Commenting on research looking at the likelihood of children from disadvantaged backgrounds having access to private tuition in comparison to more affluent peers, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“These findings are a stark reminder of the funding pressures facing schools. Schools are running on empty and have been forced to cut back vital support for disadvantaged pupils.
“Tutoring should help level the playing field, yet the government’s decision to scrap the National Tutoring Programme in 2024 pulled the rug from under schools. Almost 60% have since reduced their tutoring offer, widening the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers and further concentrating tutoring among the most affluent.
“The NEU welcomes the government’s intention to address unequal access to tutoring, but the evidence for AI tutoring simply isn’t there at the moment.
“Without proper resourcing, regulation and human intervention, AI tutoring risks further deepening divides, particularly as wealthier families turn to human tutors to avoid AI based learning. AI tutoring should support, not replace, face-to-face teaching, and must be grounded in independent research, safety and professional oversight.
“Technology is not a panacea for improving outcomes for disadvantaged children. The Government must also tackle the root causes by reducing child poverty and breaking the cycle that holds so many pupils back.”