Only 49% of parents satisfied with school English education: New survey reveals school English isn’t enough – parents turn to online, tutors and optimism.

A new survey by Novakid, a leading online English teaching platform, has revealed a growing shift in how families approach English learning. Despite the language being a core part of school curricula, most parents say it isn’t enough with satisfaction levels as low as 21% overall. The survey, which included Poland, Romania, Turkey, Italy, Chile and Columbia, highlighted a growing need for impactful English tutoring as parents turn to private lessons, apps and online learning.

Across six very different countries, parents shared a passion for their children’s education and how important English has become to their futures and are actively supporting their English education outside the classroom. While many are optimistic about the progress being made in the classroom, the data showed that most still don’t believe public school systems are fully preparing their children for fluency and future opportunity.

According to the survey, only 26% of Chilean and 30% Columbian parents are satisfied with English language teaching in schools. Italy fares slightly better at 46%, while Poland leads at just 50% followed closely by Romania at 58%. When parents were asked whether they believe the quality of English teaching has improved in recent years, the results varied across regions. While 40% of Polish and Romanian parents believed that there’s been improvement, that optimism drops to 25% in Turkey and 34% in Italy.

These results suggest that many parents do recognise the incremental progress being made in schools, but that they equally feel that the schools aren’t delivering the kind of practical English skills their children need. Parents are taking an increasingly hands-on role in improving their children’s English education. The most common response across all six countries was to provide children with additional support such as apps or online education. These solutions were especially popular in Latin America with 79% of Columbian and 73% of Chilean parents turning to digital platforms. The trend is consistent in Europe too, with 74% of Polish and 69% of Romanian parents opting into trusted extra education.

In addition to online teaching, help their children at home. This is most common in Chile at 48% followed by Poland at 47% and Romania at 35%. Using online resources is the most popular solution for most parents at an overall 42% with Chile leading the way at 49% followed by Turkey (47%), Columbia (45%) and Poland (37%).

Interestingly, the data shows a strong level of optimism about the future of English education, even in countries where satisfaction is low. In Chile, 38% of parents say they feel positive about the direction schools are taking with English education. In Columbia its 35%, while Italy (44%), Romania (40%%), and Chile (38%) also feel relatively high levels of hope for further progress. This optimism suggests that while parents may not feel current systems are effective, they’re encouraged by how things are changing and are ready to support their children by taking advantage of emerging solutions.

Across all surveyed countries, extracurricular English becoming increasingly common with 28% overall already enrolled and 37% planning to. In Poland, 38% of parents said their children attend extra lessons outside school. Romania (35%) and Italy (33%), followed closely behind. Even in Chile, which reported the lowest level, 17% of children still take extra classes.

When asked why they invest in additional learning, parents consistently reported the same key motivations. These include the desire to create better career opportunities, build confidence and fluency, and address dissatisfaction with the quality of school-based English education. 

Novakid supports parents and helps them close the confidence gap in English education with real-world results. The unique methodology combines 1:1 live lessons with certified native or near-native teachers, group speaking practice in small groups with children from different countries, gamified content, and self-learning apps, all of which have been designed to prepare children for future academic, career, and travel opportunities in an increasingly interconnected world.

Every Novakid lesson is tailored to a child’s pace, level, and interests. The expert-designed curriculum, aligned with CEFR standards, develops language and cognitive skills through storytelling, games, and real-time conversation, complementing what children learn in school and encouraging natural fluency. With interactive, play-based content including the free Novakid Junior app for younger learners, children stay engaged while learning English in a safe, ad-free, scam-free, and bully-free environment.

Trusted by over 800,000 families in 50+ countries, Novakid is rated 4.7/5 on Trustpilot, with over 90% parental satisfaction. Parents value Novakid’s transparency, flexible pricing plans (including sibling discounts and a 45-day satisfaction guarantee), and measurable results powered by AI-driven progress tracking and assessments. Lessons can be booked anytime, and children have 24/7 access to games and activities, all from the comfort of home.