New report on reducing the poverty-related attainment gap

Date: 12th November 2021
Category: Child poverty

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The Poverty Alliance has published a new rapid evidence review which examines evidence on the effectiveness of mentoring and tutoring for children and young people living in poverty and provides an overview of the current policy and practice landscape in Scotland.

The report draws on mainly UK-based evidence published in the last ten years and synthesises this evidence on how far mentoring and tutoring programmes impact on educational and other educational outcomes, specifically focusing on understanding where, when, how and with who both interventions work best. Some of its findings include:

• Overall, findings support the use of mentoring as a solution to the poverty-related attainment gap.
• Mentoring programmes are most effective when they have a clear structure and provide training and support for mentors. Programmes are also most effective when mentors have a professional background.
• Overall, findings show that tutoring programmes improve academic and social and emotional outcomes.
• Tutoring programmes are most effective when they are highly structured and work in collaboration with schools and teachers. Research shows that tutoring programmes are most effective when tutors are reliable and committed and have strong pedagogical skills and subject knowledge and when tutors have some teaching experience. Tutoring is also more effective when it is delivered through short, regular sessions over a specific timeframe.

Read the full Poverty Alliance report here.