New Rickstones Academy had an incredible year for attainment in 2019, achieving their best-ever results, with 76% of GCSE pupils receiving a 4+ grade in Maths.
In 2020 we worked with New Rickstones on a GCSE Maths tutoring programme for 12 pupils. Here, Deputy Headteacher Simon Gibbs explains the confidence boost he witnessed in pupils across the board.
How did you select the pupils to be included in the programme?
“We chose pupils who were struggling to reach their potential, generally at the grade 4 or 5 boundary. There were a couple that were at the 5-6 or 6-7 boundary, but all of them were lacking confidence.
“The main aim was to help them build confidence in their own abilities.”
What type of impact did you see from the tutoring sessions?
"Nearly all pupils improved from their mock grades. We felt that pupils didn’t just improve their confidence in Maths, but they improved their confidence generally across the whole range of subjects."
"Our biggest success story was a pupil who was working at grade 3 – and seemed on course to get a 3 in the exam. We crossed our fingers that he could make it up to a 4, but then he came out with a 5!
"I think the tutoring had a big impact on him, not just in terms of the lessons, but also in giving him a kick-start to do more independent work and revision at home."
How did you find setting up the programme?
“Right from the start, everything was easy to do. The spreadsheets MyTutor sent over were self-explanatory, and there was minimal paperwork to fill in – it was just pupils’ names, their current and target grades, and some topics to focus on for the lessons.”
What have been the biggest benefits for your pupils?
“I think because pupils nowadays are so at ease chatting through different digital devices, the format of the online lessons was a natural fit for them.
“They felt comfortable saying exactly which topics they did or didn’t understand, and they weren’t scared to ask to move on, or to ask the tutors to explain something again.
“So, I’d say the biggest benefit is the ability to have that 1:1 time with someone that’s a role model and close in age to our pupils.”
Would you recommend MyTutor to other schools?
“Yes, but I’m not going to recommend it to too many, because I don’t want to take away from our advantage! But no, I definitely would. Because of the ease of setup, and the clear impact it’s had on our pupils.”
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