With the summer holidays in full force, students are starting to prepare themselves for the beginning of the new term with many turning to EdTech to fill any gaps in learning the summer has left them with. As the means of learning have shifted online in the past two and a half years, the accessibility to private tutors blew open for all students – with proximity no longer an issue. Echoing this de-stigmatisation, a new report from MyTutor, the UK’s most trusted tutoring platform has found that 44% of parents in the UK agree they will continue to invest in online tutoring for their child, and almost half of parents are more likely to share and discuss their child’s experience with private tutoring.

The shift to e-learning isn’t set to slow down anytime soon as Europe accounts for nearly a quarter (22%) of the global EdTech VC market – a stark contrast to its 6% share in 2020 – with the UK remaining at the top of both funding and deal volume in the first half of 2021. Parents are clearly taking a more active role in their child’s learning, particularly when it comes to how learning is structured – an outcome that if not created by the pandemic, has been accelerated by it. With 48% of Brits having recognised the value of tutoring in the wake of the pandemic, it is clear that parents and children alike are more aware of the resources available to them, which have proven indispensable over the past two and a half years.

With benefits such as private educational support, one-to-one personal interaction, and a tailored individualised approach to each student and their personalised needs – this boom in online tutoring isn’t set to slow down anytime soon. Even as school becomes as it was before classes were shifted online, students and parents still see the benefits of learning from tutors who they can relate to. Research from MyTutor has found that 49% of students agree that they learn better from people whom they share a similar life experience to, with 35% agreeing it benefits their learning to have a tutor that recently went through the same exam experience as them. This is why MyTutor allows you to choose your child’s tutor to match your child’s needs, allowing you to choose from a database of over 20,000 tutor profiles – and even chat with them over zoom before you commit.

Key statistics:

31% are unaware of the specifics that promote or inhibit their child’s learning, such as a lack of ability to learn maths in a group, or challenges surrounding literacy
68% agree that their child benefits from one-to-one learning environments, alongside the classroom experience
48% of Brits used to think tutoring was unnecessary but since the pandemic they now think it’s really valuable
44% of parents will continue to invest in online tutoring for their children post-pandemic

To help kids across the country during the summer, MyTutor will be hosting 75 new courses throughout the summer, where kids aged 13-18 can take part in creative and educational programmes tailored to them. From courses in stereotypically men dominated subjects in STEM, to tech subjects, to creative arts and cultural issues, and reading clubs, rounded off with expert help in planning careers and university, MyTutor’s courses have been designed to make learning inclusive, fun, exciting, and interactive. Kids learn in groups of up to eight, so they can enjoy being social while discovering something new. The full list of courses along with booking information is available here, prices start at £90 for a 5-day course. students will help them get up to speed and ready to ace the autumn term.

With the new academic year fast approaching, lots of teens will be taking the time to get ready, and repair any gaps in learning the summer and the pandemic has caused. Co-founder of MyTutor, Bertie Hubbard, has shared 3 of his tips for parents and their teens during the summer term:

1. Locate learning gaps – and fill them in
While your child spending more time at home during the summer months, now is a great time for you to chat to them about where they are in each subject. Working out where their strong points and weaker points are with them at the end of class, or having a look through the syllabus for each course at home with you or a tutor is the first step to making a catch-up plan. Whether they’re two years away from A-Levels, or stepping up to A Levels after the summer, going back over previous course material for subjects they’re taking next year is the best way to prepare for the challenges ahead.

2. Explore career options
Aside from curriculum learning, if your child is in their last few years of school, a great way to use any free time they’ve found themselves with is to research career options. It’s a great idea before the beginning of the new academic year for your teen to plan to have a chat with their school careers advisor about their interests and plans.

3. Research their next steps

Whatever stage of school your child is at, taking time to research, have a think and talk to a few people about what they could do when they finish school is really valuable for them. If they’re interested in applying for university or college, they could have a look online and sign-up for some virtual open days – or even real ones if they’re easy to travel to.