Research summary · Everyone · All UK nations
What the research says about tutoring
A summary of the evidence on one-to-one and small-group tuition: how much it helps, and what makes it work.
By the Pyxion Learn team · Checked 30 October 2026
Tutoring is one of the best-evidenced ways to help a child catch up or stretch further. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), an independent charity that reviews education research, summarises the evidence in its Teaching and Learning Toolkit.
How much it helps
- One-to-one tuition: on average, up to five months’ additional progress over a year.
- Small-group tuition (two to five pupils): on average, up to four months’ additional progress.
These are averages across many studies. Results depend heavily on how tuition is delivered.
What makes the difference
- Quality and fit. Tuition works best when it is linked to what the child is learning in class and targeted at specific gaps.
- Smaller groups. The smaller the group, the better, though small groups can come close to one-to-one at lower cost.
- Regular, short sessions. Frequent sessions over a set period tend to have more impact than occasional long ones.
- Trained tutors. Training and support for tutors improve outcomes.
What this means for parents
- Ask a tutor how they will find out what your child needs, and how they will link sessions to schoolwork or the specific test.
- Ask how progress will be checked and reported to you.
- For entrance tests, familiarity with the test format helps, but strong reading, vocabulary and arithmetic matter most.
Source
Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit: one-to-one tuition and small group tuition.