Whether your heart is set on a teaching career or you’re exploring if it’s right for you, volunteering as a tutor is one of the best ways to gain valuable experience and to start making a difference to the lives of young people.
National education charities Ambition Institute and Action Tutoring have teamed up to help future teachers like you get started. Here are three ways tutoring can support your transition into teaching.
1.Start making a difference straight away
Many people choose teaching because they want to help shape the future for children and young people. If this mission motivates you, tutoring allows you to start making an impact right now. As a volunteer tutor, you’ll work directly with pupils who need extra support in English or maths. You’ll see their progress week by week – not just in their academic results, but in their confidence and motivation.
Both Ambition and Action Tutoring focus on helping pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds so you can be sure your time is making a difference where it matters most. You’ll help pupils build skills, boost their grades, and believe in themselves. The support you offer can be life-changing, and you’ll experience first-hand how rewarding it feels to help a young person succeed.
If you’ve already secured a place on Ambition’s Teacher Training programme, tutoring is a way to start making a difference before your training begins. If you’re still deciding, it’s a chance to see the rewards of working with young people and to confirm whether teaching is the right path for you.
2.Try out your teaching skills in a supported way
Tutoring gives you a taste of what it’s like to help young people learn, but in a small, supported way. There’s a big difference between leading a class every day and delivering small group tuition or working with just two or three pupils for an hour each week. Tutoring is a valuable stepping stone, helping you build the core skills you’ll need as a teacher.
You’ll practise explaining a subject you’re passionate about clearly, checking understanding, and guiding pupils through tasks. You’ll learn how to build rapport, adapt your approach, and respond to different learning styles. You’ll gain practical insights into how pupils learn, how the curriculum works, and how to celebrate progress. These are the foundations of great teaching, and tutoring gives you the space to develop them.
You don’t need previous experience – just commitment and enthusiasm. Action Tutoring provides induction, resources, and ongoing support, ahead of the strong support you’ll get on Ambition’s Teacher Training programme to increase your confidence and expertise.
If you’re already preparing for teacher training, tutoring keeps your skills fresh. If you’re still weighing up your options, it’s a way to experience teaching on a small scale and see if the role is right for you.
3.Gain valuable experience for your future career
Schools and teacher training providers look for candidates who understand the realities of working with young people. Tutoring gives you practical experience that sets you apart at a teacher training interview and helps you demonstrate your commitment to education.
Tutoring opens the door to the education sector in a manageable way. You’ll spend time tutoring in a school or online, immersing yourself in the environment and seeing what works for you. This will give you real examples to discuss at interview, showing your initiative and your ability to support pupils’ learning.
You’ll gain reassurance that teaching is right for you, or clarity if you decide to take a different path.
Ambition Institute and Action Tutoring: working together for young people
Ambition Institute and Action Tutoring share a mission: to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their potential.
If you’re thinking about teacher training, or you’ve already applied, volunteering as a tutor is a practical, rewarding way to get started. You’ll gain experience, develop your skills, and see for yourself how education can change lives and help pupils thrive. Designed for aspiring teachers from all backgrounds, Ambition’s in-school Teacher Training programme offers practical classroom experience, expert training and personalised support. You’ll develop the skills and confidence you need to thrive as a teacher, while making a real difference to pupils’ lives from day one.
Take the next step
Sign up to volunteer with Action Tutoring.
Find out more about Ambition Institute’s Teacher Training programme.