Summer Of Extra Tuition For Many Kids

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Increasing numbers of parents are paying for private tuition for their children during the summer holidays.

More than a quarter of parents of primary school aged children who were questioned for a recent survey said they planned to pay for extra lessons this summer.

Latest figures show 13% of secondary school pupils saw a tutor at some point last year.

Kalsoom Hussain, from Stoke-on-Trent, is paying for weekly maths lessons for her daughter Mehireen, 12.

Each class costs £35 but she told Sky News she pays for classes for a tutor for both her children because she wants them to continue their education over the summer.

Despite the economic downturn demand for private tutoring is high

"Six weeks holiday is quite a long time so I tend to think they'll go behind in subjects like maths and science."

Mehireen's tutor, Imran Ilyas, runs 121 Tutoring Solutions in the North West. He told Sky News that in spite of the economic downturn demand is increasing.

"Last year we had registrations of 1,228 and there's been a 25% increase this year for inquiries for tutors."

Research carried out by learning company Pearson found that two-thirds of parents planned some learning activity during the summer holidays to prevent what it calls the 'summer slide'. Activities included homework, reading, online learning, practice SATs papers and literacy and numeracy mobile apps.

Broadcaster and mathematician Carol Vorderman believes children should continue to learn over the summer holidays.

Carol Vorderman says academic skills 'regress' during holidays

"What happens during the long six-week break is that if nothing is done, children's academic skills regress by three to four months. They don't just stop and pick up where they left off at the end of term. They go backwards.

"Let's face it, these summer days can be long and parents often struggle to fill them. It is much better to do maths practice for 20 minutes a day when there is not much else going on than doing homework after a full day at school."

The cost of private tuition can be a barrier but 'drop-in' tuition centres are becoming increasingly popular with parents who can't afford one-to-one tuition.

Located within a supermarket in Heaton Park, north of Manchester, is a centre that provides lessons tailored to children's needs.

Parents pay £98 per month for two hour-long sessions a week and they can drop children off whenever they like. The children are taught in a variety of ways, including online and in groups.

Mum Kelly Carroll who has been taking her son Lewis to the centre for two years says it costs half of what she used to pay for a private tutor. She believes learning as part of a group has boosted her son's confidence.

Other parents admit as more children are getting private tuition there is a concern for parents who don't pay for extra lessons.

Christine Heath told Sky News: "No one wants to see their child struggle and fall behind so I think there are going to be more and more people wanting their children to have more tuition."

Teacher Mary Bousted believes kids need a break over the holidays

Some teachers disagree, however.

Mary Bousted, the general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, told Sky News: "Pupils in the UK and young people have a long academic year, they have quite a long school day and by the time they get to the end of term they're tired and they need a break.

"They need a holiday and more than that they need to do different things. They need to play, they need to read, they need to do sports, they need to help with the cooking, they need to engage in some practical activities that make sense of what they've learnt at school.

"What they shouldn't be doing is hours and hours and hours of more of what they do in school because they'll come back to school tired."

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