Does Private Tuition Benefit our Children?

[graemeross]

I am currently studying for a degree in Education and have been assigned the investigation topic: How does a Higher Family Income Advantage Learning? The idea being that a more affluent family is far more willing and able to spend additional costs on their children?s education.

Rather than pages and pages of notes all containing pointless political answers from officials who will have me tongue tied I think it best to begin my research where it matters ? with the parents of children currently in education.

I am hoping that with a Blog, easily accessible and widely available (and your continued support), I can gather useful information and produce a report based on the facts of current education for young people. Consequently, any opinions or advice you have would be greatly appreciated and carefully considered. I have set my Blog up at:

privatetutorsforourchildren.wordpress.com/

I have complied a survey to try and assess the importance of paying for additional help for students. It is very short and is a starting point for my subsequent investigation.

graemeross1980.polldaddy.com/s/does-private-tuition-benefit-school-children

Thank you in advance for your assistance, opinions and time.

Graeme

[BlinkersOn]

Hi, just did your survey, one of the questions doesn't fit well. You have asked if the reader will use a tutor in the future and Have only given a yes/no choice. I would only use one if circumstances merited it.

[Gusthetheatrecat]

What an interesting topic. The things that occur to me are things that are a bit less obvious than private tuition...

• Paying to live in the catchment area of a 'better' school
  
• The effect of having more physical space on learning: children having space for homework, a room each, room for projects etc.
  
• the impact of a cultural environment conducive to learning (which does tend to be correlated with income, but of course this isn't absolute and there are lots of exceptions) eg: lots of books, family expectations of HE, good role models of learning, a family supportive of school
  
• on a more basic level, the likelihood that families with higher incomes probably won't have (although, again, they could do) the really chaotic lives that can undermine education. I am thinking of the various bits of work on 'high needs' families where some children grow up in unstable housing, with parents with ongoing health needs, and long-term worklessness, alongside poverty
  
• ditto the impact of good food and rest on school work.
  

I wonder if there are other things that parents pay for that make a difference less directly than private tuition? Music lessons, for example. Again without any evidence I have always believed that musical ability is pretty strongly correlated with academic success, but of course you could argue about causation. Revision guides?!

Hope that brain dump is helpful rather than patronising.

[Thisisaeuphemism]

I did the survey but didn't find it particularly rigorous. Agree with Blinkers On on the yes and no questions. It didn't seem to acknowledge the grey area, the various reasons for having a tutor - it seemed to just suggest you are either for or against. Still, I hope it works as a starting point for your investigation. Good luck.

[Thisisaeuphemism]

Huh, this is old news!