Kingsbridge Community College celebrates partnership with Action Tutoring to tackle rural inequality 

Kingsbridge students benefit from high quality volunteer tutors.

Kingsbridge Community College, (KCC) part of Education South West, has been working with Action Tutoring since April 2024 and is one of five colleges they now work with in Devon.
 
Action Tutoring is a charity that supports disadvantaged young people to achieve academically, with a view to enabling them to progress in education, employment or training. They do this by partnering high-quality volunteer tutors with pupils to increase their subject knowledge, confidence and study skills.  
 
The partnership is not just boosting academic performance but also helping to build confidence and engagement among students facing unique challenges. Kingsbridge Community College has high aspirations for every student and strives to ensure that they are able to achieve their full potential through a clear focus on learning and achievement in a supportive environment. 
 
Currently there are large gaps in educational attainment in Devon. People living in more deprived communities, boys, and students with English as a second language all experience poorer attainment.
 
As Action Tutoring expands its partnerships in Devon and other rural areas, they hope to make a significant impact on closing the attainment gap in often-underserved communities. They recognise that equity in education isn’t just about targeting obvious areas of deprivation, it is also about reaching into communities where challenges may be less visible but equally impactful.  

They are hopeful that this initiative could serve as a model for addressing rural educational inequity on a broader scale.
 
Tina Graham, Principal at Kingsbridge Community College said: “Because we are located in a rural, coastal town, the disadvantage some students face is not always immediately obvious. However, we know many local families rely on seasonal employment but are often not eligible for state support, so they spend many months of the year in financial hardship. 
 
“We are continually looking for ways to support the students from such families and I am glad that our students have responded really well to the tutoring. The tutoring has built their confidence up and I also felt that the tutoring gave the Year 10 pupils much more confidence when they came to sit their end of year exams.”
 
Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said: “I am so pleased that Kingsbridge Community College’s partnership with Action Tutoring is proving so successful. It’s great to see the school is going above and beyond when it comes to securing extra support for disadvantaged students.

"Every child deserves the opportunity to achieve to the very best of their ability no matter their background.”