LJMU partners with Tutor Trust to support young people in Knowsley
A new project between the university and the Tutor Trust will see LJMU students trained as tutors to support 180 young people across primary schools in Knowsley with their Maths and English attainment.
The partnership places trained student tutors into primary schools across the borough to deliver small-group tuition to Year 6 pupils. The programme reflects LJMU's long-standing commitment to widening participation and community engagement in Merseyside, and builds on Tutor Trust's growing presence across the region since it first launched in Liverpool in 2017.
Supporting young people in Knowsley
Knowsley faces some of the most acute educational challenges in the country. The borough is ranked among the three most deprived local authority areas in England on the Index of Multiple Deprivation, and analysis by the Education Policy Institute has identified Knowsley as one of a small number of areas where the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers remains wider than average at both the end of primary school and the end of secondary school. Evidence consistently shows that early, targeted academic support can make a meaningful difference in narrowing these gaps before they widen further as pupils move through school. This partnership is designed to reach primary-aged pupils in Knowsley at a formative stage, helping to build the foundations in English and Maths that will support them as they prepare for the transition to secondary school.
“As a university, we’re committed to making a positive difference to young people in our local community and we’re proud to be working with Tutor Trust on this new partnership.
Chris Finn, LJMU Director of Student Futures
Opportunity for LJMU students
Tutors recruited onto the programme will be trained and supported by Tutor Trust before delivering sessions in small groups, helping pupils build both their academic confidence and their readiness for the transition to secondary school.
For LJMU students, the opportunity extends well beyond the classroom. Tutor Trust's tutoring model gives undergraduates paid, purposeful work experience alongside their studies, helping them develop the communication, adaptability and leadership skills that are valued across careers. Tutors often report feeling more connected to the communities where they study, and some go on to consider teaching as a career having spent time working directly with pupils in local schools. In this sense, the partnership connects LJMU's civic commitment to the region with a targeted response to one of Merseyside's most persistent educational challenges, offering a shared benefit to students and pupils alike.
Isabella Simpson is completing her undergraduate degree in Forensic Anthropology at LJMU this year and has been tutoring with Tutor Trust alongside her studies. For Isabella, the flexibility of the role has been central to making it work as a student.
“I can choose my work hours to fit around my studies and social life, whilst earning a wage higher than average for my age group. This means I can dedicate more time to my studies and other activities.”
Beyond the practical benefits, Isabella speaks to the way the role connects you to the place you have come to study, and to the young people who live there.
“Tutoring has given me the opportunity to get involved with my new community after moving away from home for university. I’ve built friendships with other tutors and connections throughout Merseyside through my role as a tutor, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being an active role model and mentor to young people.”
Civic purpose in practice
Ed Marsh, Chief Executive Officer of Tutor Trust, explains: "Partnerships of this kind offer universities a practical way to deliver on ambitions for meaningful student work experience while helping to close regional attainment gaps; they are evidence of civic purpose in practice. Knowsley is a natural next step for our partnership with LJMU. It builds on everything we've achieved together across Merseyside and gives us a chance to deepen our impact, both for the students who tutor and the young people they support."
Chris Finn, LJMU Director of Student Futures said:
“As a university, we’re committed to making a positive difference to young people in our local community and we’re proud to be working with Tutor Trust on this new partnership. Not only will this provide support to primary school pupils across Knowsley, it will also create meaningful opportunities for LJMU students to develop key employability skills, experience and confidence to support their future careers.”
Tutor Trust and LJMU will work closely with schools across Knowsley to identify need and build a strong pipeline of support, with the ambition of growing the partnership in future years to reach more young people across Merseyside. The programme forms part of Tutor Trust's wider strategy to broaden its reach and deepen its university partnerships, currently spanning 14 universities across the North of England, as a route to tackling educational inequality and supporting regional growth.
How to get involved
If you are a school in Knowsley interested in finding out more about the programme, or an LJMU student interested in becoming a tutor, please get in touch with the Tutor Trust team.
