Quality checks
Quality and impact are at the heart of what we do. We are a quality-focused organisation striving for high professional standards in every aspect of our work. All tutors are an integral part of this which means every hour of tutoring you deliver has the maximum impact on pupils’ learning. Tutor Trust is the only tutoring organisation in the country with successful results from two randomised control trials (RCT) into the quality and impact of tutoring, led by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). We are extremely proud of that and know that is why you – and the schools/colleges we partner with – want to work with us.
Tutor Trust has a Quality Team made up of qualified teachers, including three former head teachers, who work with you to ensure that every single hour you spend with a young person is as positive and impactful as possible. The young people we work with deserve the very best tuition, and our partner schools and colleges need to know that our tuition is achieving its aims and giving value for money.
Quality checks are a supportive way of monitoring tuition and help us to measure the quality and impact of tuition. They take place in the form of Lesson Observations (in school/college or online), Lesson Plan Spot Checks (LPSCs) and Learning Walks. We aim to monitor all tutors who work with us and will monitor all new tutors in the academic year they first start tutoring.
Our Quality Team of qualified teachers routinely observe tutors delivering tuition throughout the year for the following reasons: to monitor the quality of tuition and to support you in improving the quality of your tuition. Additionally, we may conduct observations because of a concern from a school/college and you may request a Lesson Observation for your own professional development. We record outcomes so that we can monitor the quality of tuition and organise support where necessary.
After a Quality Check has taken place, we support you by giving feedback. It celebrates your strengths and what you do well at, plus we give you areas for development to further improve the quality of your tuition. For those who do not meet our expectations, we organise support to further develop tutors’ practice.
Tuition standards
At Tutor Trust, we have four levels of tuition standards:
Below Expected Standard
- 0 - Requires Improvement
- 1 - Working Towards Good
Expected Standard
- 2 - Good
- 3 - Outstanding
Lesson monitoring is a supportive process, a chance to celebrate what you do really well and, if needed, identify any areas where you could develop further. This will help you make an even bigger impact on your pupils.
Remember
Lesson Plan spot checks (LPSCs)
All our tutors are required to submit a lesson plan for a Lesson Plan Spot Check (LPSC) in week 3 of their assignment. This lesson plan should be on our official Lesson Plan Proforma.
Your lesson plan (and resources) will be assessed using our Lesson Plan Quality Matrix. You will receive feedback and a copy of the filled-out Quality Matrix via email. Your feedback will celebrate your strengths and share with you any areas for development to further improve the quality of your tuition. The grade of your planning will be clearly stated in the email and recorded on our system.
If the grade of your planning is below the expected standard, you will then be prioritised for a Lesson Observation.
Learning walks
Learning Walks are brief classroom monitoring visits conducted by a Quality Manager and, in some cases, alongside your Programme Coordinator. You will receive advance notification of any visit to conduct a Learning Walk via email, this will also be an opportunity for you to raise any questions that you may have about the visit.
While you may be asked to provide a lesson plan beforehand, this will not always be necessary, and the Quality Manager will inform you if required. Following the Learning Walk, you will typically receive verbal feedback.
Learning Walks are a developmental routine and are nothing to worry about. During the walk our focus will be to celebrate successes and identify any aspects of tuition that you may need support with.
Lesson observations
Face-to-face observations
If we plan to observe you in school or college, we will contact you to give you notice of when a member of the Quality Team will be visiting your school/college. You will be required to email your lesson plan and resources to the member of staff observing you ahead of the observation.
Your lesson will be assessed using our Lesson Observations Quality Matrix, and you will receive feedback and a copy of the filled-out Quality Matrix via email. The feedback will celebrate your strengths and provide some next steps to develop your practice.
If your tuition is graded Good or Outstanding overall, then your tuition meets our expected standard and you can be confident that you are delivering high-quality tuition that positively impact young people's lives.
If you are graded Requires improvement or 'Working towards good' overall, you will have access to our Tutor Support Pathway. This is a supportive process, using a coaching/mentoring style, which will allow you to take ownership of your own development. After you have had time to reflect upon and improve your tuition, we will arrange to re-observe you so that you can achieve a higher grade.
Online lesson observations
If you have an online observation, then the Quality Team will access your recorded lessons on Vedamo. Your lesson will be assessed using our Lesson Observations Quality Matrix, and you will receive feedback and a copy of the filled-out Quality Matrix via email. The feedback will celebrate your strengths and provide some next steps to develop your practice.
Just like with face-to-face lesson observations, if your tuition is graded Good or Outstanding overall, then your tuition meets our expected standard and you can be confident that you are delivering high-quality tuition that positively impact young people's lives.
If you are graded Requires improvement or Working towards good overall, you will have access to our Tutor Support Pathway. This is a supportive process, using a coaching/mentoring style, which will allow you to take ownership of your own development. After you have had time to reflect upon and improve your tuition, we will arrange to re-observe you so that you can achieve a higher grade.