Herald Award for Tutoring Project which Helped Pupils Catch Up with Learning Lost during the Pandemic
In 2024, the Herald Higher Education Awards recognised the excellent work that was carried out by QMU in helping support senior school pupils who had fallen behind with learning during the pandemic.
The University’s Enhanced Learning Tutoring Initiative (ELTI) won in the ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community’ category of this awards’ scheme.
This pioneering tutoring project was established in 2020 by QMU, with support from the STV Children’s Appeal, and other donors, as a response to the impact that Covid-19 school closures were having upon disadvantaged young people living in local communities.
By 2024, the ELTI had become Scotland’s largest tutoring project, supporting 300 pupils per week, and offering 1-2-1 and small group tutoring sessions in East Lothian and Midlothian secondary schools. Having also provided tutoring to community organisations working with disengaged young people, the project supported over 1000 young people in total over four years.
The project not only helped students who had initially disconnected or needed more support with learning during the challenges of the pandemic, but it also provided tutoring jobs for young graduates who had recently qualified from QMU and from other universities across the UK. This allowed graduates to build their teaching skills and experience, which in turn, helped equip some of them to progress careers in educational teaching roles.
The project also demonstrated the power of collaboration with QMU working in partnership with East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council and the STV Children’s Appeal in a shared vision to help improve education outcomes for young people disadvantaged by the impact of the pandemic.
