A PILOT network to help GCSE pupils has proven successful and will be rolled out on a wider basis.

Oxford-based Activate Learning partnered with peer tutoring company Yipiyap to provide online tutoring for GCSE students taking resits in November.

Approximately 600 students benefitted from the trial across Activate Learning’s seven colleges.

Pupils who attended sessions were found to be 23 per cent more successful at gaining a Grade 4 or above, compared to those who didn’t.

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Now, the programme is to be expanded to combine face to face and online support.

Anne Haig-Smith, director of the Applied Learning Foundation at Activate Learning, said: “It was exciting to partner with Yipiyap on this innovative new project.

“It provided essential additional support to our GCSE students as they sought to improve on their GCSE maths and English grades from the summer.

“The results speak for themselves, so we are delighted to be repeating the process and expect even better results with the tutors working face to face with the students, which was Yipiyap’s usual approach prior to Covid.

“We used our existing online platform for the tutors last year and will continue to use that, but aim to lead with face to face learning, in a new hybrid way of working.”

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Yipiyap provided 20 tutors from across the UK, each providing two days a week.

The tutors had recently completed their A-levels and deferred university to provide the support.

Anne Morris, founder of Yipiyap, said: “Peer teaching generates proven results as the tutors are so close in age and relatable – they can help bring a bit of fun to the process.”

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