The National Tutoring Programme has returned for a third year, this time with a new funding model.
Schools now receive their catch-up funding for the 2022-23 academic year directly and automatically from the DfE. There is no longer any need to apply for it.
The School-Led Tutoring route, introduced to great success last year, is now the programme’s default funding mechanism.
Why do these changes matter?
The DfE's rationale is “put schools in charge of designing and delivering a tutoring offer that suits the needs of their pupils”.
The new model means that schools have a much greater degree of freedom than in previous years. You can use your funding to hire the staff you think would best suit your pupils’ needs.
These might be cover teachers and specialist support workers, hired to free up your own staff for tuition sessions.
Alternatively, schools can hire tutoring and support staff from a third party like an agency.
How much will my school receive?
Schools will receive enough money to cover 60% of their total tuition efforts for the year. The rest must come out of other budgets.
To be precise, the funding is allocated to cover 60% of the cost of a 15-hour tuition programme for every Pupil Premium-eligible child registered in the October 2021 census. The amount also depends on the type of school.
Mainstream schools receive £162 per PP-eligible pupil
Non-mainstream schools receive £423 per PP-eligible pupil
Your funding will only cover a certain hourly spend per pupil. For AY 2022/23, this stands at:
£18 for mainstream schools, of which £10.80 (60%) will be subsidized by the DfE
£47 for non-mainstream schools, of which £28.20 (60%) will be subsidized by the DfE
Schools must record their tutoring hours delivered and their total spend. They provide these figures in their funding return to the DfE at the end of the academic year. Their reimbursement is then capped accordingly.
A school which has spent over the cap will recoup 60% of their total costs.
The DfE expects schools to provide a package of 15 hours of tutoring for each pupil.
You can now see the exact amount your school will receive for the first payment on this spreadsheet, created by the DfE.
When will I receive my payment?
The NTP funding will be paid in three termly instalments. The first will reach schools' accounts in the coming weeks.
You can find your school’s funding allocation here.
The future of catch-up funding
With the NTP now in its third year, it is clear that tutoring in schools has become more than a temporary response to the pandemic. As the former Education Secretary made clear, small-group tuition is here to stay.
From next year, government funding for the NTP will taper off. We expect that schools will increasingly direct their Pupil Premium funding towards small-group tuition.
Schools need a longer-term plan to make space for tuition as a permanent part of the learning mix. That means finding partners whose experience and expertise you can always rely on.
How Protocol Education can help you use your funding
As official NTP Tuition Partners since 2020, Protocol Education have delivered over 200,000 hours of tutoring.
We’re here to support you as you make the most of your school’s new freedom to run a bespoke catch-up programme.
Our army of teachers-turned-tutors are trained to the highest standards. They have the talent and experience to bring your pupils back up to speed.
If you’d rather use your own staff to run tuition sessions, our supply teachers and support workers can step in to free up their time.
You know what’s best for your pupils. Protocol Education is here to support your vision for your catch-up tuition programme. All you have to do is get in touch.
