Issue 2 - December 2025
Welcome to your
partner newsletter
Vanessa Leach,
Managing Director, Tute
A message from our MD
Reflecting on a purposeful and productive term
As we reach the end of the first term, I want to thank you for the partnership and support you’ve shown throughout these early months. It’s been a busy and productive start to the year, with many of the developments we introduced in response to your feedback now taking shape in practice. It’s been encouraging to see how these changes are already helping to strengthen provision and improve the experience for students.
This newsletter brings together some of the standout moments from the term, including updates to our GCSE pathways, a spotlight on student support, and recognition of our work on the national stage. Each piece reflects our shared commitment to giving every young person the opportunity to learn, progress and feel supported.
Thank you for choosing to work with Tute. I hope the Christmas break gives you the pause you deserve! This is demanding work and the difference you make to young people is evident across our partnership.
Warm regards,
Vanessa
Curriculum spotlight
Guidance for choosing the right GCSE route this January
For many students who have experienced anxiety, EBSNA, illness or safeguarding-related absence, GCSEs can start to feel out of reach – and as the new year approaches, that distance can feel even greater.
When GCSEs feel unreachable, what students often need is a pathway that meets them where they are, not where the curriculum expects them to be.
This term, Becky Clark, Assistant Head of T&L – Curriculum, shares a clear, practical look at the GCSE routes designed for students joining mid-year or needing a fresh start, and how partners can identify the pathway that best supports each student.
A proud moment
Shortlisted for Bett’s Company of the Year
We’re proud to share that Tute has been shortlisted for Company of the Year at the 2026 BETT Awards. It’s a moment that speaks directly to our mission: ensuring every student has access to an engaging, rich and inclusive curriculum, wherever they learn from.
This recognition reflects what happens every day across our partnership: calm, consistent teaching; flexible pathways that meet students where they are; and a shared belief that every young person deserves a safe, genuine alternative that helps them move forward.
It also shines a light on the students themselves, whose determination to re-engage sits at the heart of everything we do.
Insight from the national stage
Navigating a changing landscape in SEND and alternative provision
This term, Dr Sharon Smith, Assistant Head of T&L – Quality, has been contributing to national discussions on alternative education through BERA, NASEN and regional SEND events. Across every conversation, the same themes continue to surface: rising EBSA, increasing complexity and the need for flexible, relationship-centred approaches that help students feel safe enough to learn again.
Every Chance Counts
Real insight from a partner at the heart of AP
During Every Chance Counts, we were joined by Anita Springthorpe, Inclusion Advisor at West Sussex Alternative Provision College, who spoke openly about students arriving in year 11 overwhelmed, anxious and unsure where they fit.
Her message was clear: when mainstream isn’t possible, rapid access, predictable routines and a safe online space can be the turning point that helps a student try again. Anita shared real examples from this year’s cohort, including how Tute’s GCSE courses are helping students re-engage, rebuild confidence and move forward at a pace that feels manageable.
If you’d like to hear her reflections first-hand, along with wider insight from our panel, you can watch the full session on demand.
Student support spotlight
Building community and belonging
A strong sense of community sits at the centre of how we support students at Tute. It’s what helps them feel safe enough to attend, confident enough to contribute and secure enough to make progress in a way that feels right for them.
In this short update, Hollie, Assistant Head of T&L – Inclusion and SEND, and Megan, our Student Support Associate, share how we build that sense of belonging online – through the relationships we form, the routines we create and the spaces where students feel they matter. It’s a glimpse into the culture behind the lessons your students experience every day.
Student academic reports
Keeping you up to date with a small change
As we head towards the new calendar year we are making a minor change to our reporting dates for student academic reports throughout the rest of the school year. We will move all reporting dates and publication to you back by three working days in each reporting cycle. This will allow our teaching staff more time after holiday periods to produce high quality reports to support your review of individual student progress. If you have any concern at all about this, please reach out to your Account Manager and we will be pleased to discuss further with you.
Catch up on recent sessions or save the date for what’s next
Your events calendar
Our calendar is already full of thoughtful, practical conversations this term, and you can revisit recent sessions here. Each event offers partners a chance to connect with the Tute team, hear up-to-date insight and explore approaches that support your students day to day. Save the date for what’s coming next.
Remote Invigilation webinar
A clear walkthrough of the remote exam process to help students, parents and partners understand what to expect and feel prepared.
No registration required, just save for later.
Tute Chat | Session 3
An informal session exploring how Tute’s wider curriculum supports engagement, motivation and progress for students who need more than core subjects.
No registration required, just save for later.
Safeguarding Network | Session 3
A supportive space for safeguarding leads to share insight, strengthen practice and stay informed on current trends in suicide prevention.
Email us to join and get meeting invites.
For your ease
Your Hub quick links
Term dates
Revisit our term dates ahead of 2026
Student Hub
Information and resources for students
Parent Hub
Support for parents and carers
