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Online tutoring program shows gains in numeracy and literacy for those children who need it most

Media releases

05 December 2022

The second trial of an online in-home tutoring program run by children’s education charity, The Smith Family, has achieved strong results for children struggling with numeracy and literacy.

The Catch-Up Learning program first ran in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and aimed to contribute to addressing the gap in educational achievement between students experiencing disadvantage and their more advantaged peers.

The evaluation of the first pilot showed promising evidence of the program’s capacity to engage students and support greater than expected gains in both literacy and numeracy. The program targets students from Years 4 to 8 on The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program who are struggling in both these subject areas.

A larger second trial and evaluation of the program was undertaken in 2022, supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Education.

More than 400 students from across Australia completed the second program in 2022, participating in one-on-one tutoring with qualified teachers, three times a week over 20 weeks. The evaluation of the second trial also showed strong results, particularly in numeracy. It found that:

Two in three (67%) students made greater progress in numeracy than might typically be expected over a six-month period.
More than half (53%) of the participants made greater than expected progress in literacy than might typically be expected over a six-month period.
More than two in five (44%) students who completed the Catch-Up Learning program made greater than expected progress in both literacy and numeracy.

The program was beneficial for all groups of students who participated, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and those with a health or disability issue - particularly in numeracy. Two in three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and non-Indigenous students made greater than expected progress in numeracy, as did 58 percent of students with a significant health or disability issue.

As with the first pilot, the second trial kept students engaged, with program completion high at 83 percent. Average program attendance for students who completed the program was also high at 86 percent.

More than four in five of the students who completed the program attended at least two one-hour tutoring sessions a week for 20 weeks.

The Smith Family’s Head of Research and Advocacy, Anne Hampshire, said the results contribute to a growing body of international evidence on the effectiveness of online tutoring and highlights the value of such tutoring taking place in students’ homes.

“While online tutoring is a relatively new area of research, this evaluation shows it can play a role in supporting students who are struggling in numeracy and literacy to make strong progress. It also helps lay the foundations for longer-term educational success by increasing students’ confidence and love of learning.”

“Tutors form positive relationships with their students and tailor learning to their interests and needs, making this type of learning particularly effective.”

The program was specifically designed to be online within the home, with the relationship between parents, carers and tutors another important factor in the program’s success.

“We know how important parental engagement is to children’s educational outcomes. In Catch- Up Learning we saw the power of parents/carers and tutors working together, sharing their respective knowledge to support the best outcomes for children.

“Parents shared information about their child with tutors, enabling tutors to draw on students’ strengths and interests during lessons. Parents were able to hear from tutors on how their child was progressing and gain tips, helping them to feel more confident about engaging with their child’s learning,” said Ms Hampshire.

“This research is contributing to the Australian evidence base of what works to support students experiencing disadvantage to make progress in numeracy and literacy, and is particularly relevant given the ongoing and growing gap in outcomes for this group of young people,” said Ms Hampshire.

The Catch-Up Learning results come as The Smith Family calls on the Australian public to support its suite of evidence-based learning and mentoring programs as part of its Christmas Appeal.

These programs include Student2student, which sees older peers help younger students with their reading, and Learning Clubs, where trained volunteers help students with their homework, literacy and numeracy after school.

The appeal is aiming to raise $5.6 million nationally to extend these learning support programs to children in need. This support would allow 13,330 students to access these programs and catch up on their learning in the new school year.

“After such a disruptive few years due to COVID-19, and now cost-of-living pressures, children and young people need support now more than ever to thrive in school and achieve their dreams,” said The Smith Family CEO, Doug Taylor.

Read the full report

To find out more about The Smith Family’s learning and mentoring programs, and how you can support the charity’s Christmas Appeal, go to thesmithfamily.com.au/christmas-charity

Media enquiries:

Caitlin Dickson, Media Advisor | 0466 955 633 | caitlin.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au