UK Private Tutoring
Statistics 2026

The data behind private tutoring in England and Wales — who is getting tutored, why it matters, what it costs, and whether it works.

Primary source: The Sutton Trust — Private Tutoring 2026

Four numbers that define tutoring in 2026

0%
of 11–16 year olds in England & Wales have had private tutoring — up from 18% twenty years ago
Sutton Trust 2026
£0.45
average cost per hour for online tutoring across the UK
TutorCruncher 2026
0%
of tutored students are studying Maths — the most requested subject in the UK by far
Sutton Trust 2023
0%+
of tutored students improve by at least one grade in their target subject
Tutorful 2025

Private tutoring has grown by 61% in two decades

In 2006, 18% of secondary pupils in England and Wales had received private tutoring. By 2026 that figure stands at 29% — a 61% increase. The pandemic years accelerated this sharply, as families turned to private tuition to offset school disruption and exam cancellations.

The National Tutoring Programme, introduced in 2020 to address pandemic learning loss, ended in 2024. Since then, 58% of schools have reduced their in-school tutoring provision — pushing more families towards the private market.

73%
of tutored students
in the UK study Maths
Sutton Trust, Tutoring: The New Landscape (2023)

Maths is the tutoring priority for nearly three-quarters of families

73% of students who receive private tutoring are studying Maths — making it comfortably the most requested subject. The reasons are consistent: Maths is compulsory to GCSE, carries heavy weighting in selective school assessments, and is a prerequisite for science A-Levels and most Russell Group degree courses.

Demand peaks at Year 10 and 11 (GCSE preparation), where a single grade boundary can determine sixth-form options, and at Year 5 and 6 for 11+ and 13+ selective school entry.

Explore Maths Tutoring →

Not all pupils have equal access to tutoring

Geography and household income still determine who benefits from private tutoring — with significant gaps that persist despite recent growth in access.

Tutoring rates by region

By household income & ethnicity

Best-off households30%
Worst-off households23%
In deprived areas
Black pupils65%
Asian pupils43%
White pupils10%

Source: Sutton Trust Private Tutoring 2026

Online is now the dominant tutoring format

67% of all private tutoring sessions in the UK now take place online — a shift accelerated by the pandemic that has permanently reshaped the market.

UK tutoring market analysis 2024–2026

Online tutoring
£37.45/hr average
Standard GCSE subjects. Ranges from £30 for generalist tutors to £80+ for specialist A-Level and Oxbridge preparation.
In-person tutoring
£45–65/hr average
London carries a 15–25% premium above national rates. Surrey and Home Counties similar. Includes tutor travel time cost.
Annual household spend
~£2,200/year
Average annual spend per family using private tutoring. Equivalent to approximately one session per week throughout the school year.

How the other 71% are studying

The majority of secondary school pupils do not have a private tutor — but most are turning to digital tools in their place.

93%
of students without a tutor use online revision platforms such as BBC Bitesize, Seneca Learning, and MyGCSEScience
Sutton Trust 2026
56%
of students without a tutor use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Khan Academy AI for revision and homework support
Sutton Trust 2026

Revision platforms and AI tools are widely used — but neither can replicate the diagnostic, adaptive, and motivational impact of a qualified human tutor who knows your child's gaps and adjusts in real time.

The evidence on grade improvement

Research consistently shows that well-matched, regular tutoring produces measurable grade improvements for the majority of students.

90%+
of tutored students improve by at least one grade in their focus subject, per Tutorful platform data (2025)
+1.4
average grade improvement across all subjects, based on student data from The Profs tutoring agency (2025)
0.5 SD
typical effect size for quality one-to-one tutoring in peer-reviewed educational research — a consistently meaningful uplift

Sources & Methodology

  1. The Sutton Trust — Private Tutoring 2026 (2026)
  2. The Sutton Trust — Tutoring: The New Landscape (2023)
  3. TutorCruncher — Average Tutoring Rates UK 2026
  4. Tutorful — Does Tutoring Improve Grades? (2025)
  5. The Profs — A-Level and GCSE Student Grade Improvement Report (2025)
  6. Grand View Research / Technavio — UK Online Tutoring Services Market Analysis (2024–2026)

Statistics are updated annually. This page reflects data current as of June 2026. Figures represent national averages; individual outcomes vary. Some statistics sourced from provider self-reporting and industry analysis.

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