Though data collected seems to imply that one-to-one or small group tuition has less impact on the academically able pupils than on other ‘vulnerable’ groups, inspectors conclude that appropriately planned and targeted tuition can be of significant benefit. Academically more able pupils are seen to share some common characteristics which suggest a rationale for personalised tuition that can enhance their learning and enjoyment. These pupils often:

• enjoy a creative and cross curricular approach to teaching and learning, showing a passionate interest in a particular area, for example a specific period of history or aspect of science which may be difficult to cater for in everyday lessons
• become more acutely aware of their progress and rapidly become despondent if they start to fall behind their peers; tuition can help to boost self-esteem, especially with children who have dual exceptionalities (for example, an exceptionally bright pupil may be dyslexic and need specialist teaching in literacy)
• have less emotional maturity, despite being academically more able
• have more diverse learning preferences and approaches and therefore need a wider variety of teaching strategies
• find it difficult to fit in and work with their peers
• only do the minimum amount of work, if not sufficiently academically stretched; they need to be ‘pushed to deeper thinking’
• have a disparity between their cognitive ability and their written outcomes as they can become impatient with the process of writing.

Criteria for effective tuition

Features of best practice were highlighted as part of the study. Not surprisingly, tutors with subject expertise are seen as essential; they should be able to link different areas of the curriculum; understand progression within their subject, particularly in relation to achievement at the higher levels; and plan sessions which are creative, and focused on higher order thinking and extension of subject vocabulary. Inspectors noted that the best tutors fostered a ‘partnership approach’ when tutoring the more able, nurturing collaborative working skills that could be transferred back into the classroom.

The most effective tuition sessions are planned to foster independence, encouraging pupils to take the lead; they also involve the planning and completion of extended, in-depth writing.

It’s also important that outcomes from tuition sessions are fed directly back into the classroom to acknowledge and celebrate the pupils’ success.