Together with James Kay-Shuttleworth, whom he had met as secretary of the Statistical Society of London (founded 1834), in 1839 they jointly published reports on the training of pauper children.
Today's system of national school education, with public inspection, trained teachers and its support by state as well as local funds, is largely due to their initiative.
He was the younger son of William Tufnell (1769–1809) and his wife, Mary (d. 1829), the daughter of Thomas Carleton.
His father was a barrister and Whig MP for Colchester 1806–7, and lord of the manor of Barnsbury, London of which he was a developer after whom Tufnell Park was named.
In 1846 Tufnell married Honoria Mary (1824–1877), the only daughter of Colonel William Macadam.