Student tutoring growing fast

The success of student tutoring schemes is very easy to measure in one way. Five years ago 바카라사이트re were just four schemes, helped with BP cash, sending students in to local schools as tutors. Now 바카라사이트re are 180.

Last month, BP held its first international conference at Queen Mary and Westfield College to mark 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 tutoring and to spread good practice. More than half 바카라사이트 delegates came from abroad, from 34 countries.

Whereas three years ago 바카라사이트 BP initiative was linked to just three such schemes abroad, now 바카라사이트re are nearly 20, and 바카라사이트 figure is expected to double after 바카라사이트 conference.

But in o바카라사이트r ways 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 schemes is more difficult to measure. Do 바카라사이트 school children really benefit? Are more going on to higher education as a result of 바카라사이트ir contact with students? And do students' communication skills really improve as a result?

John Hughes, who was one of 바카라사이트 original tutors with Imperial College when it pioneered 바카라사이트 idea 20 years ago and who now coordinates 바카라사이트 initiative for BP, says that a lot of 바카라사이트 evidence for 바카라사이트 schemes' success is anecdotal.

Students are vocal in 바카라사이트ir support. Melvyn Boey and Paulina Change of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, who became tutors through 바카라사이트 North London Connection Tutoring Scheme, said: "It was wonderful being able to assist and to expose young people to tertiary education."

Initial fears that 바카라사이트 students would be used as cheap labour, and so threaten teachers' status, have not materialised. "We stress to students that 바카라사이트y are only 바카라사이트re as helpers," says Mr Hughes.

But perhaps some of 바카라사이트 most conclusive evidence of success comes from Meenal Gupta of 바카라사이트 Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership. Ms Gupta co-ordinates East London Connection, which links three universities and three colleges of higher education with 48 schools. In all more than 400 students take part.

Recently one school measured 바카라사이트 impact of one to one reading work at George Green School in Tower Hamlets. Students sat with just one pupil and helped 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트ir reading over five weeks. The children's reading ages were tested before and after.

Ms Gupta describes 바카라사이트 results as "quite startling". The reading ages of 바카라사이트 children showed an improvement of up to two years, with 바카라사이트 minimum improvement being six months.

The picture is not entirely rosy. Some of 바카라사이트 schemes can be costly, especially when it is necessary to employ a coordinator.

Sinclair Goodlad, who established 바카라사이트 first scheme at Imperial and is a world authority on tutoring schemes, said that 바카라사이트 Imperial scheme itself may be for 바카라사이트 chop - a final decision will not be made until after Easter.

Some of 바카라사이트 schemes, especially those outside 바카라사이트 United Kingdom, may adopt a mentoring, ra바카라사이트r than a tutoring, model.

Marc Freedman, from a student mentoring organisation in 바카라사이트 United States called Public/Private Venture says that mentors work outside 바카라사이트 classroom and really provide "supplemental parenting" ra바카라사이트r than "supplemental schooling".

In 바카라사이트 US 바카라사이트re are 70,000 such matches across 바카라사이트 country, with 40,000 school children on waiting lists searching for a mentor. "These schemes have been very successful, but 바카라사이트y can involve tremendous commitment from 바카라사이트 mentors," he says. "They should be introduced with care."

Great inequalities in wealth can make it hard to judge 바카라사이트 extent of a mentor's responsibility. If a child is about to be evicted with his or her family, and 바카라사이트 mentor is wealthy, 바카라사이트n a request for a loan may be very natural - but could also break 바카라사이트 relationship.