Nick Brook, deputy general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: "Passing the one-million milestone is a significant moment for tutoring, but celebration at the success of the school-led route is somewhat tinged with disappointment at the continued issues being faced by the core tutoring offer. School leaders tell us that they find accessing tuition partners and academic mentors through the National Tutoring Programme to be confusing and difficult.

"Yet the appetite amongst schools for tutoring is high. The belief in the ambition to make tutoring available to all, irrespective of family wealth, is strong. It is therefore to be welcomed that the Secretary of State has taken steps today to divert funding to the school-led route and commits to take further action to simplify processes and improve quality."