiled during the pilot phase of the project and students who
indicated that they did not have a tutor were asked to select from this list. As the questionnaire
used in the first wave of year 11 data collection had an open question, these responses were
excluded from the analysis. The main reasons given were that students felt they could get help
from their teacher, members of their family or friends (Table 9). Overall, 64% of students
would go and see a teacher if they needed extra help, with more year 11 (68%) and year 13
(66%) than year 6 students (59%) giving this reason (χ² = 15, df = 2, p< .01). Over half of the
students (56%) who did not have a tutor felt they received enough help from their family and
friends, with significantly more year 6 students giving this reason (77%) than year 11 (52%)
and year 13 (38%) (χ²= 254, df=2, p< .001). These findings indicate that the majority of
students do not see a need for additional help as they are able to obtain sufficient support from
their teachers or their family and friends.

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