Supporting students with EBSA
Kineton High School
The challenge
Kineton High School, a secondary school in South Warwickshire, faced challenges supporting students with diverse and complex needs. Among these challenges were:
- Students with emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) struggling to attend school.
- Students requiring additional support in core subjects to keep up with the curriculum.
The school needed an alternative provision that was simple to implement, adaptable to their students’ needs, and flexible enough to fit around their existing curriculum and timetable.
The solution
Kineton partnered with Tute Education’s Virtual School in May 2023 to provide an innovative solution.
To support their students, they commissioned Tute’s Virtual School, a short- to medium-term alternative provision offering live, online lessons delivered by qualified teachers.
Mapped to the National Curriculum, the fixed-timetable programme is split into two-day blocks (Programmes A and B), which can be combined for up to four days of core subjects and expanded to five days with the addition of enrichment subjects. This flexibility allows Kineton to blend online lessons with in-school or social-emotional support, meeting both academic and pastoral needs.
With a 48-hour enrolment turnaround, Tute’s Virtual School ensures students receive consistent, high-quality education during transitions, exclusions, or other temporary circumstances.
The impact
Supporting vulnerable learners
“For students struggling to get into school, having something they can start at home in the comfort of their home environment and then come and do with one-to-one support in school has helped bring that transition through.“ – Henry, Deputy Headteacher
With 66.7% of students identified as having special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and 16.7% holding Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), Kineton High School demonstrates a strong commitment to providing a genuine alternative for its most vulnerable learners.
Tute’s alternative provision ensures these students can access high-quality education, no matter their barriers to mainstream learning.
Improved attendance
“The biggest difference it’s made for us is we’ve got students who are attending school who otherwise wouldn’t be attending school with that provision.”
Kineton has seen significant improvements in attendance, particularly for students with EBSA, who have used Tute’s provision to begin their educational journey at home before transitioning back to in-person learning.
Enhanced academic support
“We’ve had students who struggled with the mainstream curriculum but have benefited greatly from Tute’s provision.”
Students struggling in core subjects like English and maths have benefited from Tute’s structured, reliable Virtual School programmes. These two-day blocks, designed to supplement the mainstream curriculum, have provided Kineton students with the additional support they need to improve their academic outcomes. By integrating Tute’s flexible timetabled lessons, Kineton has been able to offer students access to learning opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have had.
Ease of implementation
“There is a real ease of setting it up and flexibility around changing things, which is really, really beneficial.”
The Virtual School’s straightforward model has enabled Kineton to implement Tute’s services with minimal disruption. The option to switch between programmes and adjust provision quickly has proven invaluable.
Dedicated support
“Julie has been amazing… I can ping her an email, and it will be sorted almost instantaneously.”
The dedicated account manager has been instrumental in ensuring smooth communication and prompt solutions, even within tight timeframes. This personalised support has helped Kineton respond rapidly to student needs.
Positive outcomes
“We’ve had some students who’ve done mainly Tute and come out with some really good outcomes.”
Kineton’s partnership with Tute has resulted in better grades, improved confidence, and greater engagement among their students.
Why Tute?
“Tute is straightforward, simple, and a model that works.”
Deputy Headteacher Henry highlights several reasons why Kineton High School chose Tute as their trusted partner:
- Quality first: Tute’s live online lessons are delivered by qualified teachers, ensuring high standards of teaching and learning.
- Flexibility: The two-day programme structure offers adaptable solutions, allowing schools to blend online and in-school provision, tailored to student needs.
- Ease of use: Tute’s straightforward systems make it easy to set up and adapt provision, ensuring quick responses to changing requirements.
- Dedicated support: With an account manager described as “amazing,” schools benefit from a responsive service, often addressing needs within 48 hours.
- Consistency and reliability: Tute provides a dependable model, whether for short-term or long-term support, delivering a consistent experience for students and schools alike.
- Impact on attendance and engagement: Tute’s provision helps students with EBSA engage in education and transition back to in-person learning, improving attendance and outcomes.
Henry values Tute’s focus on quality, simplicity, and adaptability, which ensures the school can meet the diverse needs of their students effectively and efficiently.
Looking ahead
Kineton High School is excited to continue its partnership with Tute Education, focusing on further enhancing student attendance and academic outcomes. Together, we’re making a real difference for students who need it most.
