Issue 4 - March 2026
Welcome to your
partner newsletter
Vanessa Leach,
Managing Director, Tute
A message to you, from our MD
As the academic year gathers pace
We are now more than halfway through the academic year and this is often when the pace really accelerates. Exam preparation intensifies, options and transition conversations gather momentum, and attendance remains under close scrutiny. If there is anything our team can do to lighten the load, please do get in touch.
Against that backdrop, I am pleased to share that we are seeing encouraging progress across key outcomes at Tute. Attendance is improving, supported by targeted interventions from our teaching and learning team and close work with families and commissioners. Students are also reporting high levels of confidence and enjoyment in their learning, a strong indicator that engagement is strengthening alongside attendance. This is excellent news!
There is always more to do, but seeing both collective progress and individual breakthroughs across our provision is energising for the whole team. Seeing students re-engage, grow in confidence, and sustain attendance is exactly why we do this work, and we are grateful to be doing it alongside you.
With best wishes,
Vanessa
Protecting the pathway beyond year 11
Preventing the year 11 drift towards NEET
Things don’t suddenly fall apart for young people in year 11; indeed, partners are responding to challenges that have been building for months – absence, disrupted learning, unmet SEND needs, or students who no longer feel able to engage with mainstream education.
By the final term, the focus shifts from simply preparing for exams to making sure students still have a clear route into the next stage of their lives.
In this partner insight, Becky Clark, our assistant head leading the curriculum, explores what schools and LAs are seeing at this stage and the types of support that can help students leave year 11 with a recognised qualification and a clear next step
SEND Network podcast
Beyond the NEET statistics
Nearly one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training. We know that statistics do not explain how so many students reach that point.
In this SEND Network podcast conversation, Dr Sharon Smith, Tute’s assistant head leading on quality, explores the bigger picture behind the statistics, from unmet need and delayed support to a system that often only notices students once disengagement is already well underway.
It’s a thoughtful discussion about early intervention, relationships, and why recognising challenge sooner can change the direction of a young person’s story.
A proud moment
Recognised across the sector
We’re proud to share that Tute has been shortlisted for Supplier of the Year at the 2026 Education Resource Awards.
This follows our recent shortlisting for Company of the Year at the BETT Awards, marking a year of national recognition for the work happening across Tute and our partnerships.
We’re also delighted that Dr Sharon Smith has been shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year at the Education Resource Awards. Sharon was nominated for the impact she is having across Tute and the wider sector, particularly through her work around quality, evidence-informed practice, and her contribution to policy and research.
For us, these nominations belong to the whole Tute community: our team, our partners, and the students we’re here to support every day.
Key stage 2
Introducing the creative curriculum
When students enjoy learning, everything changes: confidence grows, participation improves, and they begin to reconnect with education.
This is exactly what we’ve seen since introducing the creative curriculum at key stage 1. Alongside core subjects, giving students space to explore reading, art, music and wider topics in a more creative way has helped many engage much more positively with learning. It’s been a delight to witness!
Because of this impact, we are very pleased to expand this curriculum and opportunity into key stage 2. In this short video, our primary team shares what it looks like in practice and why creativity plays such an important role for the students we support.
Student voice month at Tute
Listening to what matters most to our students
Throughout March, we are marking Student Voice Month across Tute: a focused opportunity for students to reflect on their learning experience and influence how our provision develops.
Student voice is not an add-on at Tute. It informs how we strengthen engagement, deepen belonging, and refine the quality of teaching and support.
Each week, lessons include a short structured focus exploring themes such as wellbeing, teacher relationships, learning experience and belonging. Students share feedback through discussions, chat responses and surveys, while teachers highlight previous feedback through simple “You said, we did, what next?” reflections.
Early insights from our student wellbeing survey suggest that students quickly build strong relationships and motivation when they join Tute, with confidence continuing to grow over time.
Schools white paper and SEND reform
What the proposed changes could mean for partners
The government has recently published the Every Child Achieving and Thriving schools’ white paper alongside a consultation on SEND reform. The proposals aim to create a clearer, more consistent system that provides earlier support, strengthens inclusion in mainstream education, and ensures children receive the right help without families having to fight for it.
At Tute, we welcome the direction of travel. The focus on earlier intervention, flexible pathways and stronger local systems reflects the challenges we see every day across the partners we work with. As the reforms develop, we are confident that our flexible online provision will continue to play an important role in helping you meet a wide range of needs.
We will be responding to the consultation through our parent company, Outcomes First Group, and will share further updates with partners as the proposals progress and the practical implications become clearer.
For your awareness
Update to outcome measure terminology
Following partner feedback, we have updated the terminology used in one of our core outcome measures. The assessment previously labelled communication is now labelled behaviour. This change better reflects what teachers are evaluating in lessons, in line with the expectations set out in our communication policy.
There is no change to how lessons are assessed. Teachers will continue to use the same 1–5 scale to record how a student’s conduct supports their own learning and the learning of others.
Your events calendar
Save the date for what’s next and watch the playback
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.
Tute Chat | Session 4
A practical session exploring how to move beyond short-term placements and design structured, qualification-led pathways that support reintegration, raise attainment and lead to positive post-16 destinations.
No registration required.
Safeguarding Network | Session 4
A collaborative session exploring isolation and loneliness as safeguarding concerns, and how professionals across settings can better identify and support students who may be struggling.
Email us to join and get meeting invites.
For your awareness
Key partner dates and updates
Easter GCSE revision – starting 30 March
A two-week revision programme helping year 11 students revisit GCSE topics and build confidence ahead of the summer exams.
Reviewing student timetables
A reminder to review current student timetables and ensure learners are accessing a broad and balanced curriculum.
Term dates
View upcoming half-term and holiday dates to help plan provision across the remainder of the academic year.
Thank you for reading
Thank you for being part of the #TeamTute community and for the work you do every day to support the students who need it most.
We’re proud to work alongside you and to continue learning from your experiences. If there’s anything you’d like us to explore or share in future updates, we’d love to hear from you.
Warm wishes,
Team Tute
