Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve answered many common questions are below. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, or if you’d like to chat in general about your child’s needs, give us a call on
Frequently asked questions
Who are your teachers?
All our teachers have up-to-date CRB checks and are British-trained and fully-qualified, with many years’ experience teaching in local schools. Some have additional training in Special Educational Needs. We will work with you to choose the right teacher for your child’s specific needs.
What do I need to bring to my Taster Session?
You need bring no special equipment to the Taster Session. It is best if at least one parent can attend with the child, for the purposes of discussing the results at the end. If this is not possible, we can contact you by phone or email.. We do have a comfortable waiting area with books and toys for you to wait in should you have to bring a younger child along. You can park in Bystock Terrace Car Park, which is just opposite our building. We are easy to reach in central Kingswood.
Will you come to my home?
Yes we do. We are focused on offering the most practical and amenable arrangements for you and your child. Please call us to discuss what suits you best.
How will I know it's working?
Improvement in your child will be seen almost immediately, depending, of course, on the starting point, the age and level of your child. Going up a set or two at school, and being able to cope with homework often happens quite quickly after starting with us. Younger children usually show the fastest improvement, but the key to ensuring that our tuition is most effective for your child whatever their age is regular attendance. Commitment to a session once a week shows your child you are serious about helping them, and gives them a boost right away. Once your child begins to find learning fun – which they will, once they begin to succeed – they will become happier and more focused in general.
What ages do you teach?
We take children from age 4 to young adult. Any child may attend, provided they are able to take care of their basic physical needs, have adequate communication skills, and are able to work within a small group environment.
What subjects do you teach?
For ages 4 to 16, we teach English, Maths, Science and 11+ preparations. For the youngest, we have an early reading programme called “I Can Read”, which was specially written by experts for exclusive use in our Centre. For the next age group we teach Reading, Writing, Spelling, Comprehension and Maths. Again, our programmes of work are unique and have been specially written by our experts. For the older children working towards exams we teach English, Maths and Science to GCSE. We also tutor for the 11+, including Maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. We also offer 1:1 tuition in various subjects at GCSE and A-Level.
Is there a minimum length of stay?
No, we do not require that you stay for a minimum term. There may be a notice period when stopping, depending on your chosen package.
How long does my child need to stay?
This obviously varies enormously from child to child, depending on your goals and the starting point. We will always give an honest opinion to help you decide whether to continue with tuition.
Can I cancel a booking?
You can cancel group bookings until three hours before the start time. Individual Tuition bookings can be cancelled up to 24 hours before the start time.
Is it one-to-one tuition?
Yes, we provide one-to-one tuition which works well with children who require the full attention by their teacher, and to ask questions as much as they want.
Do you support children with special needs?
Yes. Built into our teaching philosophy are many strategies which are highly effective for children who have mild ADHD or dyslexia. We have special teaching resources which have been written for children with literacy problems such as dyslexia, and which work very well. In addition, we have physical learning aids in the Centre, such as coloured overlays and abacuses, which are available as needed
Do you support gifted children?
Gifted children are often frustrated at school. We can offer them a programme of extension work which will lessen their feeling of being stifled. Teachers in schools often struggle to extend a gifted child, and for many such children a weekly session at our Centre can be a welcome opportunity to tackle more interesting work. Please call us to discuss your specific needs.
Do you support home-schooled children?
We have helped many home-schooled children over the years. Our tuition is ideal for children who are studying at home, as it provides a learning environment with other children, which may be missing at home. We link with the school curriculum, so if you enrol your home-schooled child with us for you can be assured they will cover the essential material required for the National Curriculum in an effective and sensitive way. By combining Small Group Tuition with One-to-One Tuition we can put together a comprehensive package to help with preparation for the GCSE exams in English Language, English Literature, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History and Religious Studies. Please phone to discuss the possibilities.
Can I have my child re-assessed after a while?
Your child is being continuously assessed and their progress monitored by their teacher. They will give you a verbal progress report at the end of each session, so you will always know how well your child is doing. Every six months or so you can also request an optional progress update to confirm changes in reading age, maths progress etc. It will take up about half an hour out of a regular session.