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A £5,000 grant from London Freemasons is set to make a real difference to children in the capital, helping up to 40 young people in two London schools access the academic support they need to move forward with confidence.

The funding will support Action Tutoring, a charity with a simple but powerful aim: to make high-quality tutoring available to pupils who might otherwise miss out. Founded on the belief that a child’s future should not be shaped by family income, the organisation works with schools to provide evidence-based tutoring in English and maths, helping pupils build knowledge, confidence and better life chances.

In practical terms, the London Freemasons grant will help cover the essentials that make this work possible. That includes tutoring resources, volunteer expenses, curriculum development, tutor training and volunteer recruitment – all the behind-the-scenes elements that ensure pupils receive consistent, high-quality support.

For Action Tutoring, the impact is clear. In 2023–24 alone, the charity delivered 27,582 tutoring sessions to 6,003 pupils, working with children and young people who are at particular risk of falling behind. And it really works: among primary-age pupils, those tutored in maths were 20% more likely to meet the expected standard than other pupils nationally, while those tutored in English were 24% more likely to do so.

That’s why this kind of support matters. Action Tutoring exists to help close the attainment gap: the persistent difference in educational outcomes between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Through partnerships with schools, it matches trained volunteer tutors with pupils who need targeted help, giving them not only extra academic support but also all-important encouragement and belief in their own potential.

Its volunteer model is a key part of what makes the charity distinctive. Tutors range in age from 18 to 83; and they deliver sessions both online and in person, bringing with them a broad mix of life experience, subject knowledge and commitment.

Reflecting on the grant, Action Tutoring CEO Jen Fox described it as far more than a financial contribution. It is, she said, “an investment in their futures and an investment in our society”, adding that the organisation is incredibly grateful for support that will have “a significant impact on the lives of young people in the capital, who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this support.”

That sense of practical, local impact is exactly what appealed to London Freemasons. Paul King said that knowing the grant will help 40 children receive the tutoring they need “to get ahead in life” is “an extremely important thing for both us and the communities that we all live and work within.” He added: “We are very pleased to be able to support Action Tutoring with this initiative.”

There is also a nice symmetry in the story for London’s Masons. Action Tutoring very much began in London, with early pilot programmes in just two schools, before growing into the national charity working with schools across the country that we see now. Today it continues to focus on opening doors for young people facing disadvantage, helping them progress in education, employment and training.

For the pupils who will benefit from this latest grant, the outcome is not abstract. It means extra help, more individual attention, and a better chance of reaching key academic milestones. For London Freemasons, it is another example of targeted giving that changes lives close to home. And for Action Tutoring, it is a welcome boost to a mission that remains as urgent as ever: ensuring that no child’s life chances are limited by their background.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 60 – Spring 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 60 here.

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