As students in Australia’s two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, return to school, a new study is arguing that  ATAR concessions and large sums of funding for school tutoring are unnecessary. In his latest research (pdf), Glenn Fahey from the Centre of Independent Studies found an estimated 6 to 14 percent of students likely progressed slower at home, but catch up tutoring was not the answer. Fahey said it was a missed opportunity for policymakers and educators to lift the quality of teaching for all students rather than run temporary programmes. “Across 2021 and 2022, $1.2 billion has been committed to small group tutoring programmes in New South Wales and Victoria,” Fahey said. “What’s less costly, but more impactful, is for every classroom to benefit from evidence-based teaching.” “It’s access to quality instruction, not just a tutor, that will lift student outcomes.” Fahey said policymakers need to be clear in …