One in four children privately tutored in 'shadow education system' The figures show that children from affluent families are now more than twice as likely as those from lower income ones to pay for home tutoring. One in three children from affluent backgrounds (31 per cent) used a tutor this year, up five per cent on the year before, while 18 per cent from less affluent families used one, up from 14 per cent. The numbers are highest in London, where competition for good school places is toughest. Forty cent of children in the capital paid for coaching in 2013, compared to Wales, where just nine per cent of pupils had extra help. Pupils aged 15 to 16 are most likely to be tutored, ahead of GCSE exams, however a number of 11-year-olds received help to improve their chances of winning places at England's 164 grammar schools. Ipsos MORI, the market research company, surveyed 2,595 schoolchildren aged 11 to 16 in England and Wales as part of the research commissioned by the Sutton Trust. They compared answers to factors such as children's age and parental income. Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said schools were not offering the best possible education to all students, and were too focused on test-taking. "The current accountability measures depend on C passes at GCSE and that is where a lot of the effort from schools goes," he said. If you have highly able child, they just aren't given the attention needed to develop to the fullest. Parents now feel tutoring has become a necessity rather than a top-up in order to stand a chance. Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: "Parents naturally want to do the best for their children and the pressure to succeed in exams is stronger than ever, and not just for a child who is falling behind. Parents who find that independent school fees are too expensive want to ensure their child gets the grades they need to get good GCSEs and A-levels while at state school, and get to a good university. Spending a bit of extra money to give them that extra edge is a lot cheaper than private school. But of course this is an option only open to those who can afford it: £25 an hour is quite a lot for someone on low or average incomes.