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



cultures. In South East Asian countries the Confucian tradition encourages an emphasis on
self-improvement through hard work (Wing On, 1999; Salili, 1996). In these countries
students have a high regard for education, academic achievement is a valued source of pride
in the family and the role of effort is seen as central in achieving success. Students are
expected to work long hours and frequently attend extra lessons after school (OECD, 2001).
Cultural norms and attitudes towards learning among African students have received less
attention, yet a recent study indicates that the rate of tutoring in Southern and Central African
countries is relatively high, with 46% of grade 6 pupils receiving private tuition (Paviot,
Heinsohn and Korkman 2008). In England, there is a tradition of supplementary tuition for
Afro-Caribbean children, mainly through Saturday schools (Stone, 1981). Recent estimates
for India indicate that 40% of students at secondary level attended private tuition (Sujatha,
2007), which is similar to our estimate of the proportion of Indian students in receipt of
tuition (45%) and suggests that cultural norms and attitudes may affect the employment of
tutors.

Cultural norms may be overlaid by other factors, such as the perceived need of a child for
additional support, the extent to which families feel able to help children themselves and
available financial and other resources (Ireson, & Rushforth, 2005). It may be that ethnic
groups differ in the extent to which family members expect to provide educational support to
their children themselves. Further research is needed to explore the interplay of different
factors among these groups.

As the first survey of its kind in England, this research provides important new information on
the nature and extent of private tutoring in primary and secondary schools. Inevitably, it has

32



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