A new report from the BBC reveals that almost a quarter (23.3%) of pupils in England were out of school last week, and the absence rate was nearer a third (32.7%) in secondary schools. With so many children still missing out on vital learning nearly 18 months after the beginning of the pandemic, leading EdTech platform MyTutor reveal the nation’s sentiments towards the future of home-schooling.

The landmark study from MyTutor found that 1 in 4 parents state they plan on integrating home-schooling permanently post-pandemic. As well as this, attitudes towards tutoring have also shifted – nearly half the nation used to think that tutoring was unnecessary pre-pandemic, but they now think it’s really valuable, shedding light on how the face of learning is set to become more personalised than previous years.

Many parents and teachers have also highlighted the impact of the pandemic on pupil engagement and mental health, with necessary isolation also having a significant impact on academic progression. MyTutor found that 26% of the parents agree there has been a visible decline in their child’s educational progression since COVID-19, and they’re now scoring lower as a result.

Key statistics:

24% agree that to support their child’s professional and educational progression, they will integrate home-schooling permanently post-COVID

48% used to think tutoring was unnecessary but since the pandemic they now think it’s really valuable

44% will continue to invest in online tutoring for their children post-pandemic

17% agree that since COVID-19, their child’s mental health is the worst it has ever been

26% agree that since COVID-19, there is a visible decline in their child’s educational progression and they’re now scoring lower

68% agree that their child benefits from one-to-one learning environments, alongside the classroom experience

In light of the disruptions to learning, MyTutor are offering a programme of free and discounted tuition over the summer, in an attempt to help kids who need a little extra help, as well as drop-in sessions. The resources and further information can be found here.

Bertie Hubbard, Co-founder of MyTutor, discusses the benefits of EdTech for teens:

“EdTech allows us to bring life-changing learning to more kids than ever before. At MyTutor, we provide online tuition that raises kids’ grades, boosts confidence and helps them fulfil their potential in life. Because it’s online, kids get access to amazing tutors from across the country, rather than whoever’s nearby. As there’s no travel for the student or the tutors, it also saves time and money travelling – reducing the cost and stress involved for parents.

Tech also means we can offer high quality learning experiences at a scale not possible offline. Our tutors learn from each other in their online community, and they have access to online training built by teachers. Because they’re subject experts from UK universities, they have recent GCSE and A Level exam experience and up to date curriculum knowledge – perfect for helping teens achieve the best grades they can.
Rather than replacing teachers with robots, the biggest power of EdTech lies in enhancing person-to-person learning. With MyTutor, the emotional impact on kids is huge – they love learning from “cool” older role models, and 88% of students experience a boost in their self-confidence as a result.

We know it works academically too – students improve, on average, by a whole grade (often more) in a term’s worth of lessons. So as we continue to develop our technology we can automate some manual processes such as tutor matching, scheduling lessons and planning lesson content, all the while keeping personal human interaction at the core of online learning.”