What is EHCP-funded 1:1 tuition and how do schools arrange it?

Many SENCOs and school leaders are asked the same question by families and colleagues: what is EHCP-funded 1:1 tuition, and how do we arrange it? In short, it is individual teaching that supports the special educational provision set out in a pupil's education, health and care plan, paid for by the school or the local authority rather than by the family.

This guide explains what the term means in practice, who is responsible for what, and the steps most schools follow to put high quality 1:1 tuition in place.

What EHCP-funded 1:1 tuition actually is

An education, health and care plan, or EHCP, is a legal document that describes a child or young person's needs, the outcomes they are working towards and the support they should receive. Where a plan includes individual teaching, a tutor can deliver that provision in a way that fits the pupil, whether the sessions take place in school, at home, in a community space or online.

EHCP-funded 1:1 tuition is not private tutoring that families arrange for themselves. The funding comes from the school or the local authority, and the tuition has a clear purpose linked to the pupil's plan. That purpose might be to build reading skills, to rebuild routines after time out of school, or to help a pupil with sensory or communication needs access the curriculum.

Who pays and who arranges it

Responsibility is shared. The local authority maintains the plan and must secure the provision it specifies, while the school usually plays a central role in organising and delivering support day to day. The SEND code of practice explains how funding for special educational provision works, including the way schools use their own budgets for additional support and when a local authority adds further funding.

Because every authority has its own processes, the first practical step is to check how your local authority handles requests for funded tuition. Your SEND team or local offer pages will usually explain who approves it and what evidence they expect.

Five steps to arrange 1:1 tuition

1. Read the plan carefully. Look at the outcomes and provision in the pupil's EHCP and decide what a tutor would need to deliver. Note the subjects, the frequency and any needs around communication, sensory processing or anxiety.

2. Confirm the funding. Agree whether the school or the local authority is paying, and get approval in writing before sessions start.

3. Choose a suitably checked tutor. Look for relevant experience, a clear subject match and the right safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check, identity verification and references.

4. Plan the practicalities. Decide where sessions will take place, how often, who will be on site and how the tutor will share information with staff and families.

5. Agree how progress is reported. Set short term targets, ask for brief session notes and plan a review before the annual review so that evidence is ready.

Choosing where tuition takes place

Sessions can work well in a quiet room at school, at the pupil's home or in a community space such as a library. Online sessions can help when travel is difficult or a pupil is out of school. Think about safety, privacy and the pupil's comfort, and make sure your safeguarding policy is followed wherever the session happens.

Working with a supply partner

A specialist partner can take on much of the finding and checking. Humly places tutors with pupils whose tuition is funded by schools or local authorities, and handles checks such as enhanced DBS, ID verification, references and a review of qualifications. You still decide who is right for your pupil, but you spend less time chasing paperwork.

If you would like to talk through a particular pupil's needs, our team can explain how tuition is arranged and what information helps us find the right match.

Making EHCP-funded 1:1 tuition work well

Good tuition starts with a clear link to the plan, a confirmed funding route and a well matched tutor. Keep communication open between tutor, school and family, and review progress regularly. When these pieces are in place, EHCP-funded 1:1 tuition can give a pupil the focused support they need to move forward with confidence.