Private Tuition is incredibly popular in the UK with The Sutton Trust’s report in September 2017 estimating the industry is worth around £2 billion per year. Their report shows that ‘one-in-six Year 11 pupils in England receive private one-to-one tuition in science and mathematics’, with almost half of all students having received at least some additional tuition in London. The tuition sector is incredibly diverse, offering almost any subject at any level (from academic play for toddlers up to support for post-graduate students) and UK tuition is held in high esteem (and in great demand) around the world.

The Tutors’ Association (TTA) was founded to create a professional body for private tuition providers across the UK. From its inception, it has been an industry-led initiative with four main aims:

1. To provide professional recognition to tutors.
2. To provide reassurance to parents when choosing a tutor.
3. To provide a voice for the profession that would be both respected and responsible.
4. To provide tutors with the platform to grow their network, to discuss any challenges they are facing, and to share their insights, resources and ideas amongst one another.

The Tutors’ Association was founded in October 2013 and remains the only professional membership body for Tutors and Tuition Companies in the UK. As of late 2018, The Tutors’ Association has over 700 private members and 180 corporate members (representing over 30,000 tutors nationwide) and is growing considerably. TTA members include many of the most prestigious agencies and a significant proportion of full-time professional tutors, who adhere to a rigorous code of practice and operate both in the UK and across the world. If you are a tutor, you can apply here.

What does The Tutors’ Association do?

One of the principal aims of The Tutors’ Association is to introduce a set of professional standards for tutors and agencies. This gives parents reassurance that, by picking a TTA tutor, they can be assured that their child will receive a quality educational service. In the rare circumstances that require it, parents can have any complaints heard by an impartial body. Although the TTA does not find and place tutors, it does offer parents advice where necessary and the facility to check if a tutor or company is a member.

The TTA does much more than simply distinguish tutors as being members and adhering to a code of conduct; it also offers numerous benefits to tutors. These range from training events on a wide range of relevant topics (including educational research, mental health and subject-specific issues) to discounts on a range of professional services and educational resources (including discounts for Get My Grades subscriptions!).

The TTA also runs an annual national conference – which members also receive discounts for. The annual conference has proved a tremendous success and 2018 will be the third and largest yet. The TTA conference offers tutors a unique opportunity to engage in continuing professional development, network with other tutors/agencies and learn about new products and services.

The Outlook for The Tutors’ Association

Since the current president, Adam Muckle, took office in March 2016 The Tutors’ Association has doubled its membership, in no small part due to the dedication of the core team and board of directors. Representing such a diverse range of professionals and organisations is a challenge but, by listening carefully to its members and promoting responsibility and good practice the TTA is creating a reputation for educational quality in tuition, both within the industry and outside of it. The TTA increasingly offers a balanced and informative voice on the tuition sector. This is a welcome addition to public discourse where media articles relating to private tuition have often been devoid of a meaningful input from the industry itself.