FEATURE

EDUCATION

Charity that transforms lives through tutoring opens at Merrion Centre

A charity that tackles inequality in education has opened at the Merrion Centre, in the heart of Leeds’ Arena Quarter, to support its work with its Leeds-Bradford city region school partners. Tutor Trust’s mission is to transform lives through tutoring, by ensuring every child who needs additional academic support can access a great tutor. Tutor Trust operates across three city regions – Leeds-Bradford, Greater Manchester and Merseyside – partnering with schools so that they can support young people who come from disadvantaged communities, to achieve their potential. The charity’s new base on the upper balcony level inside the Merrion Centre opened on 25 May, enabling the growing Leeds-Bradford team to have a centrally-located home from which to meet the increasing demand for tuition from schools following the pandemic. Research has highlighted the detrimental impact of COVID-related disruption on education outcomes for disadvantaged students, and there are some signs that the ‘real’ disadvantage gaps in attainment may have increased materially. An eight-strong school and tutor support team, led by Sharon Sadler, the Leeds-Bradford Schools Partnership Manager, with support from Kerry McCormack, Schools Manager, and Lewis Howell, Risk Manager, will be based in the new offices. In order to deliver high quality tuition in schools, Tutor Trust recruits and trains motivated individuals as tutors to support young people, in Years 5 to 11, in the core subjects of Maths, English and Science. Those working as tutors with the Trust are predominantly students and graduates from local universities, but also include later-life professionals, Qualified Teachers and the newly retired who seek a flexible and rewarding role. Tutor Trust Co-Founders Nick Bent, Chief Executive, and Abigail Shapiro, Executive Director, commented: “Our Leeds-Bradford team has expanded in the last year to meet the growing demand for tuition from schools since the pandemic, which has meant we have outgrown our current space. We are delighted to make our new home in the Merrion Centre, as it is close to our university partners, where we recruit many of our tutors, and gives us a convenient base from which to make new connections with schools in the city region. “Being able to recruit more people to train as tutors with us means that we can, ultimately, work with more school partners in Leeds-Bradford and reach more young people to ensure they get the support of a great tutor.” Edward Ziff, Chairman and Chief Executive of Town Centre Securities PLC, owners of the Merrion Centre said: “We are delighted to welcome such an important charity which is helping to transform the achievements and life chances of British school children to the Merrion Centre. It will benefit hugely from being in a prime location with immediate access to the student population at leading Universities and Colleges within the city.”

EDUCATION

New business champions

The Yorkshire Champions Group is an initiative founded by Gill Arnold JP DL, Chair of the West Yorkshire Magistrates’ Bench, facilitated by the Education Partnerships Team. Supported by Bradford Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Bradford Breakthrough, the aim of the initiative is to bring together Yorkshire individuals and businesses to visit and work in partnership with schools, colleges and universities, in order to prepare a workforce of the future.

There are a growing number of Champions in the Yorkshire Champions Group:

• Business Champions • The Community Champions • The Sports Champions

The Business Champions will open a gateway for businesses/companies to offer a unique service to education providers. They can provide an insight both visually and hands on, into the world of work today. This will give our young people a realistic opportunity to understand and appreciate the world of business and its opportunities. It will enable them to understand how the businesses function on many levels. And now, with the new technology and ‘Artificial Intelligence’, many of the career paths, they may have taken, will cease to exist. The Business Champions, will help to focus their minds, expectations and ambitions. There will be visits to businesses, hands on experience, mentoring, business representatives visiting schools, colleges etc., which will open a whole new and exciting world for the students. Schools will play a full and active part in requesting what they need, as well as embracing offers proposed by businesses. They can base that need on curriculum, interests, age, and the individual strengths if students. And this service is ‘free’! Students will meet, and be able to have a rapport with real people in business, and form a safe and continuous relationship if needed, over the school years. Long term mentoring can take place, with a view to possible apprenticeships, work placements, and future employers. The businesses can offer sound guidance, experience and the opportunity, to see first-hand, what they produce, or what services they provide. Our aim is for this new, amazing and exciting initiative, to benefit both the young people in the region and the business world. In addition to that, the businesses will not only fulfil their ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ which is hugely important, especially in today’s current economic climate. They will be contributing to the successful future of our next generation.

If you are interested in becoming a Business Champion, please visit yorkshirechampionsgroup.co.uk or email Charlie.Jerram@bradford.gov.uk. If you would like to register your interest to become a Business Champion, please use our Business Interest Form online.