Over half of parents want to boost their children’s learning as education has taken a back seat due to rising costs

SIX in 10 parents would like to find ways to boost their child’s learning – but rising costs have seen education take a back seat.

A study, of 1,000 parents of children aged eight to 18, revealed 50% would have loved to have bought more revision materials or additional tutoring, but household budgets are too tight.

Six in 10 parents believe their children education has taken a back seat due to rising costsCredit: Getty

However, 31% have made savings elsewhere to pay for tutoring, but 44%think that’s also financially out of the question, with 53% worried their child’s potential may be lost.

While 38% try their best to boost engagement with DIY extracurricular learning at home.

Sean Hirons, co-founder of online tutoring brand MyEdSpace, which commissioned the research ahead of its Easter revision bootcamps, said: “It can be tricky to find an affordable way to engage your child in extra learning.

“And when it comes to the school break, it can provide a fantastic time for kids to recharge.

“However, it’s also an opportunity to take the time to assist with revision and strike a balance – but finding an engaging way to do so is key so it doesn’t feel like a chore.”

It also emerged that 68% would pay for private tutoring for their child were budget not an issue.

However, paying the bills, getting a weekly food shop and meeting mortgage payments were the main things in life which made such additional learning more difficult.

A third (34%) also revealed the thought that comes to mind when thinking of tutoring was to have a fully qualified teacher come to their home compared to only 15% thinking of online sessions.

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And 26% had written off the idea of it for their child based on their own school memories.

One in six (17%) admit they don’t believe their kids are particularly engaged based on what they say when they come home, with 77% struggling to inspire them to revise at home.

Reward systems, goal setting and extra pocket money were the top ways parents have tried to help improve interest in home learning.

It also emerged 66% said their children use online learning materials to revise and 39% engage more with it, according to the OnePoll figures.

The flexibility, how interactive it is and the fact it’s a more visual way of learning helped according to their parents.

Money saving tips for parents

WE’VE put together six top tips to cut costs, nab freebies and to make sure you’re not fined.

Free prescriptions and dental care – Prescriptions cost £9.15 a pop in England, while NHS dental costs vary by location. You can get both for free while you’re pregnant and for 12 months after your baby’s due date. Ask your doctor or midwife for a maternity exemption certificate (MATEX) to claim the free care.
Free milk, infant formula, vitamins or fruit and veg – Under the Healthy Start programme, you may be entitled to the freebies if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or you have a child under four and you’re on certain benefits, such as Universal Credit.
£500 free grant – In England, Northern Ireland and Wales you may be entitled to a Sure Start grant of £500 if you’re on certain benefits and expecting your first child or expecting more than one baby – such as twins.To claim, you need to fill out the following form on Gov.uk and get your doctor or midwife to sign it.
Register the birth in time or face a £200 fine – You need to register the birth within 42 days of your baby being born with your local registry office. This costs £11 in England and Wales.
Update a will or update it – If you don’t have a will, in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, where one parent dies, children will only inherit cash if the estate is worth more than £250,000 – otherwise all the money will go to the surviving spouse. If you don’t want that to happen, you need to get a will stating your wishes.
Consider getting life insurance – No-one likes to think about death but if something happened to you, could the family survive without your salary? If not, you many want to consider life insurance. Use a comparison service to find not only the cheapest, but the most suitable cover for your needs.

More than half (56%) of parents admit they’ve not yet thought about how they may look to boost their child’s revision over the Easter holidays, with 18% of those unable to afford to supplement it.

While 26% see the school holidays as a time for nothing but relaxing, 28% will look to strike a balance between chilling and learning.

For parents considering seeking extra learning support for their children, MyEdSpace has prepared a handy guide on how to get the most out of tutoring.

Sean Hirons, from the brand, which is running affordable virtual boot camps across the holidays for Maths, Biology, Chemistry and English, added: “The Easter holidays are nearly upon us and if your child is heading into exams this year, it may provide the perfect time to boost their learning.

“A rest in the break is very important, but it’s also important to keep learning ticking along with interactive methods that will help children to enjoy their learning.”