Small Group Tuition 2024
Small group tuition is set to become an ongoing feature in NSW public schools from next year, providing support to all students who need extra help with literacy and numeracy.
Small Group Tuition (SGT) is now a permanent literacy and numeracy program that builds on three years of COVID ILSP learnings, research, evaluations, and stakeholder feedback.
SGT provides short-term support for students Needing Additional Support (NAS) as identified by the new NAPLAN standards or department, and school-based assessments. Small Group Tuition will now be available in every NSW public school
The COVID Intensive Learning Support Program (COVID ILSP) was the foundation of the Small Group Tuition (SGT) program and has proven beneficial to students taking part with schools reporting learning gains for participating students in both literacy and numeracy. Evidence and early evaluation findings indicate that the small group tuition implemented by schools as part of the COVID ILSP has improved student confidence and engagement in learning.
Small Group Tuition has now been confirmed as business as usual and funded for the next four years through an Education Future Fund. This ensures the continuation of small group tuition with a focus on literacy and numeracy in classrooms.
Intensive learning support program
The COVID Intensive Learning Support Program (COVID ILSP) was the foundation of the Small Group Tuition program and has proven beneficial to students taking part with schools reporting learning gains for participating students in both literacy and numeracy. Evidence and early evaluation findings indicate that the small group tuition implemented by schools as part of the COVID ILSP has improved student confidence and engagement in learning.
Small Group Tuition has now been confirmed as business as usual and funded for the next four years through an Education Future Fund. This ensures the continuation of small group tuition with a focus on literacy and numeracy in classrooms.
Embedding small group tuition in NSW schools has proven beneficial as reported by the Grattan Institute. Read the research here
If you are interested in being included in the recruitment pool for the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program (COVID ILSP), your first steps are to register with ClassCover and create a profile.
There are two types of candidates in the pool:
- Educator (teacher) – qualified teachers with approval to teach with the NSW Department of Educations and NESA accreditation and
- Educators (non-teachers) – including retired teachers without NESA accreditation, students enrolled in a Bachelor of Education or Master of Teaching without conditional teaching accreditation from NESA, classroom support personnel (such as school learning support officers) and university academics.
Once you have registered and completed your ClassCover profile and your details have been confirmed you will be notified by email. You will then be able to search for jobs and let schools know you are available to support the COVID ILSP as a teacher or educator.
If you already have a profile in ClassCover please review your profile to ensure schools know you are interested in and available to deliver the COVID ILSP.
For enquiries in relation to the COVID intensive learning support program, please contact COVID ILSP team on 1300 338 679.
If you are studying for a BA or MA in Education and would like to become part of the COVID ILSP we would like to hear from you.
If you are a pre service teacher at one of the NSW institutions offering approved teacher education courses we want to hear from you.
Educators (non-teachers) which includes students enrolled in a Bachelor of Education or Master of Teaching without conditional teaching accreditation from NESA should fill out their ClassCover registration.
Once you have registered and completed your ClassCover profile and your details have been confirmed you will be notified by email. You will then be able to search for jobs and let schools know you are available to support the COVID ILSP as a teacher or educator.
If you already have a profile in ClassCover please review your profile to ensure schools know you are interested in and available to deliver the COVID ILSP.
Further information about educator roles for BA or MA students can be found on the Teach NSW webpage.
For enquiries in relation to the COVID intensive learning support program, please contact COVID ILSP team on 1300 338 679
Find out how one pre-service teacher became part of the COVID ILSP team
Read about Mackenzie Allen, a third year student Bachelor Primary Education University of Wollongong Pre-service teacher (PST) and her experiences in COVID ILSP small group tuition at Oak Flats Public School.
See how Vincentia High School integrated pre service teachers into its COVID ILSP team
Read all about Vincentia High School's approach to the COVID ILSP and how it created an integrated team of small group tuition tutors.
This audit examined a state-wide program to provide small-group tuition to students disadvantaged by the move to learning from home during 2020.
The audit assessed the design and implementation of the program.
Read the full COVID intensive learning support program report.
COVID Intensive Learning Support Program evaluation
Phase 1 evaluation
Phase 1 evaluation report was completed in November 2021.
This Phase 1 evaluation report has provided the ILSP team with valuable formative information about the reach of the program, how the program has been implemented in schools, and how schools have utilised the program for their unique contexts.
The COVID ILSP team has incorporated and responded to the evaluation data as part of an iterative cycle of program developments and improvements.
In this way, the Phase 1 report presents the preliminary findings of the process evaluation, focusing on the implementation of the program.
The full report for Phase 1 evaluation report can be accessed here.
Phase 2 evaluation
A Phase 2 evaluation report prepared by the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) was completed in June 2022. It provides insights into the implementation and challenges faced by the program in 2021.
A summary of the Phase 2 COVID ILSP evaluation key findings and the full report can be found on the CESE webpages.
Phase 3 evaluation
A Phase 3 evaluation report will be completed in 2023.