Mentoring scheme found to improve school behaviour

A report into the second year of City Year, which manages 81 full-time volunteers known as corps members, found that the mentors make a significant difference to pupils with behavioural problems.

In total, corps members committed more than 3,000 hours of one-to-one and small group support in inner London schools during Autumn term 2011.

The evaluation report found that schools believed the out-of-school activities managed by the project, such as maths and breakfast clubs, help promote punctuality and attendance among pupils.

It also found evidence that pupils receiving more support from corps members have higher levels of progress.

Joanna Stuart, head of research at the Institute for Volunteering Research, which conducted the evaluation, said: “Pupils who spent more than five hours with corps members one-to-one or in small groups during Autumn 2011 are showing more than twice the progress in reading and writing compared to the previous term.

“The evidence also suggests that those receiving more one-to-one or small group support from corps members have higher levels of progress than those who spend less time with corps members."

Sophie Livingstone, chief executive of City Year, described the findings as “very encouraging”.  

“Headteachers are consistently feeding back that City Year is having a tremendous impact on their school but it’s important we keep seeking independent assessments so that we can sharpen our impact,” she said.

“I am delighted that we are making a difference to the education of some of the most disadvantaged children in London. 

“I am also over the moon that an overwhelming majority of corps members were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their City Year experience so far.  

“Young people that sign up to be corps members are gaining huge amounts of personal satisfaction from making a difference to the lives of children, plus they are growing in confidence and shaping their career choices through our leadership development programme.”

Under the City Year project, corps members provide a range of activities to support the academic achievement of pupils.  

This includes one-to-one reading, writing and maths support, literacy intervention and before-and after-school clubs including maths and homework clubs. 

Corps members work in classrooms with a large number of pupils and more intensively with small groups of children.