The National Tutoring Programme vs private tutoring is now a comparison between a scheme that has ended and an option that hasn't: the DfE-funded NTP ran from 2020 to 2024, offering subsidised tutoring to eligible pupils through schools, while private tutoring is arranged and paid for directly by any parent, with no eligibility criteria at all.
What was the National Tutoring Programme, and is it still running?
The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) was a Department for Education scheme launched in 2020 to address learning loss caused by COVID-19 school closures. It funded structured tutoring — delivered by school staff, tuition partners, or academic mentors — for pupils identified as falling behind, with a particular focus on disadvantaged students. The programme formally ended in 2024. It is not currently running as a distinct national scheme, though many schools have folded its tutoring model into their ongoing Pupil Premium strategy, using the same evidence base to keep similar sessions going without the NTP name or its dedicated central funding pot.
Was the National Tutoring Programme free?
For eligible families, effectively yes — the cost was covered through the school's grant funding rather than billed to parents directly. Schools received government funding specifically earmarked for tutoring and typically only had to contribute a modest top-up from their own budget, meaning a family whose child qualified paid nothing out of pocket. This is the central practical difference from private tutoring, where every session is paid for directly by the parent, regardless of income or need.
How do you access NTP-style tutoring now?
Since the programme itself has ended, there is no national application route to "join the NTP" today. The practical path is through the school: ask whether tutoring is offered as part of the school's current Pupil Premium spending, since many schools continued a version of the same model using that funding stream once NTP funding stopped. Availability now depends entirely on individual school budgets and priorities rather than a guaranteed national entitlement, so provision varies considerably between schools.
Who was eligible for the National Tutoring Programme?
Eligibility during NTP's active years centred on disadvantaged pupils, particularly those eligible for Pupil Premium funding (including current or recent Free School Meals eligibility, and looked-after or previously looked-after children), alongside pupils schools identified as having fallen behind academically regardless of income. Schools ultimately decided which of their pupils received a place, working within their allocated funding — it was never a scheme a parent could apply to directly.
How does private tutoring compare on cost and choice?
Private tutoring removes the eligibility question entirely: any family can hire a tutor, for any subject, at any frequency, regardless of whether their child would have qualified for NTP-style support. The trade-off is cost. A private GCSE tutor in the UK typically charges £30–£50 per hour, so weekly sessions across a school year can run to well over £1,000 — a significant sum compared with the effectively free access some families had through NTP.
Worked comparison — one term of weekly sessions:
- NTP-eligible pupil (2020–2024, while active): £0 direct cost to the family
- Private tutor today, 12-week term at £40/hour: £480
Side-by-side: NTP-funded tutoring vs private tutoring
| Factor | National Tutoring Programme (2020–2024) | Private tutoring |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to parent | Effectively free for eligible pupils | £30–£50 per hour, paid directly |
| Eligibility | Restricted — disadvantaged or identified pupils | None — open to any family |
| Availability today | Programme ended in 2024 | Ongoing, any time |
| Who arranges it | The school | The parent |
| Subject/tutor choice | Limited to what the school offered | Full choice of subject, tutor and frequency |
| Funding source | DfE grant via the school | Family's own budget |
Which is right for your child?
This isn't really a live either/or choice any more — NTP itself is not something a family can newly opt into. The realistic comparison today is between whatever Pupil-Premium-funded tutoring your child's school still offers, if any, and paying for a private tutor directly. If your child is Pupil-Premium-eligible, it is worth asking the school first, since free or subsidised provision may already exist. If not, or if the school's capacity is limited, private tutoring remains the main route to regular, targeted one-to-one support — and the EEF's evidence on one-to-one tuition applies equally well to either funding model, since it's the quality and consistency of the tutoring itself, not who pays for it, that drives the outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Is the National Tutoring Programme still free and running?
No — the National Tutoring Programme formally ended in 2024. Some schools continue a similar tutoring model funded through their ongoing Pupil Premium budget, and this can still be free to eligible families, but there is no longer a distinct national scheme with dedicated central funding.
NTP vs paying for a private tutor — which is more effective?
Neither is inherently more effective; what matters is session quality, frequency and consistency, which the Education Endowment Foundation identifies as the key drivers of one-to-one tuition's impact. NTP-style tutoring had the advantage of being free to eligible families, while private tutoring offers full control over the tutor, subject and schedule.
How do I access National-Tutoring-Programme-style support now?
Ask your child's school directly whether they still offer tutoring funded through Pupil Premium, since many schools kept a similar model running after NTP's central funding ended in 2024. If the school has no capacity or your child isn't eligible, private tutoring is the main remaining route to regular one-to-one support.
What was NTP eligibility based on?
Eligibility centred on disadvantage, primarily Pupil Premium status (including current or recent Free School Meals eligibility and looked-after children), plus any pupil the school identified as having fallen behind. Schools decided allocation within their funding, and there was no direct parent application process.
For unlimited, affordable one-to-one practice regardless of eligibility, see aitutors.me.