This study reports an investigation of the challenges faced by beginning teachers and their mentors in relation to privately funded education provision. This additional tutoring support, (commonly termed grinding) which takes place outside school time in private institutions is availed of by increasing numbers of students as a supplement to their school work. In many cases, and although its effectiveness has not been proved, it constitutes a major financial outlay by parents who believe it to be essential in maximizing students’ choice of university course. This paper addresses how this marketization or commodification of learning affects students’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviour in schools and the implications of this for beginning teachers’ professional development and for their mentoring support. The study involved a cohort of thirty-six NQTs and eighteen mentors involved in the ongoing National Project on Teacher Induction who regularly expressed concern at a perceived lack of interest and commitment to learning and to school work generally among students. Such students often asserted that privately funded results-focussed tuition would be available so ‘why bother’ with school work. Consequently, mentors sand their mentees were required to pay particular attention to intrinsic motivational techniques, behaviour management and values education within the classroom.