Delivering tutoring in different school settings
The sections below outline delivery approaches for tutoring in different school settings.
Tutoring in primary school settings
Evidence from systematic reviews of research indicates that the impact of small group tutoring in primary-school aged students can be up to an additional 4 months of learning (Small group tuition – ). Research also indicates that primary school students may benefit from more frequent but shorter sessions (Grattan, 2023).
Primary schools are recommended to:
- work towards a higher frequency of shorter sessions, for example, 3 × 45 minutes per week. In 2024, the majority (70%) of tutoring sessions in Victorian government primary schools ran for 2 to 3 times per week, for 20 to 45 minutes
- wherever possible, timetable tutoring sessions to optimise the most effective learning times for younger students.
If schools elect to deliver tutoring through the tutor attending the regular classroom, the tutor should provide the small group of identified students with direct, intensive support to address key learning gaps.
Within schools’ literacy tutoring programs, it is recommended that tutors focus first on reading. Further information can be found at Victoria’s approach to teaching reading F–2 .
Example primary school
Everglades Primary School is in the outer suburbs of Melbourne with 313 students, 33 of whom are participating in TLI tutoring across the school year.
The school has used their $42,500 in TLI funding to appoint a part-time tutor who leads the design and delivery of the school’s literacy and numeracy tutoring programs across Foundation to Year 6.
For students in Years 4 to 6, the tutor reviews the students flagged for tutoring support in CASES21. These students commence their first tutoring sessions in Term 1, being withdrawn from class in small groups of up to 5 students to a dedicated tutoring space. Students are provided with at least 3 tutoring sessions per week in literacy and/or numeracy, depending on need.
Foundation to Year 3 classroom teachers, with the support of the tutor, identify students who are performing significantly below their age-expected standard in literacy and/or numeracy and require additional learning support. The school then flags these students for tutoring in CASES21, and the students commence tutoring in Term 3.
The classroom teacher and tutor collaborate to review assessment data and identify student learning goals for the tutoring sessions. The tutor documents a sequence of sessions to work on key learning gaps. The school ensures that students with an Individual Education Plan have the tutoring reflected in these plans.
Within the literacy tutoring program, the tutor’s first priority is addressing reading gaps, and they use the school’s existing phonics-based approach to support learning. The tutor uses explicit teaching practices such as activating prior knowledge, and explicit explanation and modelling to deliver instruction on the targeted phonics knowledge. The tutor supports students to build their learning confidence by integrating engaging activities at an appropriate level of challenge. The tutor regularly checks for understanding and uses formative assessment to monitor student learning progress, adapting their tutoring pace as necessary. The tutor regularly engages with classroom teachers and learning area leaders to share progress and inform practice.
The school accesses the statewide PAT licence to administer the PAT-R and PAT-M to participating students at the start and end of the school year for students participating in the program.
Tutoring in secondary school settings
Research shows that the impact of tutoring in secondary-school aged students can be up to an additional 2 months of learning (Small group tuition – ).
Where possible, secondary schools are recommended to work towards students participating in 2 timetabled sessions of tutoring per week.
Tutoring programs in secondary schools are likely to differ between the lower and upper secondary years, reflecting students’ pathways and timetabling considerations. For example, schools will consider pathways options in the design of their programs for the senior secondary years, such as the VCE Vocational Major and Units.
If schools elect to deliver tutoring through the tutor attending a regular English or mathematics class, the tutor should provide the small group of identified students with direct, intensive support to address key learning gaps.
Secondary schools should ensure that learning resources are age-appropriate for teenage learners, such as using decodable readers that have more mature themes and older characters.
Example secondary school
Featherstone Secondary College is located in a Victorian regional centre, with 703 students, 84 of whom are participating in TLI tutoring across the school year.
The school has used their $120,000 in TLI funding to appoint 2 teachers as part-time tutors, one specialising in English and the other in mathematics.
The school timetables small group sessions for students in Years 7 to 9, with students participating in two tutoring sessions per week in addition to their regular English/mathematics classes. To avoid students missing the same subject consistently, the tutoring schedule rotates so that tutoring sessions align with different elective subjects.
In Years 10 to 12, the approach to providing tutoring varies between students, and is informed by the student’s preferred secondary pathway.
The classroom teacher and tutor collaborate to review assessment data and identify student learning goals for the tutoring sessions. The tutor documents a sequence of sessions to work on key learning gaps. The school ensures that students with an Individual Education Plan have the tutoring reflected in these plans.
The tutor supports students to build their learning confidence by integrating engaging activities at an appropriate level of challenge. The tutor regularly checks for understanding and uses formative assessment to monitor student learning progress, adapting their tutoring pace as necessary. The tutor regularly engages with classroom teachers and learning area leaders to share progress and inform practice.
The school accesses the statewide PAT licence to administer the PAT-R and PAT-M to participating students at the start and end of the school year for students participating in the program.
Tutoring in specialist school settings
There are a range of government specialist schools and education settings available for students with specific disability and high needs. These settings include specialist schools, specialist campuses and supported inclusion schools. Approaches to tutoring will vary depending on the needs of students within each setting.
In 2024, specialist schools reported that 62% of tutoring was provided within an existing classroom setting, and 38% of tutoring occurred outside of an existing class or using a combination of approaches. The majority (89%) of specialist schools used tutoring sessions of 20 to 45 minutes.
The Abilities Based Learning and Education Support website provides information that supports teachers to identify and monitor the learning readiness and progress of students with disability and diverse learners.
Reviewed 10 February 2025