Free tutoring helps pupils in Reading aim for university

Hundreds of Reading pupils will get tutoring in English, Maths or Science from trained students as part of a new scheme run by the University of Reading.

The scheme seeks to improve grades and confidence for 200 young people at local schools who may be struggling due to the impacts of poverty and other challenges in their lives.

The University is working with national social mobility charity, CoachBright, who will provide training to the university students.

Kizzi Keast, outreach and access manager at the University of Reading, said: “There are young people missing out on higher education who really deserve to have the opportunity to be at university.

“In some cases, these pupils are not able to achieve the grades they need to go onto higher education, because their lives outside school are really challenging.

“The aim of this new partnership is to make sure that more pupils from Reading are leaving school, better equipped to go on to university. This is a key part of our ambition to be a University for everyone in Reading, and we are really looking forward to seeing these young people succeed and thrive.”

The CoachBright tutoring partnership is designed to complement the University’s existing Reading Scholars and Students in Schools schemes for widening participation in higher education. It will extend the scope of this work, and, it is hoped, the impact on young people’s lives. The schools that take part in CoachBright will also take part in the Reading Scholars project.

Sadie Middleton, Head of South East at CoachBright said: “Young people of disadvantaged backgrounds deserve the chance to choose how they want their lives to go.

“Partnering with the University of Reading allows us to begin forming more stable foundations for those young people, where they are able to truly curate their own futures.

“I am incredibly excited to be working closely with such passionate individuals, as we would not be able to fulfil our own vision without them. My goal for the next year is to implement and witness the immediate impact that our programmes have within these Reading area schools. I hope to hear comments from pupils, such as ‘I want to go to University now!’ or ‘I can do this!’ and watching every young person become a more confident, resilient and motivated individual.”

The university tutoring programme will take place over one term. It will consist of weekly after-school tutoring sessions, group workshops and a visit to the University of Reading campus.

Students who undertake CoachBright’s training will be trained to lead effective tutorials, build relationships with a young person and use principles of coaching to boost their confidence and independence.