University of Salford staff sit in a recording studio to film a podcast episode

Episode 21: Unlocking local potential in Salford

We're working together to close the attainment gap and create connections between university students and the Salford community

Published:

  • Time to read: 2 minutes

We’ve been working with the University of Salford since January. In this podcast, our tutors and the university share their perspectives

For this episode, Tutorcast went on the road! Our co-host Sammy Meynell was on campus at the University of Salford to discuss our ongoing partnership, which places university students as tutors in local Salford primary schools. Sammy was joined by three guests who've all been closely involved with the project: 

  • Lynne Barrow - Tutor Trust Project Lead and Director of Recruitment, Salford Business School
  • Matt Allen - Senior Lead Tutor and Lecturer in Economics, Salford Business School
  • Esther Mashamba - Lead Tutor and psychology student, University of Salford

 

University meets charity

The partnership brings together undergraduates and Year 6 pupils from Salford schools to deliver targeted tuition in maths and English, timed to support their transition into secondary education. Carefully structured to benefit both groups, the scheme sees undergraduates gaining valuable classroom experience and paid work whilst the pupils get academic support from relatable role models.

The programme is made possible thanks to generous funding from Richard Donner and the Harrington Foundation, enabling schools to access the scheme at minimal cost.

 

Advancing social mobility in Salford

The University of Salford has a track record of being dedicated to widening participation; their work with charity IntoUniversity has already made a measurable impact. Within two years, the Salford Central learning hub saw more than double the number of local 16-year-olds entering higher education, with a leap from 20% to 52%.

In the Higher Education Policy Institute’s 2024 Social Mobility Index, Salford ranked as the fifth best university in England for helping young people achieve their academic and career goals.

These initiatives show a clear strategy: to break down barriers and nurture social mobility by building strong, community-led partnerships with local charities.

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Credits

This episode was hosted by Sammy Meynell and edited by The University of Salford and Jason Rose.

We'd also like to thank the staff at The University of Salford's Media Studio for being so accommodating!

Sammy Meynell

Project and Programme Manager - Greater Manchester

Sammy Meynell

Project and Programme Manager - Greater Manchester

Sammy joined Tutor Trust in the summer of 2021 as a Secondary English tutor whilst studying for her Master’s degree in Philosophy at the University of Manchester. A couple of weeks after she completed her degree, Sammy began working on a full-time tuition assignment at St Damian’s RC Science College, which was an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. She became a Primary Schools Coordinator in the Greater Manchester team. In February 2024, Sammy moved into the role of Project Lead within the Manchester Schools team, overseeing projects including Transition and Post-16. She is looking forward to playing an active role in diversifying our offer to reach even more children and young people in need of extra support. 

Sammy says: "I have always been passionate about playing a role in minimising educational inequalities. One of my favourite things about my role is the fact I am making a difference to the lives of many young people in my local community who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the extra support Tutor Trust provides. This makes the job extremely fulfilling, and I am proud to be a part of this amazing organisation. I also enjoy working alongside our tutors to help them settle into their roles and boost their engagement, through organising social events and facilitating drop-ins.

"When I’m not coordinating tuition, I enjoy watching football and I co-host my own FC Halifax Town podcast! I also love to read, and I’m currently on the Tutor Trust Book Club committee, where we organise monthly meetings with our fellow office bookworms."

Jason Rose

Digital Communications Coordinator

Jason Rose

Digital Communications Coordinator

Jason first started working with us as a tutor in 2018 before working as a Tutoring Plus Full-Time Tutor, then as a Manchester Secondary Coordinator and most recently as Digital Communications Coordinator. He is also the editor of our very own podcast, Tutorcast.

Jason says: "Growing up in Greater Manchester, I was aware of the inequalities around me at school and was able to help counteract this when I took on a tuition assignment at my old primary school. Although I decided I didn’t want to teach in a classroom environment, I still enjoy working with young people and am glad to be able to help people from working-class backgrounds achieve their full potential. 

"Outside of work, I am a volunteer editor for a mediation charity. I also spend a lot of time in the studio practising guitar and am a bit of a photography enthusiast!"

Exterior of The University of Salford

University of Salford and The Tutor Trust

The Tutor Trust has formed a partnership with The University of Salford. Tutor Trust tutors from the University will deliver tuition to year 6 pupils across Salford primary schools. This is an amazing opportunity for Salford pupils, and will further Tutor…

A female tutor wearing a black and white shirt is stood to the right of the image. To the left of the image two male primary school-aged pupils are sat at a desk. They are wearing blue school uniforms.

Tutoring for primary schools

We work with primary schools to provide high-quality tutoring in Maths, Reading and Writing across Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Merseyside. Our prices are affordable and we work with pupils between Year 3 and Year 6.